Download Master of Public Administration Portfolio | PAD 683 and more Papers Geopolitics in PDF only on Docsity!
MASTER OF PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION
PORTFOLIO
Approved by:________________________________________
Date:_______________________________________________
A Portfolio submitted as partial completion of the
requirements for the Master of Public Administration,
SUNY Brockport.
NOTE: This Portfolio is being used a sample with permission from the student, whose name has been omitted. The original portfolio was submitted in a 3-ring binder, with appropriatedividers for each section and appendices. (Some of the original page numbering or formatting may have been altered during the conversion to a .pdf file.)
Table of Contents
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………………... Portfolio Index…………………………………………………………………………..... Introduction……………………………………………………………………………...... 1.11 Knowledge of Political EnvironmentsTerm Paper-Who’s Law is it Anyway?...................................................................
1.12 Knowledge of Social Environments Reflective Analysis…………………………………………………….…………. 1.31 Negotiating Skills Final Exam………………………………………………………………………. 1.32 Team Building Skills Final Paper………………………………………………………………………. 1.41 Planning Skills Research Paper……………………………………………………….………….. 1.42 Decision Making SkillsZero Based Budget……………………………………………………………….
1.44 Evaluation Skills Family Member Satisfaction Survey..................................................................... 1.52 Facility in Analyzing and Using Information Final Exam………………………………………………………………………. 1.53 Personal Presentation Skills Volunteer Management-What Motivates Volunteers…………………………… 1.62 Membership in a Professional Organization Chair Position for Rochester Area Colleges………………………….………….
Introduction
I applied to the Public Administration program at SUNY Brockport because Public Administration brings together non-profit organizations and communication, two areas that have formed the foundation of my life and work. To date, I have devoted my career to volunteer management and advising prospective students. Now, with a variety of relevant experiences to draw upon, my objective is to work as an administrator in a college setting. As I reflect on what I have learned in my career thus far I am drawn to the point that I have been a participant in an organization and am now ready to be a leader. I want to be able to make improvements in the organization as an active leader. The MPA program has been the catalyst for this change from participant to leader. I have chosen to complete the portfolio as the culmination of my MPA degree because of the conscious reflection involved in compiling and integrating my coursework. This portfolio will serve me well as I move on to the next stage of my career. In August I will be moving to the Kansas City area. I feel confident that with my varied work experience, my MPA coursework, and this portfolio I will be able to find a satisfying position. This program has given me the confidence through knowledge and experience to become a leader.
1.11 Knowledge of Political Environments
Intergovernmental Relations (PAD 683) offered the opportunity for me to evaluate public policies and laws from the local, state and federal levels. In order to glean a true picture of any issue I learned that it is essential to gather facts from all of the stakeholders. Many issues overlap branches and levels of government. Within those branches and levels of government stakeholders may interpret a situation differently. This was the core of the PAD 683 paper, “Who’s Law is it Anyway?”. The court case that I focused on was Virginia V. Black. This case addressed whether a state has the right to ban a form of expression. In this case the form of expression was cross burning. This case took place in Virginia in 1998. This state has a cross burning statute 18.2-423 that bans all cross burning with the intent to intimidate. The U.S. Supreme Court found that banning cross burning with the intent to intimidate falls under a state’s rights. The Supreme Court did not agree that burning of a cross was prima facie evidence of intent to intimidate. The fact that the U.S. Supreme Court could not agree on this law further demonstrates the complexity of the issues surrounding freedom of expression. Many other stakeholder groups had a variety of views on the case as well. Some groups were concerned about the legal precedent this case will set. Others felt that irregardless of the intent cross burning cannot be allowed. Still others were concerned about singling out one type of expression over many other types of expression to ban.
In my current admissions position I have to work with intergovernmental issues through my interactions with financial aid and SUNY. I am more aware of the system as a whole now as a result of Intergovernmental Relations. In the future I plan to be more attuned to stakeholders and the complexities involved with all levels of government working together. I feel that I am better able to be a liaison between the levels with the background that I have gained.
