MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: PROGRAM REVIEW 2007 … · 2017-11-19 · MASTER OF PUBLIC...

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: PROGRAM REVIEW

2007 - 2012 Report 4.9.13

Department of Public and Health Administration College of Business and Public Management

University of La Verne 1950 Third Street

La Verne, CA 91750

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Table of Contents Cover Page ....................................................................................................................................... i Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ ii Summary of Tables ......................................................................................................................... iii Summary of Figures ....................................................................................................................... iv Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ v Program Summary .......................................................................................................................... vii I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8 II. The La Verne MPA Program ............................................................................................... 9

Background ...................................................................................................................... 9 Mission and Program Objectives .................................................................................. 11 Curriculum ...................................................................................................................... 15 Student Population ......................................................................................................... 18 Class Size and Faculty Resources ................................................................................. 19 Other Public Service Programs ..................................................................................... 20 Opportunities and Threats ............................................................................................ 22

III. Mission Process and Assessment ........................................................................................ 24 Mission Assessment Process ......................................................................................... 24

Teaching Evaluations ........................................................................................... 25 Annual Faculty Evaluations ................................................................................ 26 Alumni Evaluations .............................................................................................. 26 Advisory Board ..................................................................................................... 26 Annual Program Reviews .................................................................................... 27 Graduate Exit Survey ........................................................................................... 27 Course Embedded Program Assessment .......................................................... 28

Guiding Performance ..................................................................................................... 30 IV. Faculty .................................................................................................................................... 33 V. Admission of Students ......................................................................................................... 43 VI. Student Services .................................................................................................................... 47 VII. Graduates ............................................................................................................................... 51 VIII. Supportive Services and Facilities ...................................................................................... 53 IX. Summary and Recommendations ....................................................................................... 56 X. Appendix ................................................................................................................................ 60

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Summary of Tables

Table 1. MPA Assessment Matrix ................................................................................................. 12 Table 2. Learning Outcome Measurement Grid for the MPA Program .................................. 15 Table 3. Characteristics of Curriculum Components ................................................................. 16 Table 4. MPA Graduates Concentrations .................................................................................... 17 Table 5. MPA Class Size ................................................................................................................. 19 Table 6. University of La Verne MPA Enrollment, 2001-2011 (Fall Enrollment) ................... 20 Table 7. University of La Verne MPA Faculty ............................................................................ 20 Table 8. Regional Master’s Degree Programs in Public Administration and Public Policy . 21 Table 9. MPA Outcome Assessment Summary Report (Academic Year 2008~2012) ........... 29 Table 10. Selected Changes to the MPA Program: 2007-2012 ................................................... 32 Table 11. Faculty Nucleus .............................................................................................................. 33 Table 12. Percentage of Courses Taught by Full and Part time Faculty .................................. 34 Table 13. Faculty Diversity ............................................................................................................ 40 Table 14. MPA Program Administration ..................................................................................... 41 Table 15. MPA Admissions Records ............................................................................................ 44 Table 16. Employment Statistics of 2010-11 and 2011-12 of Admitted MPA Students ......... 45 Table 17. MPA Program Size: Number of Students Registered in Fall Terms ....................... 46 Table 18. MPA Students Admitted on Probationary Status...................................................... 46 Table 19. Graduation Rates: Graduating Students From 2006 (Five Years From Annual Review Date of 2011) .................................................................................................................................... 48 Table 20. Graduation Rates: Graduating Students From 2007 (Five Years From Annual Review Date of 2012) .................................................................................................................................... 49 Table 21. Employment Statistics of 2010-11 and 2011-12 MPA Graduates ............................. 51 Table 22. Nucleus Faculty Salary Data ......................................................................................... 53 Table 23. Adjunct Faculty Compensation .................................................................................... 54

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Summary of Figures Figure 1. The Role of the Assessment System ............................................................................. 25 Figure 2. Assessment Processes and Frequency ......................................................................... 25

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Executive Summary

This report has reviewed the history, mission, curriculum and students of the University of La Verne MPA program. This report has relied on evidence developed though an assessment process that utilizes alumni and graduate surveys, graduate exit surveys, course embedded assessment, student evaluations of professors, and a comparison of the La Verne Program to similar programs in Southern California. Program Strengths Based on the information provided in this report, the following areas indicate what we consider to be the central strengths of the La Verne MPA Program:

1. University and MPA Program Mission 2. Longevity (40 Years) 3. Faculty Research, Teaching and Professional Associations 4. Location and Regional Connections 5. Curriculum 6. Class Size and Schedule 7. Alumni

The mission of the program is in good order and will take on some added dimensions in the coming years to that will take advantage of the La Verne Program niche and positively impact the region. An important focus of the program will be to create public value through research and service. Program Challenges This report outlines 14 findings related to program design and implementation. Based on these findings, the following challenges to the program are noted:

Loss of Geographic Monopoly (on-line education challenges) Depth of on-line technology and support Program Promotion and Recent Downturn in Enrollment Analytic Support (Statistical Lab) Student Support Services Career Services and Student Networking Curricular Enhancement in program concentration areas

Program Recommendations The La Verne MPA is a respected program by peers, alumni and students. In order to address the challenges to the program, the following steps are recommended for the La Verne MPA program in order to strengthen its unique niche in the Southern California region. We can do so by responding to the findings outlined in this report. In doing so, the program makes the following three recommendations and corresponding activities:

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Develop Networks for Students and Stakeholders:

1. Developing an Honors Society Chapter 2. Become a California – ICMA Chapter 3. Find a systematic and on-going way to incorporate practitioners into the curriculum

and co-curricular work of the program. Options include guest lectures, mentorship, symposium, city-manager-in-residence program, ICMA student led organization

4. Graduate financial assistance in the form of tuition discounts (assistantships) and scholarships should be part of attracting, assisting and maintaining graduate students in the MPA program

5. Develop a student mentoring program with the guidance and participation of the Advisory Board

Enhance Curriculum and Career Support for Students

1. Develop a Statistical Lab in support of statistical assistance for students and statistical and data base management support for faculty

2. Develop and strengthen the careers service center for student to access and seek assistance for career development.

3. Strengthen International Experience opportunities 4. Developing a Strong Alumni Relations Program 5. Strengthen program competencies in public management and leadership,

administrative law and public finance. Be responsive to the needs of stakeholders

1. Develop public administration certificates for ongoing development of professionals in the public service systems

2. Strengthen or develop concentrations (non-profit, economic development, policy, environmental administration) in the MPA program.

In moving forward and creating public value through research and service, the above areas will need our attention in the coming years. In so doing, the program needs to be concerned with program capacity, as in implementing these three recommendations will call upon additional resources or a shift of emphasis in current resources. Jack W. Meek, Director, Master of Public Administration University of La Verne Faculty Contributors: Dr. Suzanne Beaumaster, Dr. Marcia Godwin, Dr. Keith Schildt, Dr. Soomi Lee, Dr. Adrian Velazquez, Dr. Lisa Saye, Dr. Matt Witt. Administrative Staff Contributors: Carrie Crittenden, Executive Assistant to the Dean, Claude Bahouth, Graduate Public Administration Program Administrator/Advisor, Li-Fen Liu, Assessment Analyst.

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Program Summary

Item Data

1. Title of degree Master of Public Administration

2. Off-campus locations None

3. Number of credits normally required for degree 39 semester hours

4. Total credits in required courses 39 semester hours

5. Total credits in elective courses None

6. Specializations advertised as available Three

7. Number of credits which can be reduced for undergraduate education

None

8. Number of credits which can be reduced for significant professional experience

None

9. Number in faculty nucleus 8

10. Number of students in degree program (2011 - 2012) Full-Time: 47 Part-Time: 51 Total: 98

11. Is there a thesis or major professional report required? Yes, a capstone project is required as part of the Graduate Seminar course.

12. Is a comprehensive examination required? No.

13. Is an internship available? Is it required? Yes. Internships are required of students without experience in public or non-profit service.

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I. Introduction The mission of the University of La Verne’s Master of Public Administration program is to offer an innovative and practical curriculum that stresses intellectual and theoretical foundations for professionals preparing to take on socially responsible roles in public leadership and service. The mission will be achieved through a curriculum that emphasizes:

(1) The effective use of public resources (2) The changing context (contextual nature) of public administration (3) Analytic and decision-making capacity (4) Practice of public administration in diverse public organizations (5) Ethical dimensions of public service

The NASPAA universal competencies are framed within the La Verne MPA mission and the above areas of emphasis. These competencies include the following:

(1) To lead and manage in public governance; (2) To participate in and contribute to the public policy process; (3) To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions; (4) To articulate and apply a public service perspective; and (5) To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and

citizenry. The MPA program at the University of La Verne strengthens students’ management and leadership capabilities by providing them with a curriculum that emphasizes competencies necessary for professionals in public service positions and preparing them for the increasingly interconnected and networked environment of public service. The program is offered on the main campus in La Verne, California. The MPA degree is housed within the Department of Public and Health Services Administration. The Department is one of four in the College of Business and Public Management. The first MPA admission was in September 1973 with the first MPA graduation in May 1974. The close of the 2011- 2012 academic year represented the 39 years of program operation.

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II. The La Verne MPA Program

Background Institutional setting. The University of La Verne, founded in 1891, is a private liberal arts and professional education institution located in the City of La Verne in the Pomona Valley and San Gabriel Valley area, 35 miles east of Los Angeles. The area served by the main campus includes multiple governments and public agencies, including approximately 42 cities.

The MPA Program at the University of La Verne consists of weeknight and occasional Saturday courses. Four terms are scheduled per year (Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring) and the program is considering offering a course in the mini-term after the Fall and before the Winter sessions. Typical student load is one or two courses per term. On rare occasions, students may take up to three courses per term with the advisor’s permission and faculty approval, for a total of nine semester units. However, this is rare and only permitted under extraordinary circumstances, such as availability of future courses, job requirements, proven academic ability, and financial considerations.

Students enroll for courses held at the main campus in the city of La Verne. The University of La Verne presently has over 8,500 students enrolled in its undergraduate, graduate and professional education programs. The University of La Verne has the following colleges:

College of Arts and Sciences College of Business and Public Management College of Education and Organizational Leadership College of Law

The University has several branch campuses in Central and Southern California administered through University of La Verne Regional Campuses.

Historical development of the program. The MPA Program began in the early 1970s when the History/Political Science program at the University of La Verne broadened its offerings in the field by establishing a Master in Public Administration program in an off-campus learning center. In 1979, the Department of Public Administration was established. Professor Allan Lachman, a political scientist from U.C. Santa Barbara, joined the faculty and became the first Chair of the Department. Five full-time faculty members served in the discipline, including one in Health Services Administration.

The initial design of the MPA program was to focus on leadership and public management for in-service students in local, state and federal agencies located in the Southern California region. In 1983, the Department of Public Administration offered the MPA program through a cohort model in several locations near the campus.

Professor Jack W. Meek became Department Chair in 1988 and the MPA program was redesigned and scheduled for on-campus only management in 1989. This redesign ended all off-campus MPA program locations.

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In 1994, the MPA Advisory Board was created under the direction of Professor Raymond Garubo, the MPA Chair. In 1995, the Department of Public Administration joined the National Association of Schools of Public Administration and Affairs (NASPAA) as a member. The MPA program’s initial self-study in 1999 and was accredited by NASPAA in 2000.

Professor Keith Schildt served as Chair of the MPA Program from 2001 until 2007. In 2003, as part of ongoing reorganization efforts at the University, the School of Public Affairs and Health Administration (which had included the MPA program) was merged with the School of Business to create the College of Business and Public Management. The Department of Public and Health Administration was created in 2004, along with two other departments within the College.

Professor Jack W. Meek has served as Chair of the MPA Program from 2007 to the current year. The MPA Program is housed in the Department of Public and Health Administration chaired by Professor Keith Schildt. The program was reaccredited by NASPAA in 2008 and will undergo reaccreditation in 2013.

Program setting and foundation. Geographically, the Los Angeles area includes wealthy residential enclaves, growing edge cities, aging suburbs, immigrant communities, and urban areas in transition. Overlaid in this environment are a myriad of formal government agencies, quasi-governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and volunteer organizations. As discussed in our 1999 self-study, there are few areas in the world with the wide variety of cities, counties and special water, flood control, air quality, and other districts that one finds in Southern California. This region has also been a leader in the development of public-private partnerships, formal and informal inter-local agreements, non-profit organizations carrying out public activities either by contract with governments or on the basis of fees for service or other alternative institutional forms. Therefore, the MPA program broadly defines public service and our course offerings reflect our approach to addressing these areas of study within our metropolitan region. As discussed in the 1999 self-study, the educational philosophy upon which the MPA is based includes an emphasis on values and ethics. We are concerned not only with the effectiveness of our graduates as public officials and leaders, but also as ethical professionals.

The University’s mission statement embodies a concern for the development of students as individuals who appreciate other cultures and points of view, understand the merits of lifelong learning, and engage in community service. The University is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS). The University is extending its mission through development of the La Verne Experience programs for both undergraduate and graduate students that emphasize civic engagement, experiential learning, cross-course and interdisciplinary learning. The MPA faculty incorporate these and other public service values into their approach to teaching and in the personal attention to student development offered in our program. The fostering of ethical responsibility is a major part of the faculty discussions on the mission statement and the orientation of our program. As a department, we are developing civic professionalism as a guiding theme to highlight the importance of developing a public service

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orientation, encouraging public service as a vocation, and improving public participation in decision-making.

The MPA curriculum balances theory and practice. For students to be prepared for positions of leadership in the public and non-profit sector, they need to have a broad understanding of a variety of theoretical concepts and professional competencies as well as to develop a broad and critical perspective of public administration leadership and management.

Mission Statement and Program Objectives The mission of the University of La Verne’s Master of Public Administration program is to offer an innovative and practical curriculum that stresses intellectual and theoretical foundations for professionals preparing to take on socially responsible roles in public leadership and service. The mission will be achieved through a curriculum that emphasizes:

(1) The effective use of public resources (2) The changing context (contextual nature) of public administration (3) Analytic and decision-making capacity (4) Practice of public administration in diverse public organizations (5) Ethical dimensions of public service

The NASPAA universal competencies are framed within the La Verne MPA mission and the above areas of emphasis. These competencies include the following:

(1) To lead and manage in public governance; (2) To participate in and contribute to the public policy process; (3) To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions; (4) To articulate and apply a public service perspective; and (5) To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and

citizenry. The MPA program at the University of La Verne strengthens students’ management and leadership capabilities by providing them with a curriculum that emphasizes competencies necessary for professionals in public service positions and preparing them for the increasingly interconnected and networked environment of public service. The public services values have been established by the La Verne MPA faculty and embedded within the competencies established to meet the program mission and universal competencies of NASPAA programs. For an outline of the public service articulated in the program mission, see Table 1 below and Appendix xiii. A curriculum map of program learning outcomes, universal competencies and public service values embedded in selected courses is provided on the following table.

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Table 1. MPA Assessment Matrix La Verne Learning

Goals

Universal Competencies

(NASPAA)

Defined Learning

Objectives

Assigned Course

Assigned Elective Courses

Public Service Values

The Effective Use of Public

Resources

Objective 1: Utilization of public resources in efficient & effective ways Objective 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and implementation of IT in a public sector organization

PADM 534 Management of Public Funds PADM 584 Managing IT in Public Organizations

Serving professionally with competence, efficiency and objectively

Understand the intra and inter-organizational

aspects of public

administration

Lead & Manage in

Public Governance

Objective 3: Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and external, as well as the culture, politics and institutional setting

PADM 531 Org, Theory

Understand the inherent social role and ethos for the public,

private, and nonprofit

sectors

Articulate, Apply Public

Service Perspective

Objective 4A: Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the public administrator, and the contextual elements that differentiate the public from the nonprofit and private sectors. Objective 4B Articulate the unique mission of a non-profit organization and its programs, organizational structure and governance

PADM 501 Public Administration and Society

PADM 538 Collaborative PA MGMT 533 Accounting & Compliance for Nonprofits

Demonstrating respect, equity and fairness in dealing with citizens and fellow public servants

Understand the role

quantitative analysis plays

in public administrative

decision making

Analyze, Synthesize &

Decision Making

Objective 5: Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data, including appropriate statistical concepts and techniques

PADM 582 Quantitative Analysis for Public Administration

Understand the implications of

diversity in public

organizations

Communicate with a Diverse

Workforce

Objective 6: Identify and discuss the significant strategic human resources management implications for managing diversity

PADM 530 Human Resource Management

Acting ethically so as to uphold the public trust

Understand the concepts of fairness and

justice in public service

Objective 7: To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and skill applying the Ethical Problem Solving Model

PADM 555 Ethics

Pursuing the public interest with accountability and transparency

Participate in the Public

Policy Process

Objective 8: Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policy making

PADM 533 Policy Formation & Analysis

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The Master of Public Administration learning goals translate into the following program objectives and learning outcomes for the MPA: Objective 1. Utilization of public resources in efficient & effective ways. Learning outcomes for Objective 1 (PADM 534):

1-1. Assess basic understanding concepts of market failure, public goods, externalities, and reasons for government intervention. 1-2. Assess understanding of interaction between incentive structure and individual behavior and of tradeoffs between efficiency and equity in the U.S. tax system. 1-3. Competency in understanding the issues in public service, and presenting important empirical studies on the topics chosen by students.

Objective 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and implementation of IT in a public sector organization. Learning outcomes for Objective 2 (PADM 584): 2-1. Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT planning illustrated in the case.

2-2. Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT acquisition illustrated in the case. 2-3. Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT implementation illustrated in the case. 2-4. Analyzes alternatives for addressing specific IT concerns from the organizations perspective.

