UAS/MPA
ON-LINE NEWSLETTER
November, 2005 ---- Vol. 8 No. 3---Jonathan Anderson, editor

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1. PRIORITY REGISTRATION BEGINS NOVEMBER 7
2. SUMMER ELECTIVE PLANNING
3. LEVERAGING CLASS PAPERS
4. ASPA’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN SEATTLE
5. PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW – ASPA’S JOURNAL
6. LACK OF TRAVEL
7. JOBS
8. MPA SCHOLARSHIP
9. ADMISSIONS APPLICATIONS
10. Miscellany

1. Priority Registration Begins Monday
Starting November 7, for two weeks currently enrolled students have priority registration for Spring semester. BeginningNov. 21 open registration begins for all students.

Spring classes are listed on the website http://www.uas.alaska.edu/mpa/ancourse.htm

PADM 618 Law for Public Managers Thursdays 7-9:45 pm Kathy DiLorenzo

PADM 628 Public Financial Management Wednesdays 7-9:45 pm Anselm Staack

PADM 624 Human Resources Administration Tuesdays 7-9:45 pm Jonathan Anderson

PADM 688 Program Evaluation Mondays 7-9:45 pm Kathy DiLorenzo

PADM 690 Capstone Thursdays 7-9:45 pm (Elluminate) Jonathan Anderson

2. SUMMER ELECTIVE PLANNING
Students in the MPA program have the opportunity to take three electives. Each summer UAS offers several electives applicable to the MPA degree. This summer the following classes will be offered.

1. PADM 675 Leadership Communications- This class, taught by Jonathan Anderson focuses on organizational communication both oral and written. The class consists of a five day intensive session held in Juneau May 22-26, followed by independent study assignments continuing through the summer.
2. PADM 615 Intergovernmental Relations. This class, taught by Kevin Ritchie, explores the world of networked governance. Different governments at all levels, no-profits and private sector contractors all work together to accomplish public policy. Managing that complex environment is the subject of this class which will be taught on the satellite.
3. PADM 671 Employment Law for Public Managers. This class, taught by John Gaguine will explore the issues of public employment law that are essential for public managers, particularly those in the HR field.See http://www.uas.alaska.edu/mpa/elect.htm for more details on elective options.

3. Leveraging Class Papers
When writing class papers think about how you can apply them to your workplace. Often that is the nature of the assignment, but even if not, try to focus your efforts on your workplace applying theory to reality. I encourage you to interview your colleagues, supervisors and subordinates on the issue. There is an additional, and more subtle, (manipulative? J) advantage to this. You communicate to others in your workplace that you are addressing bigger issues, that you are attending graduate school, and that you are a person to think about. You encourage others to think about the larger issues while letting them know you are addressing them in a formal fashion. More than one MPA student has leveraged these semester papers into promotions.

4.APSA’s Annual Conference in Seattle
I continually encourage membership in the American Society for Public Administration, the professional society for public and non-profit managers.This year the annual conference will be held in Seattle and offers a great opportunity for managers to see what goes on at these stimulating gatherings. For more information go to http://www.aspanet.org/scriptcontent/index_aspaconference.cfm and note the discounted registration rate for students.

5. Public Administration Review – ASPA’s Journal
I want to reprint the table on contents for the September issue of PAR which is available through EBSCO/ Business Source Premier. I particularly enjoyed the articles on Civic Engagement.

1. Administrative Breakdowns in the Governmental Response to Hurricane Katrina
2. America's Palimpsest: Ground-Zero Democracy and the Capitol Mall
3. Civic Engagement in the Twenty-First Century: Toward a Scholarly and Practical Agenda
4. Reframing Democracy: Governance, Civic Agency, and Politics
5. The New Governance: Practices and Processes for Stakeholder and Citizen Participation in the Work of Government
6. Democratizing the Administrative State: Connecting Neighborhood Councils and City Agencies Nonprofits and Civic Engagement
7. Civic Engagement and Sustainable Cities in the United States
8. A Framework for Assessing Incentives in Results-Based Management
9. The Use of Network Analysis to Strengthen Community Partnerships
10. Policy Development and New Immigrant Communities: A Case Study of Citizen Input in Defining Transit Problems
11. The Best of Both Worlds: A Former Practitioner Transitions to Life as a Full-Time Academic
12. The "Compleat" Policy Analyst: A Top 10 List

6. Lack of Travel
I have made a practice of trying to visit students at their home sites each year and I confess I have been derelict this fall. First it was running for public office and then late last month I had an ankle operation (fusion) to correct a long term problem—so now I am on crutches for 6 weeks. I apologize for the lack of contact and I hope to rectify it next semester. I believe it is very important to have a face to face relationship with students and I am committed to continuing it.

7. JOBS
State of Alaska jobs are listed on Workplace Alaska.

Often students, alumni or friends will forward to me a particular position they are trying to fill.

Current Student Brady Scott has been promoted and is trying to fill his old job as Natural Resource Specialist in DNR.

This position closes Monday November 7, but browse through other possibilities in the state.

MPA Alumni Eric Taylor tells me that they have “extended recruitment for our Human Services Transportation Planner position (Juneau) until Nov 18 and also have opened it up to out-of-state applicants. This position is concerned primarily with managing DOT&PF's program that funds transportation services for seniors and persons with disabilities in Alaska. A noble calling to be sure!”

8. MPA Scholarship?
MPA students are always looking for possibilities of financial aid. I would like to know if anyone is interested in helping set up a scholarship for MPA students who are not funded by their agencies. This might be need based or essay competitive. If you have an interest in supporting such an initiative let me know and we can talk further.

9. ADMISSIONS APPLICATIONS
If you have not already done so, please submit your application for admission as soon as possible. Details of applications have changed since last year, so please review the MPA site - http://www.uas.alaska.edu/mpa/howtoapp.htm Students in PADM 601 have already written the first draft of their Statement of Professional Objectives. Students must be fully accepted before enrolling in their 4th PADM class.

10. Miscellany

• ALUMNI!!! Please send me information on your job and contact info for posting to our Yearbook!!!
• Write me to share what you are doing.
• View previous Newsletters on the MPA Website.
• Help us track down MPA alumni- let me know of your contacts.
• Please let me know if you wish to be removed from this list