1.12 Knowledge of Social Environments
The key aphorism that I learned in Public Policy (PAD 680) was, “if you try to please everybody, somebody’s not going to like it”. This statement demonstrates the complexity of operating in a social environment. In my reflective analysis for Public Policy I addressed the issues surrounding social environments through the context of my work at Genesee Community College (GCC). One population that we often work with is convicted felons. If a student marks that they have been convicted of a felony on their application they are treated differently. The applicant is interviewed by the director of admissions and then a committee determines if it is appropriate for the student to be accepted to GCC. In this paper I examined the possibility of requiring a background check on all GCC applicants due to the fact that in some cases people lie about convicted felonies on their application. I analyzed this policy change through stakeholder analysis, cost-benefit analysis, ethical analysis, equity analysis and the rational planning model. Stakeholder analysis evaluates who is invested in the issue. In the case of background checks the stakeholders include: students, admissions staff, convicted felon applicants, taxpayers, and the college administration to name a few. Once these parties have been pinpointed it is necessary to evaluate who will be glad and who will be mad as a result of the policy Cost-benefit analysis identifies a program’s beneficial outcomes with its costs to produce those outcomes. Costs may include lawsuits and lost students. On the other end benefits might include prevention of future crime and students feeling safer. If the costs outweigh the benefits of the program or policy it is necessary to rethink the policy.
A third insight that I have gained is that incremental change often is most effective in social environments. For example, random background checks could be conducted with the overall goal of increased campus safety. This would bring many of the positives of a full background check program without adding as much cost. In my future administration role I plan to utilize the lessons of how to successfully implement policies in a complex social environment. I plan to use multiple models to analyze a situation and always remember that policies are implemented in concert with the stakeholders involved.
1.31 Negotiating Skills
I learned many valuable lessons in Human Resource Management (PAD 685). One common thread among these lessons was negotiation. In our final exam we were given several scenarios and asked to respond to them. One scenario involved a supervisor who was not satisfied with the draft of a plan written by a recreation specialist. In the scenario the supervisor made several mistakes in negotiating with the recreation specialist. The first mistake was the overall negative tone taken with the employee. The supervisor made broad generalizations about the employee’s abilities. The second mistake was the vague manner of the comments the supervisor made. The supervisor failed to set expectations and follow through with the employee. Finally the supervisor did not close the negotiations with the recreation specialist on how the plan is to be revised. The recreation specialist is left with no direction and only frustration. The feedback discussion model would serve as the model I would utilize to negotiate with the recreation specialist in the situation. First, I would set a positive climate. Then I would identify the problem with the employee and communicate the desired outcomes. Following this step I would agree with the employee on the course of action. This would involve a two-way negotiation. Finally, I would follow up by measuring results and recognizing the recreation specialist. Human Resource Management taught me many negotiation lessons. First, I will remember to resist the temptation to be negative right away with an employee. It is
1.32 Team Building Skills
In each job that I have held I have been a part of a team. As I transition to a leadership role my team building skills will become more essential. In Supervision Skills (PAD 644) I learned a lot about my natural tendencies and how through awareness I can strengthen my skills as a team leader. In the final paper for the course I reflected on the key areas covered in the course. In the area of communication the class completed a communication style survey. This survey revealed that I am a feeler style of communicator. I am consistent in this style in both favorable and stressful situations. The strengths of this style include sensitivity to others, being perceptive, and being a team player. The weaknesses include being emotional, subjective, and over reactive. In order for me to offer the most to a team I need to remain aware of these natural weaknesses in my communication style. Another survey that we conducted in Supervision Skills was the listening style assessment. According to this survey I am an active listener. This means that I have a tendency to be empathetic, listen for words and feelings, and give verbal and non-verbal responses. These strengths will serve me well in a team building role. In the area of conflict management we conducted the conflict style survey. According to this survey my behavioral tendency is toward avoiding or accommodating. Avoiding behavior is uncooperative and unassertive while accommodating behavior is cooperative yet unassertive. Neither of these styles produces a win-win result. Performance Management is a scientific, data-based, systematic, and conscious way to improve performance. Consequences are at the root of the system. There are four
types of consequences for behavior. Which are: positive reinforcement, extinction, discipline and negative reinforcement. I learned that my natural strengths will serve me well with the performance management system. I am good at reading people and this will aid me in delivering positive reinforcement at the appropriate time. Finally the Leadership Behavior Analysis II survey revealed that my natural tendency is to be a “feel good leader”. This fits with the supporting style of leadership. While this may help me build a team it will not serve me well in all situations. Situational leadership demonstrates that there is no one way to lead. Each of the four leadership styles: directing, coaching, supporting and delegating have their place. When I am building a team I will have to remember that each of these styles can be used effectively in the appropriate situation. I gained many insights in terms of team building from Supervision skills. First, in terms of communication I have to be aware of my natural tendency to be defensive. As a feeler style I am now more cognizant of this tendency and will make efforts to minimize this reaction. For example, in a difficult situation I will watch my body language for defensive messages and in my communication I will speak with “I” terms. I can also use my active listening strengths to minimize my natural defensiveness. Secondly, in terms of conflict I will work toward win-win situations. In the past I have always thought of conflict in terms of a winner and a loser. Now I realize that conflict can be healthy especially if it results in a win-win solution.