2-5. Completes a SWOT analysis that analyzes the specifics of the assigned case. Objective 3. Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and external, as well as the culture, politics and institutional setting. Learning outcomes for Objective 3 (PADM 531): 3-1. Analyzes organizational theory as it is applied to public sector organizations.

3-2. Evaluates methods of managing and enhancing culture in the workplace based on contemporary theory.

3-3. Applies theories to organizations to illustrate efficacy in practices. 3-4. Analyzes theories of decision-making for application in the public sector. 3-5. Thinks critically and communicates effectively in organizational settings. Objective 4A. Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the public administrator, and the contextual elements that differentiate the public from the nonprofit and private sectors. Learning outcomes for Objective 4A (PADM 501):

4-1. Be able to define the unique nature of public administration through the use of key public administration concepts, identifying the role of the public administrator and their decision-making alternatives in the public administrative context.

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4-2. Understand the nature of the issue and its operational definition, the challenges and consequences of policy issues, the adequacy of administrative processes within an administrative context, and the differences with nonprofit or private processes.

Objective 4B. Articulate the unique mission of a non-profit organization and its programs organizational structure and governance Learning outcomes for Objective 4B (MGMT 533):

4-1. Articulate a sustainable market niche for a non-profit organization 4-2. Develop a functioning governance structure including a board of directors 4-3 Identify specific organizational programs related to the mission 4-4 Establish a management structure that implements organizational programs

Objective 5. Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data, including appropriate statistical concepts and techniques. Learning outcomes for Objective 5 (PADM 582):

5-1. Summarize and describe quantitative information in several different forms. 5-2. Understand, perform, present, and interpret inferential statistics. 5-3. Understand and interpret multiple regression results.

Objective 6. Identify and discuss the significant Strategic Human Resources Management Implications for Managing Diversity. Learning outcomes for Objective 6 (PADM 530):

6-1. Demonstrates the understanding of demographic and contextual characteristics of diverse organizations. 6-2. Assesses the potential benefits and barriers of organizational diversity. 6-3. Distinguishes and exemplifies organizational approaches to diversity.

Objective 7. To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and skill in applying the Ethical Problem Solving Model. Learning outcomes for Objective 7 (PADM 555):

7-1. Clarify the facts of the situation and how these materialize as interests of all pertinent stakeholders. 7-2. Determine Driscoll Scanlon’s duty considering the obligations and responsibilities of his position and professional role. 7-3. Analyze Scanlon’s actions according to each of the three ethical approaches: virtue based, principle based, results oriented. 7-4. Assess Scanlon’s actions and performance based on available options and ethical demands the situation he faced placed on him.

Objective 8. Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policy making. Learning outcomes for Objective 8 (PADM 533):

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8-1. Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) provide an informed written comment using the www.regulations.gov website. 8-2. Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) utilize descriptive statistics, and (3) develop a realistic advocacy strategy to influence public policy.

Table 2. Learning Outcome Measurement Grid for the MPA Program

Learning Outcome

PADM 501

PADM 530

PADM 531

PADM 533

PADM 534

PADM 555

PADM 582

PADM 584

1-1 X

1-2 X

1-3 X

2-1 X

2-2 X

2-3 X

2-4 X

2-5 X

3-1 X

3-2 X

3-3 X

3-4 X

3-5 X

4-1 X

4-2 X

5-1 X

5-2 X

5-3 X

6-1 X

6-2 X

6-3 X

7-1 X

7-2 X

7-3 X

7-4 X

8-1 X

8-2 X

Assessment protocol. For a detailed outline of the assessment protocol and measurement of the learning outcomes listed above, please refer to MPA Assessment Program in the Appendix i of this report.

Curriculum The curriculum of the MPA reflects the integrated elements of the program mission with NASPAA competencies and is achieved with emphases on (1) management public resources, (2) the changing context of PA, (3) analytic and decision making capacity; (4) understanding of the

http://www.regulations.gov/

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practice of public administration in diverse settings; and (5) understanding the ethical dimensions of public service. Taken together, these five elements of the MPA mission are linked with NASPAA’s Universal Competencies as well as the program’s Public Service Values. The design of curriculum is depicted in the MPA Assessment Matrix (Table 1) listed earlier in this draft and assessed through the protocol outlined in Appendix i of this report.

Table 3. Characteristics of Curriculum Components

Components Characteristics

Credit System Semester hours Length of Term 10 Week Terms Number of Terms 4 Terms per Year Full Time Status 2 Courses per Term Time Limitation 5 Years to complete degree upon admission Class Contact Hours 3 Credits = 40 hours of contact

Numbering System All courses are exclusively graduate and number at 500

There are 13 required courses that are designed to enhance students’ values, knowledge,

and skills to act ethically and effectively. Core Courses (9 courses) Semester units: PADM 501 Public Administration and Society (3) PADM 530 Human Resource Management in Public Organizations (3) PADM 531 Organizational Theory (3) PADM 533 Policy Formation and Analysis (3) PADM 534 Management of Public Funds (3) PADM 555 Integrative Ethical Leadership (3) PADM 582 Quantitative Analysis for Public Management (3) PADM 584 Managing IT in Public Organizations (3) PADM 596 Graduate Seminar (3) Governance Concentration (select 4 courses) Semester units: PADM 538 Collaborative Public Management (3) PADM 585 Strategic Planning and Management (3) PADM 586 Tools for Governance (3) PADM 587 Managing Sustainable Communities (3) PADM 581 Comparative Public Administration (3) Non-Profit Concentration (4) Semester units: MGMT 530 Managing Non-Profits (3) MGMT 531 Marketing for Non-Profits (3) MGMT 532 Effective Fundraising (3) MGMT 533 Accounting and Compliance for Non-Profits (3) All courses are offered over one academic year. The Class Schedule is published every term and lists courses available for the current term. Full-time faculty are selected who have demonstrated expertise in the field and successful teaching experience

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Curriculum coverage. Our mission statement includes emphasizing core areas in the curriculum: management of organizational resources, the context of public administration, analytic and decision-making capacity, understanding diversity in the practice of public administration and understanding the ethical dimensions of public service. Concentration design. There are two concentrations in the MPA program: Governance and Non-Profit Management. Each concentration requires a minimum of four courses to complete the concentration requirement. Concentrations have been part of the MPA program since the 2010 – 2011 academic year. Table 4 proves the number of students that have graduated with MPA concentrations since the 2010-2011 initiation. The faculty developed the Governance concentration to reflect the dynamic nature of the Los Angeles region, including the focus on newly designed tools for economic development and sustainability as well as emphasizing strategic and collaborative processes. The MPA faculty are reviewing this concentration so as to align this concentration with national practices in nomenclature, such as urban affairs or state and local government. The faculty approach this review based on the program mission.

Table 4. MPA Graduates Concentrations

Joint MPA/JD Program. Students from the University of La Verne’s College of Law, which

is provisionally accredited by the American Bar Association and accredited through the California Bar Association, may apply to the MPA program. They are required to complete the core courses in the MPA program and four courses from the law program are considered as their concentration.

Degree credit hours. The MPA consists of 13 courses and 39 units. There are no provisions

for reducing the credits required based on prior undergraduate preparation or significant professional employment experience.

Degree length. The degree can be completed within 7 terms (slightly less than 2 years) by taking 2 courses per term for six terms and one course in the 7th term. Unless authorized by the MPA Director, students may not take more than 2 courses per term. Concluding requirements. The Graduate Seminar (PADM 596) is the culminating activity of the degree program and must be taken after all or almost all coursework is completed. Each of the fall, winter and spring terms, the MPA programs offers the Graduate Seminar course for those students who are at or nearing completion of the program of studies. This course begins with a synthesis exercise that summarizes other courses in the MPA curriculum. In addition, students are required to complete a “policy brief” in an area of interest they choose. The policy brief often incorporates student work in other MPA classes, particularly the policy analysis class. This policy course relies upon the work of Mark Moore’s Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in Government. The graduate seminar class relies on the work of Eugene Bardach, A

Academic Year Governance N/A Non-Profit Both Grand Total

2010 - 2011 14 8 2 0 24 2011 - 2012 43 3 7 1 54

Grand Total 57 11 9 1 78 78

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Practical Guide for Policy Analysis. The policy brief is presented in either a panel format or in a poster session that includes reviewers other than the lead professor. Importantly, the course also includes the graduate exit survey and often incorporates a SWOT analysis aimed at assisting the MPA Director to identify possible curriculum and assignment changes.

Course formats. The standard and uniform course scheduling format offers each course on a weekday evening for 10 weeks. Courses are offered Monday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday classes are offered infrequently. Some classes are offered on a hybrid basis where half of the class sessions incorporate on-line learning sessions.

On occasion, courses are offered on a Directed Study basis when compelling reasons warrant. Professors meet with the student at least four times during the term meeting the goals, topics and requirements of the course on a one to one basis. Students are rarely allowed to take more than one course in this fashion. Internships. For those students without public affairs experience or for those desiring a practical application of their academic coursework and are not currently employed in the public sector, the MPA Program requires students to secure their own internships with public agencies. Supervision of the internship rests with the Internship Director, Dr. Marcia Godwin. Agency personnel would provide information to the Internship Director regarding performance. A report on internships is provided in the Appendix ii of this report.

Curriculum comparison. The La Verne MPA program has a similar program to those in the Southern California region when one compares overall units (See Table 3 below). Some programs are on the term schedule, while other programs utilize the semester schedule. Programs that emphasize policy dimensions of public affairs include a larger number of units. For a comparison of curriculum of the Southern California MPA degree programs, see the Appendix iii of this report.

Finding: An assessment of program curriculum indicates a broad similarity in core course among programs in the Southern California Region. The La Verne MPA program can develop a unique niche in the public affairs curriculum if continues to develop an orientation that sharpens its contribution on the immediate region, especially in enhancing collaborative and civic engagement processes.

Student Population

Our students serve in organizations that provide service to increasingly diverse residents, including immigrants from a wide variety of countries. A majority of the MPA students are employed full-time in public or non-profit service. As noted earlier, most students enroll in one or two courses per term. The MPA student population has been ethnically diverse. A growing proportion of our student body is Hispanic, but the program continues to include a number of African-American students. The proportion of Asian-American students is also growing. Slightly more women than men have been admitted to the MPA program over the last five years. The students have a variety of positions in city and county government, health care, public utilities, aerospace industries, and non-profit organizations. Most of the students are beginning

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or mid-career professionals who are seeking to learn more about the changing nature of public service, in order to develop their leadership and management skills and advance in their careers. A few have been international students, since the Los Angeles region is a major commercial center for the Pacific Rim. We have seen an increase in the number of applicants from international students, including students from China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (see Table 15). Occasionally, the MPA program has also attracted some students transitioning from military service to civilian, public sector careers.

Students who enroll primarily in the La Verne MPA program mostly work or live in La Verne and nearby cities such as Claremont, Diamond Bar, Pomona, San Dimas, Walnut, Chino, Chino Hills, Covina, West Covina, Glendora, Azusa, Montclair, Ontario, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, and Fontana. The program also attracts students from other municipalities in the San Gabriel Valley portion of Los Angeles County, western San Bernardino County, western Riverside County, and northern Orange County. For a review of students admitted to the MPA program in 2002 – 2012, see Table 16 of this report. For a list of recent graduates and their employment, see Appendix iv of this report.

Class Size and Faculty Resources The CBPM is committed to the monitoring of both class size and related faculty resources that support the program development of the MPA Program. The Faculty have emphasized that their best pedagogical efforts are in classes that range from 15 to 20 students and the MPA program has been able to achieve this level of class management since 2006 – 2007 with a few exceptions, see Table 5. There has been a significant growth of student interest in in the MPA program since 2001. Where the typical enrollment was in between 25 and 35 students in 2011 it reached a peak of over 100 students, see Table 6. The CBPM is committed to increasing full time faculty for the MPA program in relationship to program growth. Since 2001 the program has kept with the growth of student enrollment, see Table 7.

Table 5. MPA Class Sizes

Class Size

Number of Course Sections (2006 -2012)

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

1-9 4 6 9 3 7 4 10-19 15 11 11 14 18 16 20-29 4 4 5 8 10 9 30-39 0 1 1 0 0 0 40-49 0 0 0 0 0 0

Over 50 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Courses 23 22 26 25 35 29

Directed Studies 6 2 8 1 4 7

Government Internship (Number of Students)

2 2 5 9

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Growth in enrollment and faculty size. A more detailed description of the students in the La Verne MPA Program is available in Section VI and VII of this report. The pattern of MPA student enrollment growth is shown in Table 6. The 2012 decline in enrollment was due to a large graduating cohort and steps to address enrollment stabilization at 100 students was initiated between the Program Director, College Dean, and Associate VP for Enrollment Management.

Table 6. University of La Verne MPA Enrollment, 2001 – 2011 (Fall Enrollment)

Year 2001 2005 2011 2012

Number Students Enrolled in the Fall

28 61 102 83

Corresponding with the growth of the program, the faculty lines have expanded in concert with the growth of the program.

Table 7. University of La Verne MPA Faculty

Year 2001 2005 2011 2012

Faculty 5 5 8 8

Other Public Service Programs Competing in the Same Environment

There are eleven universities offering a Master’s degree in public policy and administration in the Los Angeles area in addition to the University of La Verne (see Table 8 below). Seven of these schools are part of the California State University system and four are private universities. The private universities tend to focus on policy analysis with the exception of California Baptist University, while the state universities tend to focus more on public administration. CSU Northridge has provided the MPA program to cohorts at different times and different locations throughout Southern California.

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Table 8. Regional Master’s Degree Programs in Public Administration and Public Policy

School Program University Affiliation

Distance Units S/Q Cost Students

CSU San

Bernardino MPA

Dept. of Public Admin

30 mi 48 Quarter

$2579/Qtr

158

CSU Los Angeles

MSPA Dept. of Political Science

25 mi 48 Quarter

$2453/Qtr

85

CSU Fullerton

MPA

Division of Politics,

Admin. & Justice

15 mi 39

(42 if intern)

Semester $3009/

Semester 100

CSU Dominguez

Hills MPA

Dept. of Public

Admin and Public Policy

45 mi 36 Semester $6641/Year

na

CSU Long Beach

MPA

Graduate Center for

Public Policy & Admin

45 mi 39 Semester $3369/

Semester

243

CSU Northridge

MPA Public Sector Management

54 mi 36 Semester $3877/

Semester na

Cal Poly Pomona

MPA Dept. of Political Science

8 mi 48

(52 if intern)

Quarter $9187/Year 55

USC MPA MPP

School of Policy,

Planning & Develop.

35 mi 40-41

48 Semester

$1473/Unit

252 139

Pepperdine MPP School of

Public Policy 65 mi 64 Quarter $1340/Unit na

Claremont Graduate

University MAPP

Dept. of Politics and

Policy 4 mi 40 Semester

$1581/Unit

na

California Baptist

University MPA

Online and Professional

Studies 30 mi 36 Semester

$516/Unit (on-line)

44

ULV

MPA

Dept. of Public & Health Admin

N/A

39

(42 if intern)

Semester

$670/Unit

83

Na = data not available

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Opportunities and Threats

Opportunities. In addition to the 2000 and 2007 National Accreditation reviews and self-studies, MPA Board Reports and MPA Annual Program Reports since 2007 have helped to identify the features of our curriculum in relation to the program mission and assess their achievement. These reports have guided the MPA Advisory Board and MPA faculty to identify the program’s current strengths and where opportunities exist for the program’s future. Examples of Advisory Board Reports are available on the MPA program web site.

One of the program’s key strengths is that the La Verne’s MPA program seeks to offer an updated, innovative, and practical curriculum that matches the needs of beginning and mid-career public service professionals. Our faculty members are also dedicated to public administration instruction and to the field of public administration. As discussed in the previous self-studies, this commitment has been a continuing hallmark of the program.

An additional strength of the La Verne program is that our faculty members know students on a personal basis and can assist them in maximizing their individual potential, both academically and professionally. The MPA Advisory Board has emphasized that public administration is very much a person-to-person relationship in cities in our region and that courses in the MPA program should be delivered in a similar fashion. As a result, the schedule of the program is on campus and in the classroom. Some of the classes are offered in a hybrid format where 5 of the 10 class sessions are held on-line supported by the University Black Board system.

The diversity of our students and their regard for each other’s values and approaches to public service are also strengths of the MPA Program. This diversity and rich mixture of experiences and skill levels has provided students with a unique educational experience. Students report that they have learned not only about public service and leadership, but also about themselves and their own cultural points of view. Graduates come away from the program with more insight and sharper human relations skills after being with such a diverse set of learners.

Being located in the greater metropolitan Los Angeles area affords students many opportunities to hear guest speakers from the federal, state, county, special district, and municipal levels of government as they describe the interface of theory and practice. For example, since 2009, the La Verne MPA has hosted a City Manger-in-Residence Program where student can engage with city mangers regarding their career interests as well as address the leadership demands with the region. Participants in this program have included the following individuals:

• Frank Benest, former City Manger of Palo Alto (2009). • Michael Paules, former City Manger of San Gabriel (2010). • Cynthia Kurtz, President and CEO San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership (2011). • Steve Harding (2012) City Manager of Jurupa Valley.

Faculty have also included guest speakers from the Southern California Association of Governments and South Coast Air Quality Management District, Tax Consulting Firms, as well

http://laverne.edu/business-and-public-administration/mpa-overview/

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as local city management department heads. Guest speakers also help in promoting the MPA program to potential students. Threats. Distance and on-line learning is a threat to traditional campus-based programs and, paradoxically, the chief opportunity presented by this dynamic environment. The advancement of technology has led to enormous opportunities by making courses accessible to almost all in-service students via the Internet. Some of the MPA programs in our region, such as California State University; San Bernardino; California State University; Dominguez Hills; California Baptist University, and the University of Southern California are planning to offer or are offering completely on-line MPA degrees. California State University, Long Beach offers distance learning to cohorts. Other universities outside our region may market to potential students in our service area as well. Since our last self-study, CSU Northridge offered its MPA program at the City of Chino (now concluded) and California Baptist University has initiated an MPA program.

