Public Administration Commons^™

Staff Of The People? Assessing Progress In Descriptive Representation Under The Obama Administration, José Villalobos

Selected Works Temporary Series

Over the past few decades, presidents have made some increasingly noticeable efforts to fill their administrations with a higher number of minorities. Though not yet fully representative of the general public, such advances in descriptive representation are a sign of progressive change occurring within the executive branch, with positive potential implications for the state of representative democracy and public policy. In this article, I survey the current state of descriptive representation under the Obama presidency and the extent to which the president’s policy agenda has substantively addressed the needs of historically underrepresented groups. Descriptively, I find that President Barack Obama …

Missouri National Recreational River, Natural Resource Condition Assessment, Kevin J. Stark, Lucas J. Danzinger, Michael R. Komp, Andy J. Nadeau, Shannon Amberg, Eric J. Iverson, David Kadlec, Barry Drazkowski

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

As a unit in the National Park Service (NPS), Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) is responsible for the management and conservation of natural resources within its boundaries. This mandate is supported by the National Park Service Organic Act of 1916, which directs the NPS to:

conserve the scenery and natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

In 2003, NPS Water Resources Division received funding through the Natural Resource Challenge …

Army Transformation: What Does It Mean?, David Jerome

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The way in which senior U.S. Army leaders such as the chiefs of staff define transformative change is important, especially if the meaning of that term is to be interpreted as originally intended by Army field grade officers. An Army chief of staff is responsible for creating a vision and establishing goals for the future, and field grade officers are responsible for pursuing that vision and those goals by implementing objectives that endeavor to arrive at the desired ends. By using both qualitative and quantitative methods, this research analyzes what each of the three chiefs of staff, who have served …

Scotts Bluff National Monument Plant Community Composition And Structure Monitoring, 2011 Annual Report, Isabel W. Ashton, Michael Prowatzke, Michael R. Bynum, Tim Shepherd, Stephen K. Wilson, Kara Paintner-Green

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

The Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network (NGPN) was established to develop and provide scientifically credible information on the current status and long-term trends of the composition, structure, and function of ecosystems in thirteen parks located in five northern Great Plains states. NGPN identified upland plant communities, exotic plant early detection, and riparian lowland communities as vital signs that can be used to better understand the condition of terrestrial park ecosystems (Gitzen et al. 2010). Upland and riparian ecosystems are important targets for vegetation monitoring because the status and trends in plant communities provide critical insights into …

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument Plant Community Composition And Structure Monitoring, 2011 Annual Report, Isabel W. Ashton, Michael Prowatzke, Michael R. Bynum, Tim Shepherd, Stephen K. Wilson, Kara Paintner-Green

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

The Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network (NGPN) was established to develop and provide scientifically credible information on the current status and long-term trends of the composition, structure, and function of ecosystems in thirteen parks located in five northern Great Plains states. NGPN identified upland plant communities, exotic plant early detection, and riparian lowland communities as vital signs that can be used to better understand the condition of terrestrial park ecosystems (Gitzen et al. 2010). Upland and riparian ecosystems are important targets for vegetation monitoring because the status and trends in plant communities provide critical insights into …

Staff Of The People? Assessing Progress In Descriptive Representation Under The Obama Administration, José Villalobos

Departmental Papers (PS)

Over the past few decades, presidents have made some increasingly noticeable efforts to fill their administrations with a higher number of minorities. Though not yet fully representative of the general public, such advances in descriptive representation are a sign of progressive change occurring within the executive branch, with positive potential implications for the state of representative democracy and public policy. In this article, I survey the current state of descriptive representation under the Obama presidency and the extent to which the president’s policy agenda has substantively addressed the needs of historically underrepresented groups. Descriptively, I find that President Barack Obama …

Stakeholder Participation In Large Scale Complex Systems Modeling: Lessons From An Urbansim Users Community, Sandra H. Goff

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Complex systems models for urban and regional simulation are increasingly being used as tools within decision-making processes underscoring the need to involve stakeholders in the modeling process. Stakeholder participation can serve both learning and community-building purposes, improving model legitimacy, saliency and accuracy and resolving conflicts over competing interests. However, the complex and highly technical nature of modeling activities has the potential to serve as an important barrier to stakeholder engagement. Members of an online UrbanSim user community were contacted in order to examine stakeholder participation in the development and implementation of UrbanSim models. For analysis purposes, a participation hierarchy was …

A Comparative Study Of Indicator Bacteria Present In Ice And Soda From Las Vegas Food Establishments, Kimberly Jo Hertin

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Microbial analysis has long been used as an indicator of water quality. Since the passing of the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, microbial standards have been strictly set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that the public health is protected from bacterial pathogens. The bacteriological quality of water generally deteriorates as it travels from water treatment facilities through the main distribution system and into private plumbing and distribution systems. For example, Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) values typically increase once the water has entered plumbing devices such as beverage vending machines. Upon reaching a private facility, the opportunity …

Portland State University Strategic Plan 2011-2014, Strategic Planning Development Team, Portland State University. Office Of The President

Resource Archive

A large, in-depth, background and analysis of the Strategic Plan, which was included in the Strategic Plan Development Team Toolkit.