1.41 Planning Skills
In Strategic Management (PAD 681) I learned how to use planning in order to strategize future efforts of any organization I work for. The research paper that I wrote during Strategic Management included several helpful planning exercises. The Porter Competitive Strategy exercise allowed me to analyze my current workplace, Genesee Community College (GCC). I found that the GCC admissions office falls in the broad and low cost quadrants of the table. GCC is not differentiated in its offerings and is strongly a low cost college. GCC is broad due to the variety of majors offered. For example, GCC offers degrees for transferring to a four year college or degrees for working immediately after completion of the associates degree. In addition the college has an open admission policy, meaning nearly anyone is accepted to the college. GCC is low cost because the cost of attendance is lower than most of its competitors. I am confident that the college will always maintain this strategy in order to offer the opportunity of a college education to the greatest number of people possible. In the future GCC will remain competitive through on-line courses, increasing the majors offered and offering more courses at the branch campus sites. All of these strategies will make college more convenient for busy people. Another exercise that I conducted was the rational planning model. This model provides a framework for understanding the planning process. The first step of this model is to identify the problem. In the case of Genesee Community College the problem is maintaining and increasing enrollment. With the problem identified there are opportunities to be pursued.
In the college’s case the opportunities include creating new programs for in demand professions. Another opportunity is the current lay-offs occurring in our area. The second step is to design solutions. In the case of GCC one solution would be to become broader while remaining low cost. This could be achieved through offering more majors and increasing enrollment. Another alternative would be to become narrower and remain low cost. In the third step the alternatives are compared and evaluated. Due to the fact that GCC is an open admissions institution, it is broad by its very design. Therefore it is essential for GCC to remain broad in the majors that it offers. It is not wise for GCC to become narrower because that would not meet the needs of its students. The fourth step is to work on a plan for implementing the alternative that was selected. This is the time for setting a mission statement and goals associated with the mission. For example, a goal could be to begin a new health care major at GCC that can be completed with night courses. Finally, step five is the stage for feedback. This is the time to collect data on the goals set. For example, a survey could be sent out to GCC students about the majors that the college offers and their level of satisfaction with the offerings. Through the lessons learned in Strategic Management I have several insights related to organizational planning that apply to my current work. First, competitive strategy is essential in order to stay ahead in any organization. In order to strategize it is first necessary to understand where your organization lies in relation to the competition. It is necessary to recognize what makes your organization unique and capitalize on those aspects. For example, GCC’s low tuition sets it apart from many colleges.
1.42 Decision Making Skills
An administrator is faced with making decisions on a daily if not hourly basis. Each decision greatly impacts the employees working under the administrator. There are many methods for making these important decisions impacting the organization. In Budget State and Local (PAD 684) we learned several budget styles that aid in making decisions regarding a public agency. One such method is the zero based budget. The zero based budget requires departments to prepare decision packages that represent various service levels. The levels are then ranked and are merged into one concise ranked list. Funding is distributed in the order of the list ranking until the money has been depleted. The zero based budget that we worked on in Budget State and Local was for the Adams County Library System. The decision units within the library system included the Acquisitions Department, Cataloging Department, Circulation Department, Reference Department and Special Programs. Within each unit three packages were developed. The first package represents the base cost. Packages two and three represent the additional incremental costs associated with adding services and resources. The true decision making occurs after the packages have been established. At this point the Adams County Library Decision Package Ranking System is compiled. Since there are fifteen total packages, they were ranked one through fifteen based on priority. The cumulative cost is tabulated and the cut off point is designated between ten and eleven. This line represents the point where programs must be cut in order to maintain the budget.
The administrator has a great tool in the zero based budget. It allows for logical decision making that is equitable. I have gained several insights through learning about this decision making technique. First, I have learned that it is important to involve all decision units in setting their decision packages. For example, the Reference Department would set the base cost for a certain number of questions answered. Then two increments of additional questions answered are set. In the case of my current position the Admission office would be a Decision Unit. We would have a base cost for college programs we attended and then incremental costs for additional college programs we could attend. Secondly, I have learned that decentralizing the budget decision making process forces all parties to closely analyze their areas. Each of the decision units has to form and rank their own decision packages. This forces each area to closely evaluate their function. In the case of the library the special programs department has to look at their primary function of providing special programs. They have to determine how many programs are a baseline and how many more constitute an incremental increase. This process forces the department to be critical of their role. Finally, I have gained insight in the ranking process. It is a very logical process of starting with the baseline and then adding in the incremental packages. Through this process bias and subjectivity are minimized. This has a great deal of influence on how the employees and the public perceive the decision process in the end. In my future role as an administrator I will use the zero based budget as a decision making tool. I will remember to seek input from the decision units and allow them the