We do not anticipate offering a primarily technology-driven, totally online MPA program at the University of La Verne, as the strengths of our current program include personalized attention and the opportunity to directly engage in dialogue among diverse public professionals. We have included some on-line components in some courses, such as on-line discussions and chats. These are designed to supplement in-class meetings and enhance the depth of review by students, rather than replacing the on-ground program and personal interactions.

Some of our courses are offered on a hybrid basis where half of the class sessions of the course are supported in an on-line format and/or involve experiential learning projects. This approach has reduced by 50% the pressure on students to commute to the campus. The added benefit of this approach is to reduce the pressure on our impacted freeways and air quality. As part of the University and MPA program commitment to sustainability concerns, faculty, students and administration have applauded this approach. This approach also embraces the concerns of the MPA Advisory Board that the La Verne public administration program emphasizes face-to-face interaction with students. All students are required to have access to e-mail and Internet connections. Upon admission to the program, students are given e-mail accounts and their own password to access Library and Blackboard materials.

Finding: Given the competitive challenge of on-line education, the La Verne MPA program should seek new ways to deliver high quality, person-to person educational opportunities for those who seek careers in public affairs or wish to continue their careers in public affairs.

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III. Mission Process and Assessment

The current mission of the MPA program dates back to an initial spring and summer 1999 process that began with a review of the then-existing mission. The review process included current students, alumni, administration officials, and local public agency stakeholders. The review led to the development of a new mission statement—and our current mission statement--adopted during the 1999/2000 self-study process. During Fall 2005, the MPA Program Director and core faculty held informal discussions with advisory board members, students and alumni and compiled suggestions for a revised mission statement that would reflect program changes and more precisely describe the MPA program’s mission. The Program Director also conducted a focus group with MPA students enrolled in the Graduate Seminar courses offered in the Fall and Spring Terms to discuss the MPA program, conduct a SWOT analysis, and solicit suggestions for the mission statement. On January 25, 2006, the MPA faculty met as a whole to synthesize and edit the mission statement. The faculty discussed the values orientation of the program and University of La Verne, theoretical and intellectual foundations, the curriculum, and the professional backgrounds of MPA students. The mission statement was re-affirmed by the faculty as part of this review in preparation for the 2006 program self-study.

Since 2007 members of the MPA advisory Board have reviewed the mission statement of the La Verne MPA program each year. The Advisory Board was asked to take careful review of the mission as part of this five-year review. Only a few recommendations for program mission revision were considered, including the consideration of an economic development emphasis. The Advisory Board felt that a simplified version of the mission statement would assist the communication of the mission among stakeholders and is generally supportive of a stronger focus on civic professionalism as a guiding value. The MPA faculty engage in discussions about program issues on a regular basis in monthly meetings and with informal dialogue since we have a small core faculty and our area of offices is exclusively for public administration faculty and support staff.

Finding: In their review of program uniqueness and integrity, the MPA faculty also reviewed the mission statement of the MPA program in the 2011-12 academic year and offered consideration of a stronger focus on the “civic professional” and on social/environmental justice. These insights will be a part of ongoing deliberation in 2012-2013 academic year.

Mission Assessment Process The mission of the MPA Program continues to be assessed through a variety of formal and informal processes which encompass the primary stakeholders: students, faculty, alumni and advisory board. Our program assessment informs the overall relationship between our program mission and program strategies, as well as how successfully our mission has been achieved and the continued relevancy of our mission. Below is a graphic representation of how we view the role of our assessment system:

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Figure 1. The Role of the Assessment System

Specifically, the following assessment instruments and activities are undertaken to assess students’ performance and ensure that the program carries out its mission:

Figure 2. Assessment Processes and Frequency

Below is a discussion of each of the evaluation strategies: Teaching evaluations. Formal evaluations are governed by University procedures through the Institutional Research Office. Formal evaluations of teaching serve to advance the department’s mission by assessing student evaluations of faculty performance. These evaluations have both numerical and narrative comments that are submitted back to the

Program Mission

Program Objectives &

Strategies

Program Assessment

System

Program Assessment

Teaching Evaluations Every Term

Annual Faculty Evaluations

Each Year

Alumni Evaluations Every Five Years

Advisory Board Input Twice a Year

Annual Reviews Once a Year

Exit Survey Two Times a Year

Course Embedded Program Assessment

Every Term

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professor after final grades have been submitted. The MPA Program Director and the Department Chair are given course evaluation forms for each course. Program wide teaching evaluations are shared with the MPA Advisory Board and are compared to overall College averages. For a report on teaching evaluations of the MPA program, see Appendix v of this report. This report indicates that the MPA faculty performance in teaching is consistent with other faculty in the College. Where low performance is indicated, the Department Chair reviews these outcomes with the specific faculty in order to find ways to improve performance. Annual faculty evaluations. The University conducts formal faculty evaluations on non-tenured faculty on an annual basis. Faculty meet with their respective Department Chairs near the end of each school year to discuss each member’s development, review course evaluations, and develop a written report that outlines current strengths and weaknesses as well as the professional development plan for the upcoming school year. These annual reports and evaluations are a critical element in each faculty member’s promotion and tenure review process. Alumni evaluations. The MPA surveys its alumni approximately every five years. In this report, two alumni surveys were implemented for review and assessment; one implemented by the university institutional research in 2011 and one carried out by the college in 2012. The reports can be found in Appendix vi and Appendix vii of this report. The 2011 and 2012 reports indicate a strong faculty and strong support of the program mission components and its curriculum. In addition, alumni report that the program was successful in preparing them for their positions in public affairs. The 2011 report indicates students: (1) seek classes offered on Saturday or some fully on-line; (2) wish for a stronger career services office; (3) stronger feedback from faculty, and (4) more opportunities to work with faculty.

Finding: The number of respondents to the institutional research review is limited as it is based on alumni records. This indicates one area where program enhancement can be further enhanced as alumni play a critical role in increasing the quality and access of the program.

Finding: The program should examine opportunities to enhance on-line program delivery, increased opportunities to work with faculty and strengthening the career service office.

MPA Advisory Board. On a semi-annual basis, the MPA Advisory Board meets to review MPA program updates, admissions profiles, graduating student profiles, course evaluations, program learning assessment outcomes, graduate exit interviews, internship reports, faculty productivity and to entertain program development initiatives. The Board is also a source for potential internships and continuous program networking. The Board has been instrumental in curriculum changes that are aimed at meeting the needs of the market place that these students work within. For example, the Board identified the need for a course in strategic planning. They were also instrumental in the curriculum. For example, in 2006,the board recommended a change where the Statistics and Research Methods courses were merged (expressing dissatisfaction with the heavy emphasis on quantitative skills and the need for inclusion of “soft skills” coursework). In 2009 -10 the Board reaffirmed the program commitment to face-to-face over on-line course delivery due to the mission of the program in developing among students the ability to undertake socially responsible roles in public leadership and service. In 2011 and 2012,

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the board indicated that the program should consider adding curriculum emphasis areas (such as economic development) and developing certificates for public service employees.

Finding: The MPA Advisory Board indicates that the program should develop certificates to assist public service employees in addition to offering a professional and academic curriculum. The MPA Advisory Board also indicates the program should consider adding program emphasis areas where there is potential for adding public value in various jurisdictions, such as an emphasis in economic development. In addition, the MPA Advisory Board supports additional professional development and mentoring activities.

The 2012 members of the MPA Alumni Advisory Board are:

Jeff Alred, City Manager, City of Rosemead Matt Ballantyne, City Manager, City of Chino Troy Butzlaff, City Administrator, City of Placentia Paula Cone, Partner, HDL Coren & Cone (Consulting) Debbie Dilllon, Deputy Executive Director, Southern California Association of

Governments Steve Harding, City Manager, City of Jurupa Valley Paul Hubler, Director of Government and Community relations, Alameda Corridor-East

(ACE) Cynthia Kurtz, President & CEO, San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership Michael Paules, Former City Manager, City of San Gabriel Tony Ramos, City Manager of Claremont Bob Russi, City Manager of La Verne Phillip Hawkey, Executive Vice President, University of La Verne

MPA Advisory Board reports are available on the MPA program web site. Annual program reviews. Annual program reviews are required for accreditation for NASPAA. These program reviews are important assessments of program strengths and weaknesses and are shared with the MPA faculty and MPA Advisory Board. Copies of the MPA program Annual Reviews are found in Appendix vii of this report. These reviews report on mission development, program diversity, program resource adequacy and other areas required by NASPAA for national accreditation.

Graduate exit survey. The MPA program offers the Graduate Seminar course for those students who are at or nearing completion of the program of studies. This course is intended to be a culminating event, which synthesizes and integrates the various other courses in the MPA curriculum. The course includes a graduate student exit survey that offers a chance for graduating students to assess the program and program mission. These assessments are summarized for review by the faculty and advisory board. Periodically, the course also includes a SWOT analysis aimed at assisting the MPA program. With these assessments, the MPA Director can identify possible curriculum and assignment changes for consideration of the faculty and advisory board. Reviews are found in Appendix ix of this report.

http://laverne.edu/business-and-public-administration/mpa-overview/

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Based upon multiple assessments, we believe the program reflected as meeting our mission objectives and that student are well served with the competencies they acquire within public and nonprofit sectors. We feel that the program has achieved academic rigor and professional relevance as determined by the professorate. There are areas of program improvement that are reflected in these reports, including the need for assistance with career development.

Finding: Based on exit surveys of graduates, the program needs to improve career services for students and seek ways that improve professional networking opportunities for students.

Course embedded assessment. In 2007-2008, faculty of the MPA program developed a mission driven program where mission assessment embedded in courses. The “MPA Assessment Model” is referred to previously in this report and the model is reported on Appendix i of this report. Findings from the assessment model are reported below.

The summary interpretation of the data reported indicates that 80% or more of the students accomplishes each of the mission objectives and NASPAA universal competencies. Areas were the program performance is weakest are objective 3 (organizational appraisal) with 13 % as satisfactory or unsatisfactory levels, and objective 4 (unique nature of public administration) where 9% of the students are at satisfactory levels.

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Table 9. MPA Outcome Assessment Summary Report (Academic Year 2008 ~ 2012)

Course Objective On Campus

Excellent Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Sum

PADM501

Obj4: Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the

public administrator, and the contextual elements that differentiate

the public from the nonprofit and private sectors

# 30 33 6 0 69

% 43% 48% 9% 0% 100%

PADM530

Obj6: Identify and discuss the significant Strategic Human Resources

Management Implications for Managing Diversity

# 50 28 0 1 79

% 63% 35% 0% 1% 100%

PADM531

Obj3: Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and

external, as well as the culture, politics and institutional setting

# 33 13 6 1 53

% 62% 25% 11% 2% 100%

PADM533 Obj8: Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political

contexts of policy making

# 75 12 3 1 91

% 82% 13% 3% 1% 100%

PADM534 Obj1: Utilization of organizational

resources in efficient & effective ways

# 25 14 0 0 39

% 64% 36% 0% 0% 100%

PADM555 Obj7: To demonstrate comprehensive

understanding of and skill applying the Ethical Problem Solving Model

# 26 8 0 0 34

% 76% 24% 0% 0% 100%

PADM582

Obj5: Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and

interpreting data, including appropriate statistical concepts and

techniques

# 87 41 6 3 137

% 64% 30% 4% 2% 100%

PADM584

Obj2: Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and

implementation of IT in a public sector organization

# 7 5 0 0 12

% 58% 42% 0% 0% 100%

Finding: While program assessment has been implemented since 2007-2008, course embedded assessment can be improved by seeking more objective measures of student performance. Strategies to improve objective measurement can include third party assessment of performance and peer-review processes of student assignments.

In review of student performance on case assignments in a course designed to orient students to the La Verne MPA program – PADM501 Public Administration and Society – was not as strong as faculty desired. While the mission objective of distinguishing the unique nature of public administration and the role of the public administrator met program standards, achievement in this area but was not at a level desired by the faculty. In particular, the focus on the role of the public administrator was identified as needing further development especially given the focus on NASPAA required program competency “to lead and manage in public governance.” This is an area of program competency the faculty wished to strengthen in the coming academic year.

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Finding: Program emphasis in the area of addressing the unique nature of public administration and the role of the public administrator needs strengthening. Strategies to strengthen competencies in this important area might include the development of a course – public management and leadership – that can offer a stronger emphasis in addressing the competency in regard “to lead and manage in public governance.”

Faculty review of program concentrations noted that there is a need to strengthen competency in administrative law and the legal framework of governance in metropolitan environments. The “governance” concentration should strengthen its curriculum in the area of legal foundations of governing institutions.

Finding: Program emphasis in the area of addressing the legal foundations and framework of public administration in metropolitan areas needs strengthening. Strategies to strengthen competencies in this important area might include the development of a course legal foundations in governance – that can offer a stronger emphasis in addressing this competency in the governance concentration should be considered.

Program faculty, in review of the program emphasis on “the effective use of public resources,” have asserted that course work that includes both public budgeting and public finance needs to be covered in the curriculum.

Finding: Program emphasis in the areas of public budgeting and public finance needs strengthening. Strategies to strengthen competencies in this important area might include the development of separate courses in public budgeting and public finance that can offer a stronger emphasis in addressing this competency in the “the effective use of public resources.”

Guiding Performance

As previously stated, information from faculty, students, alumni, and advisory board members is used to guide the program. The faculty are engaged with research and community service activities that inform the assignments and curriculum. Students are encouraged informally (with conversations with faculty and the MPA Director) and formally (through student evaluations and exit surveys) to offer their opinion on the MPA program’s performance. Similarly, alumni reviews offer welcomed feedback. The assessments have led to changes in the MPA curriculum, assignments, and general orientation.

Program changes. The geographic location of the ULV places the MPA program in a very diverse, dynamic metropolitan environment. The program has attempted to keep pace with its environment. The curriculum has begun to focus on the management of public-serving organizations in a highly fragmented, disarticulated metropolitan area.

Curriculum Changes 2007 – 2012:

Developed an IT Management course to address the needs of students to address how

information is managed in public agencies

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Changed the title and orientation of the “Managing Groups and Coalitions” course to “Managing Collaborative Networks” and later to “Collaborative Public Management” to better reflect the need of these skills in a highly fragmented metropolitan area.

Changed the “ethics” course to include a leadership component.

Revised the qualitative and quantitative course to focus more directly on statistics to

increase student performance on mission outcomes.

Created a course that would focus on “the creation and management of sustainable development communities.”

Created a course focused on tools of governance.

Recognizing the desire of incoming students to develop skills in non-profit

management, the program created a common core curriculum that complimented two program concentrations: governance and non-profit management.

Developed a shared relationship with the non-profit emphasis program in the

Department of Management where MPA students could take the emphasis with the core MPA curriculum as part of their program of study.

Recognizing the desire of students from the Law School to undertake dual degree

opportunities with the MPA program and developed a shared relationship with the Law School where Law students could take the core MPA curriculum as part of their program of study.

Began providing some courses in a hybrid-format (2010).

Formalized the Internship Course for students who do not have prior public service experience.

Added more experiential and student-initiated activities to courses, including a more developed policy analysis brief and poster session presentation in the culminating Graduate Seminar course.

Re-established the Comparative Public Administrative course to offer comparative

experience opportunities for students intended to enhance their understanding of their own administrative experience.

Guest Speakers – Based on our program diversity policy and our desire to expose our

students to a large range of PA thinking and practice, we regularly use guest speakers in our courses.

The following table depicts important changes to the MPA program since the last site visit:

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Table 10. Selected Changes to the MPA Program: 2007 - 2012

Change Guiding Source(s) Link to Mission Objectives

and Strategies

Curriculum Added: PADM 501 Intro to Public Administration

Faculty

Intellectual and Theoretical Foundations of PA

Curriculum Added: PADM 584: Managing IT in Public Organizations Added: PADM 581 Comparative PA

Faculty, NASPAA,

Advisory Board, Alumni

Faculty

Management of Organizational Resources

Curriculum Changed Title: PADM 583: Managing Groups and Coalitions to PADM 538: Collaborative Public Management

Advisory Board, Faculty Context of PA

Curriculum Changed Title: PADM 555: Ethics and Decision Making to Ethics and Leadership

Faculty NASPAA Site Visit

Intellectual and Theoretical Foundations of PA

Ethical Dimensions of Public

Service Staff Support

Reorganization of Program Coordinator Position

Faculty

Program Support

Program Development & Expansion Concentrations in Governance, Non-Profit Management

Students

Further Develop the MPA Program

Program Development & Expansion Dual Degree Program with Law School

Students

Context of PA

33

IV. Faculty Faculty are selected on a national basis. The program seeks faculty who possess qualifications that can provide students with academic and professional insight to enhance the management of public organizations. The MPA Program tries to balance academic fields of study that support the MPA degree and that seek a balance between the managerial-professional requirements of the field with the academic depth of the field of study. The major qualification to teach in the Master of Public Administration Program is a doctorate in an appropriate field. Faculty Nucleus Eight full-time public administration faculty have primary responsibility for teaching in the Master of Public Administration Program. The professional background and academic preparation of the faculty nucleus is quite broad in the MPA Program.

All faculty nucleus members hold doctorates. Four of the eight faculty have some public service experience. All faculty are involved in community service and professional activities.

Table 11 provides a summary listing for faculty members primarily responsible for the masters program. Each of the faculty are significantly involved in the MPA Program. Each of the faculty teach courses in the MPA program every academic year.