Getting Started In Evaluation Consulting: Questions To Ask And Answer Along The Way, Judah J. Viola,

Faculty Publications

This PowerPoint presentation includes a four phase approach to considering the main questions you'll need to ask and answer before taking the leap needed to begin working as an independent evaluation consultant.

Towards A Metatheory Of Budgeting, Dan Williams, Thad D. Calabrese

Publications and Research

In this paper. we suggest that many budget theories actually are about appropriating and not about budgeting. We trace this development back to the classic budgeting question posed by V.O. Keys in 1940. To clarify the issue, we examine early normative theories of budgeting, and apply many contemporary theories about budgeting to the budgeting process advocated for in this early work. By analyzing current theories, we show that budget theories are, in many cases, simply focused on parts of the budget process or on the role of techniques in decision making. Our analyses suggest that rather than theories competing with …

Report Relative To The Organization And Operations Of The Town Of Sherborn, Massachusetts, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

The Town of Sherborn has many important assets. The Town has skilled department heads and staff, a committed core of citizens and elected officials, one of the best school systems in the state, a stunning pastoral landscape, and a reputation as an extremely desirable place to live.

Despite these assets, no one will be shocked by our observation that the Town is also facing some very serious challenges. While the immediate prompt for this study and report was the vacancy in the Town Administrator’s position, it quickly became clear that the vacancy in the position is not the only challenge …

Book Review: Nurturing Children And Families: Building On The Legacy Of T. Berry Brazelton, Kathleen Fite

Administrative Issues Journal

Lester, B. M., & Sparrow, J. D. (Eds.). (2001). Nurturing children and families: Building on the legacy of T. Berry Brazelton. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. 376 pp. ISBN 978-1-4051-9600-0

Leveraging The Mbti To Affect Change, Maryrose Hart

Administrative Issues Journal

This presentation will discuss how the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument can best be used to facilitate positive change in an organization. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an instrument based on research conducted by Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers. Briggs originally developed the concept to better understand the behaviors of normal individuals. The strength of the MBTI instrument lies in helping managers understand preferences, nuances, behaviors, and mental processes of individual employees. By using the MBTI, a person can predict what types of information disparate individuals prefer, the format and delivery, and orientations toward change. This insight can …

Service-Learning As A Professional Development Tool, Lillian Wichinsky, Carolyn Turturro

Administrative Issues Journal

The authors examined students’ attitudes towards grant writing and program evaluation when service learning was integrated into the assignment. Over a two-year period, 71 graduate students participated in an online survey responding to both qualitative and quantitative items. Students overwhelmingly reported that they learned more through the servicelearning experience than they would have doing the assignment as an academic exercise. It is recommended that all disciplines seek out service-learning opportunities to promote professional development.

High School Students Embedded In Adult Community College Classes, Karen P. Saenz, George W. Moore

Administrative Issues Journal

Early college high schools were established as an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with the goal for students of earning college credit and an associate degree while in high school. Many of these high school students attend college classes with adults, ages 18 and older, in the same class. Instructors are challenged to address these students’ diverse needs and diverse ways of learning. Young teenagers typically are told exactly what to learn and how it is to be learned; the adult learner, however, is much more independent and he or she learns and thinks differently based on …

To The Point: How Management Faculty Use Powerpoint Slides And Quizzes, Stan Williamson, Kenneth E. Clow, Robert E. Stevens

Administrative Issues Journal

This exploratory study examines U.S. management faculty usage of two types of supplements: PowerPoint (PPT) slides and quizzes. Results suggest the majority (67%) of experienced management faculty frequently employ PowerPoint in their classes. However, they do not see PPT basic slides provided by the publisher as very central to getting their message across. In using PPT they tend to personalize publisher slides to cover issues discussed in class and to embellish slides with visuals and videos for interest. Primarily they encourage their students to use PowerPoint slides provided on the instructor’s website to review lectures and chapter material to prepare …

Administrative Issues Journal Conference Proceedings: Table Of Contents

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor-In-Chief, Tami Moser

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Advisory And Editorial Board Members

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.