Table 11. Faculty Nucleus

Name Rank

& Title Tenure Status

Administrative Unit

Degree & Field

Suzanne Beaumaster

Professor Tenured Department of Public and

Health Administration Ph.D. Public

Administration Marcia

Godwin Associate Professor

Tenure-Track

Department of Public and Health Administration

Ph.D. Political Science

Soomi Lee Assistant Professor

Tenure-Track


Ph.D. Economics and Political Science

Jack Meek Professor Tenured Department of Public and

Health Administration Ph.D. International

Relations

Lisa Saye Assistant Professor

Tenure-Track


DPA Public Administration

Keith Schildt Associate Professor

Tenured Department of Public and

Health Administration Ph.D. Political

Science Adrian

Velazquez Associate Professor

Tenure-Track


Ph.D. Public Affairs

Matt Witt Associate Professor

Tenure-Track


Ph.D. Urban Studies

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Course Load All nucleus faculty have a six course per school year normal course load. By College of Business & Public Management policy, courses in the Summer term normally are treated as over-loads. Release time for nucleus faculty is allowed for administrative duties carried out on behalf of the college or university. Below is a list of release time for nucleus faculty:

Suzanne Beaumaster Chair, DPA Program Keith Schildt Chair, Department of Public and Health Administration Jack Meek Director, MPA Program Marcia Godwin Chair/Director, Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Adjunct Professors

Instruction by practitioners in the MPA Program at the University of La Verne is highly valued. There is careful reliance upon obtaining highly qualified and highly experienced practitioners to teach in the program. A review of the balance of full time and part-time faculty appears in Appendix x of this report. Below is an assessment of the past two academic years in the use of full-time and part-time faculty.

Table 12. Percentage of Courses Taught by Full and Part Time Faculty

Academic Year % Taught by Full Time Faculty % Taught by Part Time Faculty

2010 – 2011 All Courses* 51.3% 48.7% Required Courses** 65.2% 34.8%

2011 - 2012 All Courses* 80.6% 19.4% Required Courses** 86.4% 13.6%

*All Courses include the nine core courses and two program emphasis areas (governance, non-profit management) in the MPA program. **Required Courses refer to the nine core courses in the MPA Program taken by all students. Each of the program emphasis areas encompasses four courses that comprise the composition of the emphasis area. During the 2010-2011 academic year, one FTF member unexpectedly left in mid-year and the program covered these classes with a PTF member. If the FTF had not departed mid-year, the percentage taught by FTF required courses would have been 78.3%, for all courses the FTF faculty coverage would have been 59%. For the 2011-2012 academic year, the Department was able to replace the position with a FTF member. The resulting FTF coverage moved from 51% to 81% of all courses, and from 65% to 86% of required courses. Practitioners are actively involved in the MPA through the advisory board, adjunct assignments, guest lecturing and events such as the “City Manager in Residence” Program.”

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Finding: Despite the use of practitioners in the MPA program, the element of practitioner involvement needs to be increased through a regularized program of engagement, networking, mentoring, and program/student advisement.

Promotion and Tenure

MPA faculty, like all faculty at the University of La Verne, are promoted though a University-governed process. The College of Business and Public Management’s Faculty Personnel Committee represents the faculty in determining promotion and tenure. In evaluating faculty, the following performance areas are considered: (a) Teaching Effectiveness, (b) Scholarly Competence, (c) Service to the University, and (d) Service to the Community. Performance criteria must be used with reasonable flexibility, balancing strengths and weaknesses, and allowing for individuality without losing sight of the need for good quality service. Reviews are based upon a variety of measures, including student evaluations, collegial or peer reviews, departmental support, and Annual Faculty Growth Reports submitted by the faculty member. Additional information required for promotion includes:

A. The report and evaluation by the Chairperson of the Department. B. Confidential letters of recommendation/non-recommendation from faculty members. C. Student evaluations of the faculty member as a counselor. D. The letter of recommendation or non-recommendation by the Chairperson of the

Department. E. Student evaluations of the faculty member as an instructor. F. Peer evaluations from faculty external to the University of La Verne.

The program currently has four (4) tenured professors and four (4) tenure-track professors.

Research and Service The faculty of MPA program are actively engaged in research and service. While the focus of the University and MPA program necessitates a focus on teaching, the faculty are proud of their research and service accomplishments. The following provides a summary of some of the recent research and service by the MPA core faculty. For a full description of faculty research and service, please see the Appendix xv of this report that lists faculty

Public Administration Faculty - Recent Publications and Professional Activities Suzanne Beaumaster, Professor of Public Administration and DPA Chairperson

Publications: - Hong Cheng Liu and Suzanne Beaumaster (2013) “Organizational Accountability

in Emergency Management: Examining the Typhoon Morakot Case.” In Actual Problems of Economics, February 2013, Issue 2.

- Matthew Witt, Jack Meek, and Suzanne Beaumaster, (2012) “Integrity and Public Administration” Public Integrity, Symposium: Integrity in Public Administration. V. 14, No. 3.

Papers Presented: - Suzanne Beaumaster, (2011) “Accountability and Modern Governance” Paper

presented at I-Shou University, Kaohsuing, Taiwan. December 28, 2011.

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- Suzanne Beaumaster, (2012) “Accountability and Modern Governance” Paper presented at National Taipei University, Taipei, Taiwan. January 4, 2012.

Peer Reivew: - Journal Review (Ad Hoc): Information Systems Sciences, (Proceedings Journal and

Conference). Workshop Presentations:

- Co-presenter, “Doctoral Education: Comparing Program Designs for Working Professionals,” ASPA Conference, Austin, TX, October 18, 2012.

- Co-presenter, “Preparing Doctoral Candidates for Academic and Professional Careers,” ASPA Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, April 1, 2010.

Professional Service: - Doctoral Programs Committee, National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and

Administration (NASPAA) - LGBT Committee, American Society for Public Administration - Board of Advisors, University of West Los Angeles, School of Paralegal Studies.

Marcia Godwin, Associate Professor of Public Administration

Publications: - Marcia L. Godwin and Richard J. Gelm. 2010. “California District 26 Race:

Warner (D) v. Dreier (R),” in The Roads to Congress 2008, ed. Robert Dewhirst and Robert P. Watson. Lexington Books.

- Marcia Godwin. 2010. Book Reviews for Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries (American Library Association): Gerston, Public Policy Making: Process and Principles, 4th ed.; Kenski, Hardy, and Jamieson, The Obama Victory: How Media, Money, and Message Shaped the 2008 Election; Norrander, The Imperfect Primary: Oddies, Biases, and Strengths of U.S. Presidential Nomination Politics.

- “Who is Louis Jodel Chamblain? To Haiti, He is Peré JoJo,” The Journal of

International Governmental Systems and Structures, 1 (1), 1-4, Spring 2010.

- The World of the Haitian Revolution (book review), The Journal of Third World

Studies (Fall 2010), 27 (2), 339-340.

- “The Haitian State: Something Alien,” The Journal of Third World Studies, 27

(2), 71-88.

- “Determinants of a Single African Currency: A formula-based approach to social,

political, economic and historic indicators of measurement,” Proceedings of the

World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol 54, June 2009. Peer Review:

- Article Referee, American Journal of Political Science, November 2010. - Article Referee, Publius, November 2010

Service: - Panel Chair, “California Dreams (and Nightmares) II: Urban Dystopia,” Western

Political Science Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA April 1-3, 2010. - Dr. Godwin is continuing to assist the Cal-ICMA’s Preparing the Next

Generation Committee with research about the local government profession and participated in Preparing the Next Generation activities during the 2010 International City/County Management Association Conference in San Jose, California.

37

Soomi Lee, Assistant Professor of Public Administration Publications:

- Lee “Does Racial Heterogeneity Reduce Medicaid Spending? Journal of Socioeconomics (In Review)

- Lee, “Procedural Fairness and Subjective Congruence in Public Spending,” Journal of Social Research (In review)

- Lee, “Healthcare Access among Young Children in Public Spending,” American Journal of Public Health (In Review).

- Research includes the role of procedural fairness on public resource allocation, the effect of racial diversity on public good provision at the local and the state levels, and juvenile justice issues in California.

Paper Presentations - Lee (2013), “Effect of Public Health Care Access on Immigrant Children’s Health Outcome in the Los Angeles Area,” Southern Political Science Association, Orlando Florida - Lee (2012), Racial Heterogeneity and Medicaid Expenditure in the US,” Southwester Social Science Association, San Diego, CA

Service: - Professor Lee works with the Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch

in the Los Angeles office Jack W. Meek, Professor of Public Administration, Director of the MPA Program

Publications: - Jack Meek (2011) “Institutional fragmentation in metropolitan areas and

infrastructure systems: governance as balancing complexity and linear tasks,” in Andre Tait and Kurt Richardson (eds.) Moving Forward with Complexity: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Complex Systems Thinking and Real World Applications. Lithfield Park, AZ.: Emergent Publications, 2011.

- H. George Frederickson and Jack W. Meek (2011) Bureaucratie sans Frontiéres: Legitimacy, Authority, Accountability in Geo-Governance Systems, in Edoardo Ongaro, Andrew Massey, Marc Holzer, Ellen Wayenberg (eds.) Policy, Performance and Management in governance and Intergovernmental Relations: Transatlantic Perspectives. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. http://www.e-elgar.com/bookentry_mainUS.lasso?id=13417

Papers Presented - Lasse Gerrits and Jack W. Meek (2011) “Propositions for Complexity Science in

Application to the Study and Practice of Public Administration,” Paper presented at the Challenges in Making Public Administration and Complexity Theory Work Conference, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands, June 23-25, 2011.

- Christopher Koliba, Lasse Gerrits, Jack W. Meek (2011), “The Promise of Complexity Theory for Public Administration,” Paper presented at the Challenges in Making Public Administration and Complexity Theory Work Conference, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, Netherlands, June 23-25, 2011.

- Asim Zia, Christopher Koliba, Erica Campbell, Brian Lee, Jack Meek and Dina Colangelo (2011) “The Utilization and Valuation of Performance Measures for Metropolitan Planning Organizations: Understanding the Effects of Contextual

http://www.e-elgar.com/bookentry_mainUS.lasso?id=13417

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Complexity and Collaborative Capacity from a National-Level Survey” paper presentation at the 20th Year Anniversary and 11th Biannual Public

Management Research Association Conference, held at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University, June 2-4, 2011 in Syracuse, New York.

Editorial Boards: - International Journal of Organizational Theory and Behavior - Journal of Globalization Studies - Agenda Social: Revista do Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Politicas Sociais, UENF.

Campos dos Goytacazes http://www.uenf.br/Uenf/Pages/CCH/Agenda_Social Peer Reivew:

- Journal Reviews (Ad Hoc): Public Administrative Quarterly, International Journal of Public Participation, Public Administration and Management, Public Administration Review

Workshop Presentations: - Co-presenter, “Site Visitor Workshop,” Accreditation Institute, National

Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, Kansas City, Kansas, October 20, 2011.

Professional Service: - Chair, Standards Committee, National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and

Administration (NASPAA) Lisa Saye, Assistant Professor of Public Administration

Publications:

- “Who is Louis Jodel Chamblain? To Haiti, He is Peré JoJo,” The Journal of

International Governmental Systems and Structures, 1 (1), 1-4, Spring 2010.

- The World of the Haitian Revolution (book review), The Journal of Third World

Studies (Fall 2010), 27 (2), 339-340.

- “The Haitian State: Something Alien,” The Journal of Third World Studies, 27

(2), 71-88.

- “Determinants of a Single African Currency: A formula-based approach to social,

political, economic and historic indicators of measurement,” Proceedings of the

World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol 54, June 2009. Presentations:

- The Association of Third World Studies (ATWS), Salvador da Bahia, Brazil,

November 20-23, 2011, “Toward Democratic Distance.”

- The Marketing Educator’s Association (MEA) Conference, San Diego, CA,

April 21-23, 2011, “The Soloist: How a One University/One Book Project was

integrated into marketing,” Presenter.

- The Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA),

Kathmandu, Nepal, November 21 -25, 2010,

“Beyond the Marble Cake: Current Trends in American Federalism.”

- The 28th Annual Association of Third World Studies Conference (ATWS),

Savannah, Georgia, October 07 – 09, 2010,

“The State of the Third World,” Panel Discussant.

- The Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA),

Seoul, South Korea, October 21, 2009, “Mechanistic Strategies of Public Sector

http://www.uenf.br/Uenf/Pages/CCH/Agenda_Social

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Reform in an Economic Downturn: Toward a new Change Model for

Emerging Environments.” Service:

- Journal Reviewer: African Journal of History and Culture, Public Administration:

An International Quarterly, The Journal of International Public Administration,

WASET Scientific and Technical Committee and Editorial Review Board on

Humanities and Social Science, The International Journal of Governmental

Systems and Structures Keith Schildt, Professor of Public Administration

Service: - Board of Director, Orange County Asperger's Support Group (OCASG). I also

chair the Fund Raising Committee. OCASG is a 501C3 non-profit organization that educates, advocates, and provides support services for parents of children with high functioning autism, NOS-PDD, or Asperger's.

- Chairman, Tustin Unified School District Community Advisory Committee on Special Education (TUSDCAC). TUSDCAC provides education and recognition events for the school district and provides a participation forum for parents of special needs children in the district. It is a state mandated advisory committee.

Adrian Velazquez, Assistant Professor of Public Administration

Research - Professor Velazquez research centers on the analysis of immigration policies and

phenomena. He is particularly interested in Mexican immigration to the U.S. and the development of immigrants’ social networks, as well as factors that contribute to social exclusion. Dr. Velazquez’s work has appeared in the Journal of Ethnicity and Criminal Justice and the Simon Review. His book, Mexican Immigrants’ Social Networks: An Analysis of Social Exclusion in the United States of America, was published publication by the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa in México.

Service - In Mexico, Dr. Velazquez worked as a consultant for the private sector before

entering public service in the Water State Commission of Guanajuato, where he worked as Department Manager of Legislative Support. In the U.S., he worked as a faculty member at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale before joining the University of La Verne. He has also provided consulting services and training in Human Resources for diverse companies in Texas and New York.

Matthew Witt, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Public Administration

Presentations - Panel convener, moderator and discussant. “Integrity in public administration:

Towards new vistas.” ASPA 2011 Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD. - Moderator, “The Toronto Hearings on the Events of September 11, 2001.”

Ryerson University, Toronto, CAN, September 8-12, 2011. Publications

- Matthew Witt, Jack Meek, and Suzanne Beaumaster, (2012) “Integrity and Public Administration” Public Integrity, Symposium: Integrity in Public Administration. V.

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14, No. 3. - Witt, M.T. & deHaven-Smith, L. (November-December, 2011). The Privatization

of Public Policy: Elite Maneuvers in an Age of Institutionalized Ambiguity. Public Administration Review, 71, 974–977.

- Witt, M.T. (July, 2011). A noteworthy absence: How and why American public administration scholarship ignores matters of race. History Compass, 9, 549-561.

- Witt, M.T. (Summer, 2011). Exit, voice, loyalty revisited: Implications for public administration in dark times. Public Integrity, 13, 239-252.

- Witt, M.T. (December, 2011). Tragedy or travesty? A critical reading of Crash. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 33, 586-591.

Faculty Diversity and Program Diversity Plan It is the goal of the MPA program to have ethnic/racial faculty diversity in the program. The MPA program initiated a diversity program in 2007 to focus on achieving faculty with ethnic/racial diversity. The diversity program of 2007 emphasized the hiring of faculty with ethic/racial diversity and the use of adjunct faculty and quest speakers of diverse backgrounds to achieve its ambitions of achieving faculty of ethnic and diverse backgrounds. Tenure track searches were conducted in 2008, 2011 and 2012.

Table 13. Faculty Diversity – 2012

Faculty AA/EE/ADA Category Rank Tenure Status

A White, Female Professor Tenured

B White, Male Professor Tenured

C White, Male Professor Tenured

D White, Male Associate Professor Tenured

E White Female Associate Professor Tenure-Track

F Black Female Assistant Professor Tenure-Track

G Hispanic Male Assistant Professor Tenure-Track

H Asian Female Assistant Professor Tenure-Track

The diversity plan for the MPA program also outlines the approach of the program toward diversity in the use of adjunct faculty and guest speakers. The MPA Program designed and adopted the “MPA Faculty Diversity Policy” on October 1.2007. The purpose of this policy is to guide the MPA program’s efforts in creating a diverse learning environment. The policy acknowledges the need for and the positive learning outcomes that can be achieved with an effective diversity plan for both students and faculty. The policy consists of a three-pronged approach: (1) A full-time faculty recruitment strategy; (2) diversity in the assignment of adjunct faculty to MPA program courses, and (3) diversity in the assignment of guest speakers in the MPA program. An initial report of the implementation of the place can be found in Appendix xi. A revised plan for the program is under development led by Professor Suzanne Beaumaster. That plan is expected to be finalized in the Spring of 2013.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2011.02454.x/abstract



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Administration Program Director, Jack W. Meek, administers the MPA Program. Department staff includes a Program Coordinator/Advisor to assist in student file management, program scheduling, faculty contract management, and evaluation support for the DPA and MPA programs. The current Program Coordinator/Advisor, Claude Bahouth, was selected after an interview and selection process by public administration faculty. Additional university staff support includes assistance from the Office of the Registrar and Graduate Admissions that assist in the management of registration and degree completion.

Currently, the core faculty, staff support, and marketing staff have offices in the Public Administration Academic Center, located at 2220 Third Street. Other key administrators and staff, including the Graduate Admissions office, are located nearby on the main campus. Table 3 lists the key roles in the administration of the MPA Program:

Table 14. MPA Program Administration

Role Primary

Administrator/Staff Comments

MPA Program Director

Jack W. Meek

Program Advisor Claude Bahouth Also provides services to DPA

Program

Program Support Carrie Chittenden Reports to the Department Chair

and assists with general office duties

Admissions Graduate Admission and

Academic Service Jo Nell Baker, Director

Assessment Li-Fen Liu Manages MPA Assessment

Program

Financial Aid Financial Aid Office

Diane Anchundia, Interim Director

Marketing Erma Cross

Registration Registrar’s Office

Marilyn Davies, Registrar

Advancement and Graduation

Graduate Admission and Academic Service Registrar’s Office

Scope of Influence of Faculty Faculty are responsible for program policy and planning. Program mission, program strategies, and course syllabi are approved by the Program Director with faculty consultation. The mission of the Master of Public Administration degree is approved by the faculty nucleus.

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Degree requirements. The Program Director directs program planning and degree requirements through faculty meetings with MPA faculty. Program faculty determine degree requirements.

New courses and curriculum changes. New courses and curriculum are initiated by faculty through the Program Director and are approved by the faculty. As an example, preliminary discussions regarding the inclusion of “sustainable development” led to the development of a course on “Managing Sustainable Communities.” Course development is undertaken within the Department and approved by the program faculty as well as the faculty of the college.

Admissions. Admissions is determined by faculty and governed by University policy as managed by the Graduate Admissions and Academic Service Office. The MPA Program Director meets with the MPA faculty (and Graduate Admissions staff as needed) on admissions criteria and standards.

Certification of degree candidates. Certification is based upon Departmental approval and is implemented by the Registrar’s Office of the University of La Verne. Monitoring certification is the responsibility of Graduate Admissions.

Course scheduling and teaching assignments. All teaching appointments are conducted through an approval process managed by the Department Chair. Teaching contracts are approved through the College of Business and Public Management.

Use of financial aid and other resources. Financial aid, such as student loans, is based on University policy. A limited number of research assistant positions have been awarded.

Appointment, promotion, and tenuring of program faculty. College and University policies determine promotion and tenure policies related to the faculty of the Master of Public Administration Program. These policies stress teaching excellence, university contribution and scholarship. College faculty approval is essential to successful promotion and tenure. Full-time faculty are selected on the basis of academic interests, expertise and research interests. Part-time, or Adjunct Faculty, are chosen on the basis of academic preparation, management expertise and teaching experience.

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V. Admission of Students Admission Goals and Standards Preparing and developing public service leaders is the central focus of the MPA program. Through caring, yet careful, screening, applicants receive admission into the MPA. With some admissions, prerequisites may be required. Generally, these students completed their bachelor’s degrees but do not possess particular curriculum strengths required of the program. In some cases, students may be asked to take co-requisites as part of their program of study so as to provide additional foundation in their program of study. The mission statement of the MPA is an important component of the admission process. Preparing and developing leaders for the complexity of public management means ensuring the goals of the applicant are commensurate with the values of the program. Admission Process The admission process begins with a contact generated by the applicant or our enrollment manager who invites the person to apply. The enrollment manager prepares literature for prospective students. A substantial number of our applicants have expressed interest in our program because of contact with current students or alumni who speak highly of the degree. Most of those who inquire work full-time and are interested in our exclusive evening format.

In some cases, transfer credit can be allowed for courses taken from another institution. The department policy states the courses must have been taken within the last five years, have relevancy and equivalency to a particular course in the University of La Verne program, have earned a grade of a B or better, and been a course accepted into that particular institution’s graduate program. In actual practice, few courses are transferred into the MPA. Representation Recruiting and maintaining minorities, women, and persons with disabilities has not been a problem for this program. The diversity of our student body is seen as one of our key strengths, as mentioned elsewhere in this self-study. Admission Factors The admission policy has a minimum requirement of an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, a preferred grade point average of 3.0 or better, and two positive references attesting to the ability of the applicant to successfully complete graduate level college coursework. Because the MPA has a primarily in-service emphasis, baccalaureate degrees are not limited to specific majors as a preparation for the vocabulary and concepts associated with public administration. A review of our current and past students reveals, however, a predominantly public management-oriented audience. This enriches the activities of each of our classes in that students bring a wide variety of first-hand observations to be contrasted to the theoretical

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lessons of the day. We are fortunate to have a diverse student body that seek out our program because of its good reputation and equitable academic practices. Determination of admission and admission status is based on university, college and program criteria. The program criteria are determined by the faculty nucleus of the MPA program. The Director of the MPA Program, based on faculty determined criteria, reviews each applicant. Where applicants do not meet established criteria, the Director of the MPA Program seeks advice from program faculty on determining admission. In order to establish a more routine review of admission determination, the faculty is considering the development of an admissions committee of the program for the 2013 – 2014 academic year. Applicants from non-US institutions are welcome and their official records retrieved and evaluated by the Graduate Student Services department for authenticity and reputation. Table 11 below lists the characteristics of students admitted to the MPA program from 2007 to 2012. The program attracts diverse students who have a good record of undergraduate achievement.

Table 15. MPA Admission Records

2007 -2008

2008 -2009

2009 -2010

2010 -2011

2011 - 2012

Total

Admission

Number Applied 105 90 71 122 124 388

Number Admitted 36 55 36 49 55 176

Number Matriculated 27 37 33 38 34 135

Admission Rates

% Acceptance 34.3% 61.1% 50.7% 40.2% 44.4% 45.4%

% Yield Rate 75.0% 67.3% 91.7% 77.6% 61.8% 76.7%

% Enrolled/Applied 25.7% 41.1% 46.5% 31.1% 27.4% 34.8%

Average Scores Average Admission

GPA 3.0 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.0 3.1

Diversity Items

First Generation (Known)

41.7% 11.1% 33.3% 13.1 3%

Age (Average) 31.5 29.9 29.9 30 33

% Male 37.1% 41.1% 40.8% 49.2 50%

% Minority 52.4% 51.1% 54.9% 57.4% 58.8%

% Race Unknown 23.8% 22.2% 32.4% 22.1% 14.7%

Race/Ethnicity

% Black 9.5% 10.0% 9.9% 13.1% 12%

% Hispanic 34.3% 32.2% 35.2% 27.9% 12%

% Asian 8.6% 7.8% 9.9% 15.6% 6%

% White 23.8% 26.7% 12.7% 20.5% 12%

State and National Data

International F1 1.9% 2.2% 8.5% 2.50% 5.9%

% in State 89.5% 91.1% 73.2% 77.0% 97.1%

Employment Profile of Admitted Students As reported earlier, students who enroll primarily in the La Verne MPA program mostly work or live in La Verne and nearby cities such as Claremont, Diamond Bar, Pomona, San Dimas, Walnut, Chino, Chino Hills, Covina, West Covina, Glendora, Azusa, Montclair, Ontario,

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Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, and Fontana. The program also attracts students from other municipalities in the San Gabriel Valley portion of Los Angeles County, western San Bernardino County, western Riverside County, and northern Orange County. Table 16 below reveals a consistent patter of enrolled student employment with the majority in government and non-profit agencies. Table 16. Employment Statistics of 2009-2012 Admitted MPA Students

Employment Statistics 2009 2010 2011 2012

National or central government in the same country as the program

1

State, provincial or regional government in the same country as the program

1

City, County or other local government in the same country as the program

7 8 5 7

Foreign government (all levels) or international quasi-government

1

Nonprofit domestic-oriented 1 4 11 5

Education

Non-profit/NGOs internationally-oriented 1

Private Sector—Research/Consulting 1 4 3 2

Private Sector but not research/consulting 2 2 4 2

Unemployed 2 1

Status Unknown 4 19 8

Total 13 25 42 26

Total Government/Non Profit/Education 8 14 16 14

Source: MPA Advisory Board Reports (Claude Bahouth, Academic Advisor) Enrollment/Size of Program Since 2006, the program has grown in size by 21% (see Table 17). This growth was sharply altered in the fall of 2012 due to a high number of graduates in May of 2012. The number of admissions was also below predictions in the fall of 2012 and program is in review of these trends with the offices of admissions and recruitment.

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Table 17. MPA Program Size: Number of Students Registered in Fall Terms

Fall 2006

Fall 2007

Fall 2008

Fall 2009

Fall 2010

Fall 2011

Fall 2012

06-12 Growth

# of Students 62 69 76 77 98 102 83 21

Average Growth 1.61% 10.14% 9.21% 1.3% 21.43% 4.08% -18.63% 34%

# of Units Sold 255 270 327 315 453 426 321 2367

# of Courses Taken 85 90 109 105 151 142 107 789

Average Units Per Student

4.11 3.91 4.30 4.09 4.62 4.18 3.87 4.16

Students Admitted on Probation The MPA Program at La Verne has allowed students to be admitted on probationary status if the student demonstrates potential to complete the program but does not meet all of the admission requirements. From 2008 to 2012, primarily due to low undergraduate performance, 33 students were admitted to the MPA program on a probationary status (typically B’s or netter in the first three classes) Table 18 below indicates that 76% of these students have been able to get off probationary status or are in progress in doing so. Despite the availability of the student support services, 24% of the students were unable to meet the demands of the faculty or withdrew from the program. One of these students did not start the program. As indicated in Table 18, except for the year 2011, the MPA program has not admitted very many students on academic probation. In the academic year, 2012 – 2013, the College initiated an admission policy that does not utilize the probationary status. The impact of this policy change in admission is not likely to alter student program success patterns as students are required to achieve a 3.0 GPA or better in order maintain active status.

Table 18. MPA Students Admitted on Probationary Status

Year # of Students on

Probation # Off

Probation In

Progress Dropped Program/

Withdrew Graduated

2008 4 2 0 2 1

2009 7 7 0 0 2

2010 1 1 0 0 0

2011 16 8 2 6 na

2012 5 3 2 0 na

Total 33 21 2 8 (24%)

Source: 2013 MPA Provisional Admissions Report (Claude Bahouth, January 2013)

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VI. Student Services Advisement and Appraisal The students’ first contact with the program is typically through the person responsible for marketing the program either via telephone or at an educational fair (or similar such event). Anecdotal evidence suggests that historically a large proportion of our students have learned about the program through friends or co-workers. Although this latent network is still a valuable source of students, recently it appears that the University of La Verne website has become a growing source of initial information about the program.

The program’s Enrollment Management representative undertakes marketing activities and provides prospective students with program information on the program and value and appropriateness of the MPA degree, and answers questions about application logistics, program cost, and similar such items.

Once an application is received, the interaction continues with the program and Graduate Admissions office tracking the receipt of documents for admission. The applicant is usually spoken to again and encouraged to speak with admitted and continuing students in the program for their perspectives. When all documents have been received and authenticated, the admission packet is sent to the Program Director that makes admission decisions. Upon admission, the student contacts the Program Coordinator/Advisor to discuss an appropriate course of study and course completion plan. At this point, the student is encouraged to explore again his/her personal goals and the goals of the program in order to resolve any possible questions.

Throughout the student’s time in the program, he/she has access to professors and peers for networking possibilities and career development analysis and refinement. The course options include choosing between two concentrations in addition to the core program. Academic progress is monitored in two ways. First of all, professors alert the program coordinator/advisor of students who have demonstrated less than acceptable performance. Secondly, at the conclusion of each term, course grade sheets are reviewed by graduate student services and program coordinator/advisor for possible problems with academic performance. If warranted, the student is asked to meet with the program director to discuss program completion and any potential problems associated with that completion. Sometimes students are prohibited from taking too large a course load. Other times, students are offered the services of the University’s Graduate Success Center. Financial Assistance The University offers financial aid resources to graduate students through grants. The program offers, on a limited basis, program assistantships in which the recipient works with a program faculty member (typically helping with research, data collection, or data entry) in exchange for remission of a portion of tuition.

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Student Attrition There is attrition for many reasons; e.g. lack of financial resources, personal health problems, changes of work environment or conditions, and family obligations and responsibilities. Below are tables that address the attrition rate from the 2006 cohort (Table 19) and the 2007 cohort (Table 20).

Table 19. Graduation Rates: Graduating Students From 2006 (Five Years From Annual Review

Date of 2011)

Students in the ARY-5

Initially Enrolled

(2006)

Graduated in 100% of Degree Program Length


Graduated in 200% of Degree Program

Length

Number of Full-Time Students *

7 7 7

Number of Part-Time Students *

0 8 12

Total Number of Students

41 7 15 23

* Estimate Note: Data Presented is Accumulative Data provided in table 19 indicate that 56% of the students who started the MPA program in 2006 (ARY-5) graduated in 200% of the degree program length. All students attending full time graduated within 100% of the Degree Program Length. Further analysis of the 2006 cohort MPA enrolled students indicates the following:

4.8% (2) of the students changed programs

7.3% (3) of the students were academically disqualified

9.7% (4) of the students were placed on academic probation and did not return to the program

14.6% (6) of the students completed less that 12 units of the program and did not return The ARY-5 number of graduates is lower than preceding years in the program: 2001 (94%), 2002 (63%), 2003 (77%), 2004 (86%), and 2005 (67%). During this same period of time, the program has grown from enrolling 16 students per year (2001) to 41 students per year (2006). The 2007-2010 trends in enrollment have remained between 30-40 students per academic year. The examination of the 2006 cohort data above indicate that 7 students (17%) were unable to academically succeed in the program. In addition, 2 students (4.8%) transferred to other programs. This calls upon the program to strengthen its admissions requirements in both student preparation and clarifying program objectives for prospective students. The faculty reviewed the admissions requirements in the spring of 2011 and clarified the program objectives and strengthened program admissions. In order to improve student information management, the College implemented a new advisory program in 2011- 2012 that emphasizes student retention. This emphasis includes an improved communication with students as well as an improved data management and

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monitoring system. With this initiative, the program will be able to better understand student progress toward degree completion.

Table 20. Graduation Rates: Graduating Students Form 2007 (Five Years From Annual Review

Date of 2012)

Students in the ARY-5

Initially Enrolled

(2007)




Number of Full-Time Students *

UTD UTD UTD UTD

Number of Part-Time Students *

UTD UTD UTD UTD

Total Number of Students

40 8 17 24

* UTD = Unable to Determine Note: Data Presented is Accumulative Data provided in table 20 indicate that 60% of the students who started the MPA program in 2007 (ARY-5) graduated in 200% of the degree program length. Further analysis of the 2007 cohort MPA enrolled students indicates the following:


20% (8) of the students were placed on academic probation and did not return to the program

7.5% (3) of the students completed less that 12 units of the program and did not return

10% (4) have completed more than 12 units but have not completed the program The ARY-5 number of graduates is higher than the preceding year, 60% 5o 51.2 %. The examination of the 2007 cohort data above indicate that 8 students (20%) were unable to academically succeed in the program. This calls upon the program to strengthen its admissions requirements in both student preparation and clarifying program objectives for prospective students. The faculty reviewed the admissions requirements and concluded that some pre-requisite work should be considered if the student profile does not indicate sufficient preparation, especially in the areas of statistics. For an overview of the graduation rate of students in the MPA program, see Appendix xii. Placement and Career Service The students in this program are in-service students. However, a growing number of students are attending the La Verne program at the entry stage of their careers. In response, the University has developed a Career Service Office that is able to facilitate general needs of a very broad set of stakeholders. The Career Office assists some MPA students. The Department also sends along position openings that are published by various societies and agencies. These networks offer good information regarding some openings in public service. On occasion, the program director facilitates a meeting between the student and a seasoned public manager to

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discuss career opportunities. The program also sponsors a “City Manger in Residence” program every year to increase access of students to professionals in the region. The program co-hosted with the Southern California ASPA Chapter a Fall 2012 dinner for students that included discussions three public administrators and their advice on career development.

Finding: Alumni and Graduate Exit Reports indicated a need for a stronger Career Service Center and Placement Office. Given the trend toward accepting students in the beginning of their career, the College should develop a stronger orientation toward Career Development and Enhancement.

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VII. Graduates

Graduates of the La Verne MPA program typically serve in positions of public and non-profit management (70%). Given that a large number of students do not report their employment status, we believe even a larger % of students are employed in public and non-profit service. Many students move on to seek additional education (the alumni survey indicated 33% of students continue with further education and of those 93% indicate that equally or better prepared that fellow students in their studies). Table 21 below lists the employment status of MPA graduates in the past four years. For a detailed list of graduates in the past 4 years, see Appendix iv. Table 21. Employment Statistics of 2009-2012 MPA Graduates

Employment Statistics 2009 2010 2011 2012

National or central government in the same country as the program

1 1

State, provincial or regional government in the same country as the program

1

City, County or other local government in the same country as the program

8 9 10 14

Foreign government (all levels) or international quasi-government

Nonprofit domestic-oriented 6 11 5 10

Education

Non-profit/NGOs internationally-oriented

Private Sector—Research/Consulting 3 1 4

Private Sector but not research/consulting 2 2 3

Obtaining further education *

Unemployed

Status Unknown 4 5 2 11

Total 17 27 22 43

Total Government/Non Profit/Education 14 20 17 25

Source: MPA Advisory Board Reports (Claude Bahouth, Academic Advisor)

* Alumni Survey Results Indicate 33% of La Verne MPA Graduates seek further education. Many of the MPA program graduates work within the region surrounding the University of La Verne and nearby cities. These cities include La Verne, Claremont, Diamond Bar, Pomona, San Dimas, Walnut, Chino, Chino Hills, Covina, West Covina, Glendora, Azusa, Montclair,

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Ontario, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, and Fontana. The program also attracts students from other municipalities in the San Gabriel Valley portion of Los Angeles County, western San Bernardino County, western Riverside County, and northern Orange County. Several graduates have become city managers or deputy/assistant city managers in cities like Upland, San Marino and Chino, Diamond Bar, and Claremont. One of our graduates currently holds a California Assembly position from the West Covina area.

53

VIII. Supportive Services and Facilities

Budget The University of La Verne has an annual budgetary process whereby Colleges estimate enrollment and budgetary needs in the winter of the fiscal year. The MPA submits its budgetary requests to the College of Business and Public Management. During April, the draft budget is presented for comment to the Provost and formally submitted to the President. By the end of April, the draft budget is presented to the Board Finance & Budget Committee and to the full Board of Directors by the middle of May. Budget Sufficiency Over the past four years, the financial resources have been sufficient to support the mission of the Master in Public Administration Program as the program grew in size. The University provides office space, classroom space, library support, computer support, faculty travel support, and administrative support to manage program operations. Revenue for the MPA Program is carefully monitored along with the other College of Business and Public Management programs.

Salary Information University Council determines salaries at the University of La Verne after a review of all program revenues and budgetary requests. Faculty salaries are determined by rank and years of service. University of La Verne faculty salaries are benchmarked to the national mean salaries by discipline. The most recent faculty salary report indicates that the mean assistant and associate level salaries at are similar to the national mean salaries while the full professor salaries at La Verne lag by 9% (see Table 22). The Dean of the College of Business and Public Management monitors these comparisons to meet University standards.

Table 22. Nucleus Faculty Salary Data 2011-2012

Rank CUPA - Comparison Mean

Professor - 9.04% Associate Professor + 0.77% Assistant Professor + 2.86%

Sources: Faculty Salary Committee Report (2012), Dean, College of Business and Public Management, University of La Verne The salary schedule, per course, for part-time faculty teaching graduate courses in 2011-12 is listed in Table 23 below. The University faculty salary committee of the University has developed proposals to increase Adjunct Faculty salaries so as to remain competitive with comparison institutions in the region. These proposals are still under discussion in the 2012 – 2013 academic year.

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Table 23. Adjunct Faculty Compensation

Academic Year Without Terminal Degree With Terminal Degree

Instructor Rank Adjunct Senior Adjunct Adjunct Senior Adjunct

2011 - 2012 $2,750 $2,950 $3,050 $3,250

2012 - 2013 $2,850 $3,050 $3,150 $3,350

Source: Human Resources Department, University of La Verne, http://sites.laverne.edu/hr/

Finding: The compensation level for adjunct faculty and for faculty overload courses is also below the level paid by competing MPA programs, which may impact our ability to attract exemplary adjunct faculty.

Library Services The Wilson Library is the primary library for the university. The library carries many public administration books and has hard-copy subscriptions to major public administration journals. Some items, such as the Encyclopedia of Public Administration and Public Policy, are available both in hard copy and electronic form. Full-text journal articles are available on-line via the Proquest and Academic Source Premier databases. The library also has an interlibrary loan program for any journal articles which are not available on-line. Of example, the University of California, Los Angeles library regularly provides articles through interlibrary loan to other universities throughout Southern California.

Holdings at the Wilson Library are supplemented by the library at ULV College of Law in Ontario, about 15 miles from the main campus. Students can request books from the law library be sent to the main library for next day delivery or can visit the law library in person.

The University of La Verne is also a member of the Link+ consortium, which provides interlibrary book borrowing from other college campuses. Virtually any academic book can be requested electronically and generally arrives at the Wilson library within a week. Link+ borrowers can also directly go to other university libraries. For example, the main library at the Claremont Colleges (located about five miles from La Verne) allows for guest access by Link+ students from other campuses. Guests can browse through electronic and journal offerings. Link+ students can also check out books directly there rather than waiting for books to be transferred to the Wilson library. Reference librarians routinely provide assistance to MPA students collectively in several classes and individually by appointment. Department Reference Room The department has its own Reference Room that contains hard copies of a number of academic journals as well as a number of publications public management and administration. The reference room also has two computers for use by students for research support.

http://sites.laverne.edu/hr/

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Blackboard and Center for Teaching and Learning

Generally, public administration courses are scheduled in “smart” classrooms with computer, video, and projection equipment already installed. Blackboard is the platform used for electronic discussions and messaging. The university supports all programs with an instructional technology staff at the Center for Teaching and Learning.

Faculty Offices

All full-time faculty offices are located in the College of Business and Public Management (CBPM) Building. The suite of offices has one central room for use by the faculty and students if not assigned as a classroom. There are eight offices, a center classroom/conference area and a reference room. Each faculty member has his/her own office. Although the space is rather tight, it is adequate and does foster a lot of informal interaction – this allows for a considerable amount of MPA program related matters to be discussed in a casual, collegial atmosphere and maximizes our efficiency. Classrooms Classes are offered in various locations across the small, walkable campus. Most of these classrooms are “smart classrooms” offering a technology-enhanced room with computer, internet, projection, and video and audio capacity. Reports from the alumni survey and graduate exit survey indicate that there is a need to improve university facilities.

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IX. Summary and Recommendations This report has reviewed the history, mission, curriculum and students of the University of La Verne MPA program. This report has relied on evidence developed though an assessment process that utilizes alumni and graduate surveys, graduate exit surveys, course embedded assessment, student evaluations of professors, and a comparison of the La Verne Program to similar programs in Southern California. Program Strengths Based on the information provided in this report, the following areas indicate what we consider to be the central strengths of the La Verne MPA Program:

University and MPA Program Mission

Longevity (40 Years)

Faculty Research, Teaching and Professional Associations

Location and Regional Connections

Curriculum

Class Size and Schedule

Alumni The mission of the program is in good order and will take on some added dimensions in the coming years to that will take advantage of the La Verne Program niche and positively impact the region. An important focus of the program will be to create public value through research and service. Program Challenges The report developed 14 findings with regard to the program:

1. An assessment of program curriculum indicates a broad similarity in core course among programs in the Southern California Region. The La Verne MPA program can develop a unique niche in the public affairs curriculum if it continues to develop an orientation that sharpens its contribution on the immediate region, especially in enhancing collaborative and civic engagement processes.

2. Given the competitive challenge of on-line education, the La Verne MPA program should seek new ways to deliver high-quality, person-to person educational opportunities for those who seek careers in public affairs or wish to continue their careers in public affairs

3. In their review of program uniqueness and integrity, the MPA faculty also reviewed the mission statement of the MPA program in the 2011-12 academic year and offered consideration of a stronger focus on the “civic professional” and on social/environmental justice. These insights will be a part of ongoing deliberation in 2012-2013 academic year.

4. The number of respondents to the institutional research review is limited as it is based on alumni records. This indicates one area where program enhancement can

57

be further enhanced as alumni play a critical role in increasing the quality and access of the program.

5. The program should examine opportunities to enhance on-line program delivery, increased opportunities to work with faculty and strengthening the career service office.

6. The MPA Advisory Board indicates that the program should develop certificates to assist public service employees in addition to offering a professional and academic curriculum. The MPA Advisory Board also indicates the program should consider adding program emphasis areas where there is potential for adding public value in various jurisdictions, such as an emphasis in economic development.

7. Based on exit surveys of graduates, the program needs to improve career services for students and seek ways that improve professional networking opportunities for students.

8. While program assessment has been implemented since 2007-2008, course embedded assessment can be improved by seeking more objective measures of student performance. Strategies to improve objective measurement can include third party assessment of performance and peer-review processes of student assignments.

9. Program emphasis in the area of addressing the unique nature of public administration and the role of the public administrator needs strengthening. Strategies to improve competencies in this important area might include the development of a course – public management and leadership – that can offer a stronger emphasis in addressing the competency in regard “to lead and manage in public governance.”

10. Finding: Program emphasis in the area of addressing the legal foundations and framework of public administration in metropolitan areas needs strengthening. Strategies to strengthen competencies in this important area might include the development of a course in legal foundations in governance – that can offer a stronger emphasis in addressing this competency in the governance concentration should be considered.

11. Finding: Program emphasis in the areas public budgeting and public finance needs strengthening. Strategies to strengthen competencies in this important area might include the development of a separate course in public budgeting and public finance that can offer a stronger emphasis in addressing this competency in the “the effective use of public resources.”

12. Despite the use of practitioners in the MPA program, the element of practitioner involvement needs to be increased through a regularized program of engagement, networking, mentoring and program/student advisement.

13. Alumni and Graduate Exit Reports indicated a need for a stronger Career Service Center and Placement Office. Given the trend toward accepting students in the beginning of their career, the College should develop a stronger orientation toward Career Development and Enhancement.

14. The compensation level for adjunct faculty and for faculty overload courses is also below the level paid by competing MPA programs, which may impact our ability to attract exemplary adjunct faculty.

Based on these findings, the following challenges to the program are noted:

58

Loss of Geographic Monopoly (on-line education challenges) Depth of on-line technology and support Program Promotion and Recent Downturn in Enrollment Analytic Support (Statistical Lab) Student Support Services Career Services and Student Networking Curricular Enhancement in program concentration areas

Program Recommendations The La Verne MPA is a respected program by peers, alumni and students. In order to address the challenges to the program, the following steps are recommended for the La Verne MPA program in order to strengthen its unique niche in the Southern California region. We can do so by responding to the findings outlined in this report. In doing so, the program makes the following three recommendations and corresponding activities: Develop Networks for Students and Stakeholders:

Developing an Honors Society Chapter

Become a California – ICMA Chapter

Find a systematic and on-going way to incorporate practitioners into the curriculum and co-curricular work of the program. Options include guest lectures, mentorship, symposium, city-manager-in-residence program, ICMA student led organization

Graduate financial assistance in the form of tuition discounts (assistantships) and scholarships should be part of attracting, assisting and maintaining graduate students in the MPA program

Develop a student mentoring program with the guidance and participation of the Advisory Board

Enhance Curriculum and Career Support for Students

Develop a Statistical Lab in support of statistical assistance for students and statistical and data base management support for faculty

Develop and strengthen the careers service center for student to access and seek assistance for career development.

Strengthen International Experience opportunities

Developing a Strong Alumni Relations Program

Strengthen program competencies in public management and leadership, administrative law and public finance.

Be responsive to the needs of stakeholders

Develop public administration certificates for ongoing development of professionals in the public service systems

Strengthen or develop concentrations (non-profit, economic development, policy, environmental administration) in the MPA program.

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In moving forward and creating public value through research and service, the above areas will need our attention in the coming years. In so doing, the program needs to be concerned with program capacity, as in implementing these three recommendations will call upon additional resources or a shift of emphasis in current resources.

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X. Appendices

i. Master of Public Administration Assessment Program

1. Missions, Goals, Objectives, and Learning Outcomes

The mission of the University of La Verne’s Master of Public Administration program is to offer an

innovative and practical curriculum that stresses intellectual and theoretical foundations to professionals

preparing to take on socially responsible roles in public leadership and service.

The mission will be achieved through a curriculum that emphasizes:

(1) The effective use of public resources

(2) The changing context (contextual nature) of public administration

(3) Analytic and decision-making capacity

(4) Practice of public administration in diverse public organizations

(5) Ethical dimensions of public service

The NASPAA universal competencies include the following:

(1) To lead and manage in public governance;

(2) To participate in and contribute to the public policy process;

(3) To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions;

(4) To articulate and apply a public service perspective; and

(5) To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and

citizenry.

These competencies were framed within the La Verne MPA mission-based learning outcomes.

The public services values established by the La Verne MPA mission are embedded within the

competencies established to meet the program mission and universal competencies of NASPAA programs

Assessment Background at La Verne

The MPA Assessment Program was designed in the Fall of 2007 based on the Colleges’ “Course

Embedded Outcomes Assessment Program” (program steps are listed below). The initial program

assessment included a pilot test that was conducted in the Fall term of 2007 with regular implementation

beginning with courses offered in the Winter term of 2008. Additional program assessment continued in

the Spring and Summer terms of 2008. A revised program assessment was instituted in the Fall of 2011

in incorporate the newly established universal competencies established by NASPAA.

The steps that the MPA faculty undertook to implement the College assessment plan are listed below.

1. Define the goals and learning objectives of the MPA program.

2. Break down each learning objective into several measurable learning outcomes.

3. Prepare a matrix that shows all the learning objectives and outcomes and the MPA courses in

which they are going to be assessed.

4. Develop the instruments to measure or assess the learning outcomes

5. Develop a rubric for the assessment of the learning outcomes.

6. Set an overall target for student learning.

7. Collect assessment data.

8. Analyze the data.

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9. Continuously re-evaluate the curriculum, goals, objectives, learning outcomes, instruments,

and rubric.

In the Fall of 2007, the MPA Program Director, with the help of the MPA Program Committee

(consisting of the full time MPA faculty) developed the learning goals and objectives for the MPA

program based on the MPA program mission (See Table 1).

Each of the learning objectives encompasses skills and abilities were broken down into learning

outcomes. Each learning outcome is measured to reflect the ability of the student to perform a specific

task.

Once the MPA Program Committee defined the learning objectives and outcomes, the MPA Director

developed a matrix that shows all of the learning objectives and outcomes and the MPA course(s) where

program objectives and learning outcomes will be assessed. This matrix serves as a road map for the

MPA course embedded outcome assessment efforts.

After the learning objectives and outcomes were defined by the MPA Program Committee, the MPA chair

developed a matrix (See Table 1) that shows all of the learning objectives and outcomes and in which

MPA course(s) they will be assessed. This matrix serves as a road map for the MPA course embedded

outcome assessment efforts.

For each learning outcome or set of outcomes, an instrument was developed to measure the students’

ability to perform tasks or demonstrate their skills. The choice of the instrument would be a function of

the learning objective and outcomes. For some objectives or outcomes, a case study might be the most

appropriate instrument; while for others, it might be an exam, simulation, term paper, or a class project.

For each instrument, a rubric or a scoring guide will be developed to help the faculty in assessing the

student ability and skill level. The rubric will ensure consistency in the evaluation of the student ability

across sections and over time.

The MPA Program Committee set a target objective for student achievement on each of the learning

outcomes at 80% of students taking a course achieving “good or excellent” scores.

During the Winter and Spring terms of 2008, based upon the courses offered, several learning outcomes

were assessed and student performance on these outcomes were summarized and tabulated.

The program completed a full cycle of the learning outcomes and objectives by the end of the Spring

Term of 2009. At that time, all of the data was summarized and tabulated and the MPA Program

Committee and Advisory Board, reviewed the data and made appropriate recommendations to change the

curriculum, learning objectives, learning outcomes, instruments, and / or rubrics. Since the fall of 2009,

MPA mission program elements have been assessed.

A revised program assessment was instituted in the Fall of 2011 in order to incorporate the newly

established universal competencies established by NASPAA (listed above). The Curriculum Committee

of the MPA program sought to integrate the newly established competencies along with the core elements

of the program mission.

A curriculum map of program learning outcomes, universal competencies and public service values

embedded in selected courses is provided on the following page (Table 1).

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Table 1. MPA Assessment Matrix La Verne Learning

Goals

Universal Competencies

(NASPAA)

Defined Learning

Objectives

Assigned Course

Assigned Elective Courses


The Effective Use of Public

Resources

Objective 1: Utilization of public resources in efficient & effective ways Objective 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and implementation of IT in a public sector organization

PADM 534 Management of Public Funds PADM 584 Managing IT in Public Organizations

Serving professionally with competence, efficiency and objectively

Understand the intra and inter-organizational

aspects of public

administration

Lead & Manage in

Public Governance

Objective 3: Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and external, as well as the culture, politics and institutional setting

PADM 531 Org, Theory

Understand the inherent social role and ethos for the public,

private, and nonprofit

sectors

Articulate, Apply Public

Service Perspective

Objective 4A: Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the public administrator, and the contextual elements that differentiate the public from the nonprofit and private sectors. Objective 4B Articulate the unique mission of a non-profit organization and its programs, organizational structure and governance

PADM 501 Public Administration and Society

PADM 538 Collaborative PA MGMT 533 Accounting & Compliance for Nonprofits

Demonstrating respect, equity and fairness in dealing with citizens and fellow public servants

Understand the role

quantitative analysis plays

in public administrative

decision making

Analyze, Synthesize &

Decision Making

Objective 5: Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data, including appropriate statistical concepts and techniques

PADM 582 Quantitative Analysis for Public Administration

Understand the implications of

diversity in public

organizations

Communicate with a Diverse

Workforce

Objective 6: Identify and discuss the significant strategic human resources management implications for managing diversity

PADM 530 Human Resource Management

Acting ethically so as to uphold the public trust

Understand the concepts of fairness and

justice in public service

Objective 7: To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and skill applying the Ethical Problem Solving Model

PADM 555 Ethics

Pursuing the public interest with accountability and transparency

Participate in the Public

Policy Process

Objective 8: Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policy making

PADM 533 Policy Formation & Analysis

63

The Master of Public Administration learning goals translate into the following program objectives and

leaning outcomes for the MPA:

Objective 1: Utilization of public resources in efficient & effective ways.

Learning outcomes for Objective 1 (PADM 534):

1-1 Assess basic understanding concepts of market failure, public goods, externalities, and

reasons for government intervention.

1-2 Assess understanding of interaction between incentive structure and individual behavior and

of tradeoffs between efficiency and equity in the U.S. tax system.

1-3 Competency in understanding the issues in public service, and presenting important empirical

studies on the topics chosen by students.

Objective 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and implementation of IT in a

public sector organization.


2-1 Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT planning illustrated in the case.

2-2 Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT acquisition illustrated in the case.

2-3 Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT implementation illustrated in the case.

2-4 Analyzes alternatives for addressing specific IT concerns from the organizations perspective.

2-5 Completes a SWOT analysis that analyzes the specifics of the assigned case.

Objective 3: Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and external, as well as the

culture, politics and institutional setting.


3-1 Analyzes organizational theory as it is applied to public sector organizations.

3-2 Evaluates methods of managing and enhancing culture in the workplace based on

contemporary theory.

3-3 Applies theories to organizations to illustrate efficacy in practices.

3-4 Analyzes theories of decision-making for application in the public sector.

3-5 Thinks critically and communicates effectively in organizational settings.

Objective 4A. Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the public administrator, and the contextual elements that differentiate the public from the nonprofit and private sectors. Learning outcomes for Objective 4A (PADM 501):

4-1. Be able to define the unique nature of public administration through the use of key public administration concepts, identifying the role of the public administrator and their decision making alternatives in the public administrative context. 4-2. Understand the nature of the issue and its operational definition, the challenges and consequences of policy issues, the adequacy of administrative processes within an administrative context, and the differences with nonprofit or private processes.

64

Objective 4B. Articulate the unique mission of a non-profit organization and its programs organizational structure and governance Learning outcomes for Objective 4B (MGMT 533):

4-1. Articulate a sustainable market niche for a non-profit organization 4-2. Develop a functioning governance structure including a board of directors 4-3 Identify specific organizational programs related to the mission 4-4 Establish a management structure that implements organizational programs

Objective 5: Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data,

including appropriate statistical concepts and techniques.


5-1 Summarize and describe quantitative information in several different forms.

5-2 Understand, perform, present, and interpret inferential statistics.

5-3 Understand and interpret multiple regression results.

Objective 6: Identify and discuss the significant Strategic Human Resources Management

Implications for Managing Diversity.


6-1 Demonstrates the understanding of demographic and contextual characteristics of diverse

organizations.

6-2 Assesses the potential benefits and barriers of organizational diversity.

6-3 Distinguishes and exemplifies organizational approaches to diversity.

Objective 7: To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and skill applying the Ethical

Problem Solving Model.


7-1 Clarify the facts of the situation and how these materialize as interests of all pertinent

stakeholders.

7-2 Determine Driscoll Scanlon’s duty considering the obligations and responsibilities of his

position and professional role.

7-3 Analyze Scanlon’s actions according to each of the three ethical approaches: virtue based,

principle based, results oriented.

7-4 Assess Scanlon’s actions and performance based on available options and ethical demands

the situation he faced placed on him.

Objective 8: Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policy

making.


8-1 Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) provide an informed written

comment using the www.regulations.gov website.

http://www.regulations.gov/

65

8-2 Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) utilize descriptive statistics, and

(3) develop a realistic advocacy strategy to influence public policy.

Table X: Leaning Outcomes Measurement Grid for the MPA Program

PADM

501

PADM

530

PADM

531

PADM

533

PADM

534

PADM

555

PADM

582

PADM

584

Learning Outcome 1-1 X



























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College of Business and Public Management

MPA Outcome Assessment

Rubric for PADM 534: Management of Public Funds

Learning Objective 1: Utilization of public resources in efficient & effective ways.

Learning Outcome 1-1: Assess basic understanding concepts of market failure, public goods,

externalities, and reasons for government intervention.

Excellent Good Poor Unacceptable

Clearly identify

concepts and analyze

the issues involved in

market failure, public

goods, externalities, and

reasons for government

intervention.

Demonstrate strong

ability to apply the

concepts to current

issues in public service.

Clearly identify

concepts and analyze

the issues involved in

market failure, public

goods, externalities, and


intervention.

Demonstrate ability to

apply the concepts to

current issues in public

service.

Identify primary

concepts but fail to

analyze the issues

involved in market

failure, public goods,

externalities, and


intervention.

Demonstrate some

ability to apply the

concepts to current

issues in public service.

Fail to identify and to

analyze the issues

involved in market

failure, public goods,

externalities, and


intervention.

Demonstrate no ability

to apply the concepts to

current issues in public

service.

Learning Outcome 1-2: Assess understanding of interaction between incentive structure and individual

behavior and of tradeoffs between efficiency and equity in the U.S. tax system.


Clearly understand and

analyze behavioral

responses to incentives

in the tax system.

Clearly identify and

analyze tradeoffs

between efficiency and

equity in the U.S. tax

system.

Understand fundamental

principles in behavioral

responses to tax

incentives and show

some ability to analyze

them.

Identify tradeoffs



system and show some

ability to analyze them.

Understand fundamental

principle in behavioral

responses to tax

incentives but fail to

analyze them.

Identify tradeoffs



system but fail to

analyze them.

Demonstrate inadequate

understanding of

fundamental principle in

behavioral responses to

tax incentives and fail to

analyze them.

Fail to identify tradeoffs



system and fail to

analyze them.

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Learning Outcome 1-3: Competency in understanding the issues in public service, and presenting

important empirical studies on the topics chosen by students.


Successfully identify a

current issue in public

service, use appropriate

theoretical concepts,

and provide solid

empirical evidence.

Produce a well-

organized written paper

on the chosen topic with

effective tables and

figures.

Identify a current issue

in public service, use

appropriate theoretical

concepts, and provide

some empirical

evidence.

Produce a fairly well

written paper on the

chosen topic with

effective tables and

figures.

Identify a current issue

in public service, use

appropriate theoretical

concepts, and provide

weak empirical

evidence.

Produce a poorly


chosen topic with

ineffective tables and

figures.

Poorly identify a current

issue in public service,

use inappropriate

theoretical concepts,

and fail to provide

empirical evidence.

Produce a poorly


chosen topic with

ineffective tables and

figures.

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Assessment Sheet for PADM 534 Management of Public Funds

CRN: Term: Location: Instructor:

Student(s):

Objective measured: Utilization of public resources in efficient & effective ways.

Learning Outcomes Excellent Good Poor Unacceptable

Assess basic understanding concepts of market failure, public goods,

externalities, and reasons for government intervention

Assess understanding of interaction between incentive structure and

individual behavior and of tradeoffs between efficiency and equity in

the U.S. tax system

Competency in understanding the issues in public service, and

presenting important empirical studies on the topics chosen by students

Overall level of achievement on the objective

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Rubric for PADM 584: Managing IT in Public Org

Learning Objective 2: Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and implementation of

IT in a public sector organization.

Learning Outcome 2-1: Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT planning illustrated in the

case.

Excellent

Good Poor Unacceptable

Clearly articulates the

primary issues/problem

related to IT planning

illustrated in the case.

Clearly articulates with

analysis—the primary

issues/problem related to IT

planning and provides a

complete analysis of the

issues.

Identifies but does not

analyze the primary

issues/problem related to

IT planning and provides

a complete analysis of the

issues.

Does not articulate

the primary issues

related to IT

planning.

Learning Outcome 2-2: Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT acquisition illustrated in the

case.

Excellent




related to IT acquisition





acquisition and provides a

complete analysis of the

issues.


analyze the primary


IT acquisition and

provides a complete

analysis of the issues.

Does not articulate

the primary issues

related to IT

acquisition.

Learning Outcome 2-3: Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT implementation illustrated in

the case.

Excellent




related to IT

implementation





implementation and

provides a complete



analyze the primary


IT implementation and

provides a complete


Does not articulate

the primary issues

related to IT

implementation.

70

Learning Outcome 2-4: Analyzes alternatives for addressing specific IT concerns from the organizations

perspective.

Excellent


Analyzes alternatives

for addressing specific

IT concerns from the

organizations

perspective.

Analyzes alternatives for

addressing specific IT

concerns from the

organizations perspective.


analyze alternatives for

addressing IT concerns

from the organizations

perspective.

Does not analyze

alternatives.

Learning Outcome 2-5: Completes a SWOT analysis that analyzes the specifics of the assigned case.

Excellent


Completes a SWOT

analysis that analyzes

the specifics of the

assigned case.

Provides a detailed SWOT

analysis that explores the

specific aspects associated

to IT.

Completes a minimal

SWOT analysis.

Fails to complete a

SWOT analysis.

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Assessment Sheet for PADM 584 Managing IT in Public Org


Student(s):

Objective measured: Evaluate the effectiveness of planning, procurement, and implementation of IT in a public sector

organization


Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT planning illustrated

in the case

Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT acquisition

illustrated in the case

Articulates the primary issues/problem related to IT implementation

illustrated in the case

Analyzes alternatives for addressing specific IT concerns from the

organizations perspective

Completes a SWOT analysis that analyzes the specifics of the assigned

case


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Rubric for PADM 531: Organization Theory

Learning Objective 3: Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and external, as well

as the culture, politics and institutional setting.

Learning Outcome 3-1: Analyzes organizational theory as it is applied to public sector organizations.


Evaluates theories of

organization as

applied to the field.

Analyzes theories

of organization as

applied to the field.


analyze theories of

organization as applied to

the field.

Does not identify theories of

organization as applied to

the field.

Learning Outcome 3-2: Evaluates methods of managing and enhancing culture in the workplace based on



Synthesizes methods of

managing and

enhancing culture in the

workplace based on


Evaluates methods

of managing and

enhancing culture in

the workplace based

on contemporary

theory.

Analyzes but does not

evaluate methods of

managing and enhancing

culture in the workplace

based on contemporary

theory.


analyze methods of

managing and enhancing

culture in the workplace

based on contemporary

theory.

Learning Outcome 3-3: Applies theories to organizations to illustrate efficacy in practices.


Applies and evaluates

theories to organizations

to illustrate efficacy in

practices.

Applies theories to

organizations to

illustrate efficacy in

practices.

Theories chosen are

not appropriate to


practices.

Does not apply theories

to organizations to


practices.

Learning Outcome 3-4: Analyzes theories of decision-making for application in the public sector.


Evaluates theories of

decision-making for

application in the

public sector.

Analyzes theories

of decision-making

for application in

the public sector.


analyze theories of decision-

making for application in the

public sector.

Does not identify theories

of decision-making for

application in the public

sector.

Learning Outcome 3-5: Thinks critically and communicates effectively in organizational settings.


Demonstrates

superior critical and

communication skills

in organizational

settings.

Thinks critically and

communicates

effectively in

organizational

settings.

Insufficiently

demonstrates critical

thinking and effective

communication in

organizational settings.

Fails to think critically

or communicate

effectively in

organizational settings.

73



Assessment Sheet for PADM 531 Organization Theory


Student(s):

Objective measured: Appraise the organizational environment, both internal and external, as well as the culture, politics and

institutional setting.


Analyzes organizational theory as it is applied to public sector

organizations

Evaluates methods of managing and enhancing culture in the workplace

based on contemporary theory

Applies theories to organizations to illustrate efficacy in practices

Analyzes theories of decision-making for application in the public

sector

Thinks critically and communicates effectively in organizational

settings


74

Master of Public Administration



Rubric for PADM 501: Public Admin and Society

Learning Objective 4: Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the public

administrator, and the contextual elements that differentiate the public from the nonprofit and

private sectors.

Learning Outcome 4-1: Be able to define the unique nature of public administration through the use of

key public administration concepts, identifying the role of the public administrator and their decision

making alternatives in the public administrative context.


Demonstrates in-depth

understanding of the

multiple environments

and dynamics of the

public sector, the role of

the public administrator

and the challenges

involved with working in

a democratic society.

Synthesizes and interprets

a variety of readings,

cases, and examples.

Demonstrates basic


environments and

dynamics of the public

sector. Discussion is

more descriptive of both

the role of the public

administrator and the

challenges involved in

working in a democratic

society. Less developed

synthesis and

interpretation.

Does not fully

understand the

environments and

dynamics of the

public sector. Does

not differentiate the

role of the public

administrator and

the challenges of

working in a

democratic society.

Fails to demonstrate


environments and

dynamics of the public

sector.

Missing information or

factual errors when

describing the role of a

public administrator in a

democratic society.

Missing or has errors

interpreting the readings.

Learning Outcome 4-2: Understand the nature of the issue and its operational definition, the challenges

and consequences of policy issues, the adequacy of administrative processes within an administrative

context, and the differences with nonprofit or private processes.


Demonstrates in-depth

understanding of all three

sectors (public, non-

profit, and private),

clearly critiques

differences between the

sectors, and provides

related examples.

Provides explanations that

clearly identify the central

issue, assesses the

consequences of specific

policies, and illustrates

the administrative

context.

Describes and differentiates

each sector, but discussion

is more descriptive and

does not clearly critique

differences between the

sectors. Analyzes one or

more individual

components of larger policy

issues, with sufficient

explanation of the central

issue, the consequences of

specific policies, and the

administrative context.

Does not fully describe

each sector and may be

missing critique.

Incomplete or missing

examples. Analysis

lacks differentiation of

policy issues, with

insufficient explanation

of the central issue, the

consequences of specific

policies, and the

administrative context.

Fails to

demonstrate

understanding of

each sector.

Missing or has

errors in

description of

one or more

sectors. Missing

analysis and/or

examples.

75



Assessment Sheet for PADM 501 Public Admin and Society


Student(s):

Objective measured: Articulate the unique nature of public administration, the role of the public administrator, and the

contextual elements that differentiate the public from the nonprofit and private sectors.


Be able to define the unique nature of public administration through the

use of key public administration concepts, identifying the role of the

public administrator and their decision making alternatives in the public

administrative context

Understand the nature of the issue and its operational definition, the

challenges and consequences of policy issues, the adequacy of

administrative processes within an administrative context, and the

differences with nonprofit or private processes


76



Rubric for PADM 582: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods

Learning Objective 5: Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and

interpreting data, including appropriate statistical concepts and techniques.

Learning Outcome 5-1: Summarize and describe quantitative information in several different forms.


Demonstrates ability to

summarize quantitative

data using Excel

Analysis Toolpak.

Able to create

informative tables and

graphs, properly labeled

and titled.


interpret findings in

narratives.


summarize quantitative

data using Excel Analysis

Toolpak.

Able to create


graphs, but with fewer

details.


interpret findings in

narratives.

Demonstrates ability

to summarize

quantitative data using

Excel Analysis

Toolpak.

Able to create


graphs, but with fewer

details.


to interpret findings in

narratives with less

confidence.


ability to summarize

quantitative data using

Excel Analysis

Toolpak.

Unable to create


graphs, properly

labeled and titled.


ability to interpret

findings in narratives.

Learning Outcome 5-2: Understand, perform, present, and interpret inferential statistics.



conduct contingency

table analysis and chi-

square test using Excel

Analysis Toolpak.

Able to interpret

statistical results.


conduct contingency



Analysis Toolpak.

Able to interpret

statistical results with

less confidence.


conduct contingency



Analysis Toolpak with

less confidence.

Able to interpret


less confidence.


ability to conduct

contingency table

analysis and chi-square

test using Excel

Analysis Toolpak.

Unable to interpret


77

Learning Outcome 5-3: Understand and interpret multiple regression results.

Excellent Good Poor Unsatisfactory


conduct regression

analysis using Excel

Analysis Toolpak.


show predicted values

on a repression line and

graphically present

actual and predicted

values.

Able to interpret



to conduct regression


Analysis Toolpak.


to show predicted

values on a repression

line and graphically

present actual and

predicted values.

Able to interpret


less confidence.


conduct regression


Analysis Toolpak.


show predicted values

on a repression line and

graphically present

actual and predicted

values with less

confidence.

Able to interpret


less confidence.


ability to conduct

regression analysis using

Excel Analysis Toolpak.


ability to show predicted

values on a repression

line and graphically

present actual and

predicted values.

Unable to interpret


78



Assessment Sheet for PADM 582 Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods


Student(s):

Objective measured: Employ analytical tools for collecting, analyzing, presenting, and interpreting data, including appropriate

statistical concepts and techniques.


Summarize and describe quantitative information in several different

forms

Understand, perform, present, and interpret inferential statistics

Understand and interpret multiple regression results


79



Rubric for MGMT 533: Accounting and Compliance for Nonprofits

Learning Objective 4B: Articulate the unique mission of a non-profit organization and its

programs, management structure and governance.

Learning Outcome 7-1: Articulate a sustainable market niche for a non-profit organization


Student fully identifies

and specifies factors

that determine a

market niche for a

non-profit organization

using the concrete

evidence and

providing clear and

concise elaboration for

the use of a non-profit

to fulfill this niche.

Student identifies and

specifies many of the

factors that determine

a market niche for a

non-profit

organization using

evidence and

providing clear and

concise support for

the use of a non-

profit to fulfill this

niche.


specifies some of the

factors that determine

a market niche for a

non-profit

organization using

evidence and support

for the use of a non-

profit to fulfill this

niche.


specifies few of the

factors that determine a

market niche for a non-

profit organization

using some supporting

evidence for the use of

a non-profit to fulfill

this niche.

Learning Outcome 7-2: Develop a functioning governance structure including a board of

directors


Student fully and

clearly specifies the

roles, obligations and

responsibilities of a

governance structure of

a non-profit agency,

including a board of

directors

Student adequately

specifies the roles,

obligations and


governance structure

of a non-profit

agency, including a

board of directors

Student is able to

identify some of the



governance structure

of a non-profit agency,


directors

Student is able to

identify only a few



governance structure of

a non-profit agency,


directors

Learning Outcome 7-3: Identify specific organizational programs related to the program mission


Student provides clear

and concise

identification of the

main programs and

stakeholders for the

non-profit

Student provides

adequate


main programs and


non-profit

Student provides some


main programs and


non-profit

Student provides

minimal narrow


main programs and


non-profit

80

Learning Outcome 7-4: Establish a management structure that implements organizational

programs


Student provides

clear, concise and

well-reasoned


management

structure anticipated

for the

implementation of

the non-profit

programs

a. Student provides

adequately clear and

reasoned understanding

of the management

structure anticipated for

the implementation of

the non-profit programs

a. Student provides

minimally clear and

reasoned understanding

of the management

structure anticipated for

the implementation of

the non-profit programs

Student provides

poorly reasoned

understanding of

the management

structure

anticipated for the

implementation of

the non-profit

programs

81



Assessment Sheet for PADM 533 Accounting & Compliance for Non-Profits


Student(s):

Objective measured: Identify and discuss the significant Strategic Human Resources Management Implications for Managing

Diversity.


Articulate a sustainable market niche for a non profit organization

Develop a functioning governance structure including a board of

directors

Identify specific organizational programs related to the

mission

Establish a management structure that implements organizational

programs


82



Rubric for PADM 530: Human Resource Management in Public Organizations

Learning Objective 6: Identify and discuss the significant Strategic Human Resources Management

Implications for Managing Diversity.

Learning Outcome 6-1: Demonstrates the understanding of demographic and contextual characteristics of

diverse organizations.


Student clearly understands

the importance about the

variety or multiplicity of

demographic features that

characterize a government

or a nonprofit’s workforce,

particularly in terms of race,

sex, culture, national origin,

handicap, age, and religion

based on through analysis

of the contextual variables

in the case study

presentations and research

paper.

Student adequately

understand the variety or

multiplicity of

demographic features that

characterize a

government or a

nonprofit’s workforce,

particularly in terms of

race, sex, culture,

national origin, handicap,

age, and religion based on

good analysis of the

contextual variables in

the case study

presentations and

research paper.

Student adequately

understand the variety or

multiplicity of

demographic features

that characterize a

government or a

nonprofit’s workforce,

particularly in terms of

race, sex, culture,

national origin,

handicap, age, and

religion based on

adequate analysis of the

contextual variables in

the case study

presentations and

research paper.

Student

understanding

and analysis is

based on

incorrect analysis

of the contextual

variables in the

case study

presentations and

research paper.

Learning Outcome 6-2: Assesses the potential benefits and barriers of organizational diversity.


Student clearly explained

and analyzed ways of

maximizing diversity’s

potential benefits while

describing the

significance of

minimizing its potential

barriers.

Student adequately

explained and

analyzed ways of

maximizing

diversity’s potential

benefits while

minimizing its

potential barriers.

Student adequately

explained and analyzed

ways of maximizing


benefits while

minimizing its potential

barriers

Student explanation

and analysis of the

ways of maximizing


benefits and

minimizing its

potential barriers are

unsatisfactory.

83

Learning Outcome 6-3: Distinguishes and exemplifies organizational approaches to diversity.


Student clearly describes

and fully understands the

difference between equal

employment opportunity

and affirmative action and

cites accurate examples.

Student adequately

understands the

difference between

equal employment

opportunity and

affirmative action.

Student understanding of

the difference between

equal employment

opportunity and

affirmative action is

based on satisfactory

understanding.

Student understanding

of the difference

between equal

employment

opportunity and

affirmative action is

based on an incorrect

understanding.

84



Assessment Sheet for PADM 530 Human Resource Management in Public Organizations


Student(s):

Objective measured: Identify and discuss the significant Strategic Human Resources Management Implications for Managing

Diversity.


Demonstrates the understanding of demographic and contextual

characteristics of diverse organizations

Assesses the potential benefits and barriers of organizational diversity

Distinguishes and exemplifies organizational approaches to diversity


85



Rubric for PADM 555: Ethical Leadership

Learning Objective 7: To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and skill applying the

Ethical Problem Solving.

Learning Outcome 7-1: Clarify the facts of the situation and how these materialize as interests of all

pertinent stakeholders.


a. Student identifies the

concrete facts of the

case, providing clear

and concise elaboration

for how these facts

establish the forensic

reality “on the ground”

of the mine disaster.

b. Student provides

clear and concise

assessment of the main

stakeholders in the case

and how the positions

they held determined

their actions and

motivations.

c. Writing is concise

with clear grammar.

a. Student identifies the


case, providing

adequate elaboration

for how these facts




b. Student provides

adequate assessment of

the main stakeholders

in the case and how the

positions they held

determined their

actions and

motivations.

c. Writing meets

adequate standards of

clarity and grammar.

a. Student identifies

some of the concrete

facts of the case,

providing minimal

elaboration for how

these facts establish the

forensic reality “on the

ground” of the mine

disaster.

b. Student provides

minimal assessment of

the main stakeholders in

the case and how the

positions they held

determined their actions

and motivations.

c. Writing meets

minimal standards of



few concrete facts of

the case, providing

marginal elaboration

for how these facts




b. Student provides


the main stakeholders

in the case and how the

positions they held

determined their

actions and

motivations.

c. Writing does not

meet minimal standards

of clarity and grammar.

86

Learning Outcome 7-2: Determine Driscoll Scanlon’s duty considering the obligations and

responsibilities of his position and professional role.


a. Student fully and

clearly specifies the

obligations and

responsibilities that mine

investigator Driscoll

Scanlon faced with

respect to the position he

held at the Bureau of

Mines.

b. Student clearly

differentiates the

pressures Scanlon faced

between is role with the

Bureau of Mine and his

larger obligations within

his professional role.


with clear grammar.


the concrete facts of

the case, providing

adequate elaboration

for how these facts


reality “on the


disaster.

b. Student provides

adequate assessment

of the main

stakeholders in the

case and how the

positions they held

determined their

actions and

motivations.

c. Writing meets




some of the concrete

facts of the case,

providing minimal

elaboration for how




disaster.

b. Student provides




positions they held


and motivations.

c. Writing meets



a. Student identifies few


case, providing marginal

elaboration for how




disaster.

b. Student provides




positions they held


and motivations.

c. Writing does not meet



87

Learning Outcome 7-3: Analyze Scanlon’s actions according to each of the three ethical approaches:

virtue based, principle based, results oriented.


a. Student provides clear

and concise analysis of

Scanlon in terms of each

of the three ethical

approaches, clearly

establishing the

assumptions that each

approach specifies.

b. Student provides

incisive observations

keyed to explicit

examples drawn from

the case.


with clear grammar.

a. Student provides

adequate analysis of

Scanlon in terms of

each of the three

ethical approaches,

adequately

establishing the


approach specifies.

b. Student provides

adequate

observations keyed to

explicit examples

drawn from the case.

c. Writing meets



a. Student provides

minimal analysis of



approaches, minimally

establishing the


approach specifies.

b. Student provides

minimal observations

keyed to explicit

examples drawn from

the case.

c. Writing meets



a. Student provides

marginal analysis of



approaches, without

establishing the


approach specifies.

b. Student provides

marginal observations

not keyed to explicit

examples drawn from

the case.

c. Writing does not meet



88

Learning Outcome 7-4: Assess Scanlon’s actions and performance based on available options and ethical

demands the situation he faced placed on him.


a. Student provides

clear, concise and well-

reasoned final

assessment of Scanlon

in terms of options

available to him,

making clear that these

options could

reasonably have been

performed under the

circumstances Scanlon

faced.

b. Student provides

incisive observations

keyed to explicit

examples drawn from

the case.


with clear grammar.

a. Student provides

adequately clear and

reasoned final


in terms of options

available to him,

adequately specifying

how these options

could reasonably have

been performed under

the circumstances

Scanlon faced.

b. Student provides

adequate observations

keyed to explicit

examples drawn from

the case.

c. Writing meets



a. Student provides

minimally clear and

reasoned final assessment

of Scanlon in terms of

options available to him,

minimally specifying

how these options could


performed under the


faced.

b. Student provides

minimal observations

keyed to explicit

examples drawn from the

case.

c. Writing meets minimal

standards of clarity and

grammar.

a. Student provides

poorly reasoned final


in terms of options

available to him, not

specifying how these

options could


performed under the


faced.

b. Student provides

little or no observations

keyed to explicit

examples drawn from

the case.

c. Writing does not

meet minimal standards

of clarity and grammar.

89



Assessment Sheet for PADM 555 Ethical Leadership


Student(s):

Objective measured: To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of and skill applying the Ethical Problem Solving Model.


Clarify the facts of the situation and how these materialize as interests

of all pertinent stakeholders

Determine Driscoll Scanlon’s duty considering the obligations and

responsibilities of his position and professional role

Analyze Scanlon’s actions according to each of the three ethical

approaches: virtue based, principle based, results oriented

Assess Scanlon’s actions and performance based on available options

and ethical demands the situation he faced placed on him


90



Rubric for PADM 533: Public Policy Formation & Analysis

Learning Objective 8: Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts

of policy making.

Learning Outcome 8-1: Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) provide an informed

written comment using the www.regulations.gov website.


1) student’s

research is

thorough and

complete; and 2)

student’s

application of that

research in the

comment is thorough

and complete as well

as demonstrates

an outstanding


policy context

of the proposed

rule

1) Student’s

Research is

Good but slightly

incomplete; and

2) student’s

application of

that research in the

comment is fairly

thorough and complete

as well as demonstrates

a superior


policy context of the

proposed

rule

1) Student’s

research is

moderately incomplete;

and

2) student’s

application of


comment is

fairly thorough and

complete as well as

demonstrates

a reasonable



proposed

rule

1) Student’s

Research is

mostly incomplete; and

2) student’s

application of

that research in

the comment is

not thorough and

complete as well

as not demonstrating

an adequate

understanding of

the policy context

of the proposed

rule

Learning Outcome 8-2: Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) utilize descriptive

statistics, and (3) develop a realistic advocacy strategy to influence public policy.


1) student’s

research is

thorough and

complete; 2) student’s

use of descriptive

statistics is

exceptional; and 3)

student’s

application of that

research in the

comment is thorough

and complete as well

as demonstrates

an outstanding

understanding of

the policy context

of the proposed

rule

1) Student’s

Research is

Good but slightly

incomplete; 2)

student’s use of

descriptive statistics is

superior; and

3) student’s

application of


comment is fairly

thorough and complete

as well as demonstrates

a superior



proposed

rule

1) Student’s

research is

moderately incomplete;

and 2) student’s use of


satisfactory

3) student’s

application of


comment is

fairly thorough and

complete as well as

demonstrates

a reasonable



proposed

rule

1) Student’s

research is

mostly incomplete;2)

student’s use of


barely adequate and

3) student’s

application of

that research in

the comment is

not thorough and

complete as well

as not demonstrating

an adequate

understanding of

the policy context

of the proposed

rule

91



Assessment Sheet for PADM 533 Public Policy Formation & Analysis


Student(s):

Objective measured: Describe and work within the institutional, structural, and political contexts of policy making.


Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) provide an

informed written comment using the www.regulations.gov website

Student demonstrates ability to: (1) conduct research and (2) utilize

descriptive statistics, and (3) develop a realistic advocacy strategy to

influence public policy


92

ii. MPA Internships 2009 to 2012 University of La Verne

Master of Public Administration Internship Program 2009-Present

Updated October 18, 2012

Includes only students who have taken internship course, PADM 598 (retitled as Public Service Internship as of Fall 2012 to reflect mix of public and nonprofit organizations)

Name Place Dates of

service

Basic duties Contact Enrollment

Term

Completion

Term

Linda Smith Agreement

pending

Economic Development Winter 2013

Sandra Li Agreement

pending

Summer 2012

Shuya Xing Project NEO April 2012 –

Summer

(150 hours)

Grants Assistant

-Research on funding/fund

raising

- Research on state policy and

regulation

-Outreach to community and

schools

-Administrative tasks

Mary Wong, CEO

Lin Annie Xiang,

Director of

Education

846 E. Garvey

Avenue, #D

Monterey Park,

CA 91755

(888) 761-2080

Summer 2012

Ho Yan

(Karen)Tam

International

Rescue

Committee

02/03/2012-

04/13/2012

(150 hours)

-Develop a network between

community agencies that work

with immigrants

-Communicate with

community leaders and staff

-Outreach to immigration

attorneys

-Set meetings with immigrants

and attorneys

Bari Turetzky

818.937.2865

625 N. Maryland

Ave., Glendale,

CA

Spring 2012 Spring 2012

Kexin Ni Arcadia 02/15/2012- -Assist with flow of paperwork Alex Chang, Winter 2012 Spring 2012

93

Chinese School

(non-profit)

4/13/2012

(175 hours)

-Facilitate staff

-Coordination of office

operation

(more office assistant, but

learned about supervision and

now considering non-profit

career)

Principal

823 S. 1st Avenue

Arcadia, CA

91006

(626) 417-8929

Janet Woods Garden

Pathways, Inc.

01/3/2012 –

06/12/2012

(150 hours)

-Coordinating events

-Help administer mentor

program and outreach to poor

-Contract Compliance

-Assist with Public/Private

Partnership, Community

Development

Kimberlee Albers,

Executive Dir.

661.633.9133

3509 Union Ave.

Bakersfield, CA

93305

Winter 2012 Summer 2012

Barbara

Tchobanian

Los Angeles

County

Democratic

Committee

07/02/2011-

10/2011

(300 hours)

-Research

-Fundraising/outreach

-Event Planning

-Voter outreach

-Endorsement process

preparation

-Campaign training

preparation

Clark Lee

213.382.1211

3550 Wilshire

Blvd. Ste. 1203,

Los Angeles, CA.

90010

Fall 2011 Winter 2012

Chaoling Yang

San Gabriel

Mts. Regional

Conservancy

10/2011-

05/2012

(300 hours)

-Data research

-Interviews

Ann Croissant,

Ph.D.

626.335.1771

112 W. Bennett

Ave. #7

Glendora, CA

91741

Fall 2011 Spring 2012

Guadalupe

Cardenas

City of

Baldwin Park

Police

07/2011-

02/2012

(300 hours)

-Office duties

-Speaking

Maricela

Montenegro

626.813.5257


94

Department 14403 E. Pacific

Ave.,

Baldwin Park, CA

James Bolden Benevolent

Mission

2/14/2011-

6/30/2011

-Grant research

-Drafting of minutes

-Attending executive

committee and board meetings

Mariana Sosa

310.441.9635

10801 National

Blvd. Suite 560

Los Angeles, CA

90064


Maolin Xia San Gabriel

Mts. Regional

Conservancy

4/1/2011-

12/31/2011

-Collection of: listing of

organizations/agencies/

professionals to contact;

interview and collect relevant

documents; compile intern

folder.

Ann Croissant,

Ph.D.

626.335.1771

112 W. Bennett

Ave. #7

Glendora, CA

91741

Summer 2011 Winter 2012

Chanviarak

Sarath

Provincial Hall

of Preah

Sihanouk

11/08/2010-

12/31/2010

-Administrative tasks

-Public relations and

international cooperation

Prak Visal

855.34.933.996

Vitheikrong,

Mondol3,

Sangkat3;

Sihanoukville,

Preah Sihanouk

Winter 2011 Winter 2011

Sylvia Melendez La Verne

Chamber of

Commerce

09/1/2010-

12/15/2010

(300 hours)

-Office duties

-Develop Veteran information

sheets

-Assist at fundraisers

Brian McNerney

Fall 2010 Fall 2010

Rebecca Mayer Riverside

County

Regional Parks

and Open

7/20/2010-

12/31/2010

(300 hours)

-Achieve commission for

accreditation of Parks and

Recreation agencies

-Develop quantitative studies

Julie Terrell

951.955.5773

4600 Crestmore

Rd.,

Fall 2010 Fall 2010

95

Space District for Wellness for Kids Program

-Administrative analysis

Riverside, CA

92509

Christian Cruz City of

Pomona-

Public Works

Department

08/24/2009-

12/21/2009

(300 hours)

-Assist in establishing and

energy efficiency and

conservation strategy and

related projects to help

monitor and reduced green

house gas (GHG) emissions in

the City of Pomona.

Meg McWade

909.620.2392

505 South Garey

Ave., Pomona,

CA 91766


*Did a second

internship with

San Gabriel

Valley Economic

Partnership (no

credit)

Matthew Green Inland

Counties

Emergency

Medical

Agency

06/24/2009-

10/06/2009

(300 hours)

-Research

-Data analysis

-Disaster preparedness

Virginia Hastings

909.388.5830

515 N.

Arrowhead

San Bernardino,

CA

Summer 2009 Fall 2009

Crystal Cornejo Los Angeles

Superior Court

6/03/2009-

10/16-2009

(300 hours)

-Assist in clerk’s office with

case management project

Ronda Cook

909.620.3017

400 Civic Center

Plaza, Pomona,

CA

Fall 2009 Fall 2009

Yuchi Ishikawa Japanese

Chamber of

Commerce of

Southern

California

01/15/2009-

07/31/2009

(300 hours)

-Administrative assistant

-Membership maintenance

-Update membership

-Community activities

-Student exchange installation

Carl K. Kawata

213.626.3067

244 So. San Pedro

St. #504

Los Angeles, CA


96

iii. MPA Curriculum Comparison

S/N University Name Admission Requirement

(Domestic Applicants)

Admission Requirement (International

Applicants)

Prerequisite Requirements

(Courses / Units)

Core Requirements (Courses / Units)

Quarter/ Semester

No. of Electives &

Concentrations

Remarks

1 Cal Poly Pomona * GPA: 3.3 * TOEFL: 580+ Introduction to Public Administration

Theories of Public Administration and Democratic Governance

4 Quarter 16 units 48~52 units program

http://www.csupomona.edu/~mpa/curriculum.html

* If GPA is under 3.3, GRE score is needed

Public Organizations

Public Policy Formulation and Evaluation

4

Statistics Public Fiscal Administration

4

Public Human Resources: Issues and Management

4

Quantitative Methods for Public Sector Issues

4

Qualitative Analytic Methods in the Public Sector

4

Integration of Theories, Methods and Practices in Public Administration

4

Culminating Project OR 4

Culminating Thesis OR

Culminating Examination

Total 32

2 University of Southern California

* GPA: 3.0+ * TOEFL Statistical Foundations for Public

Public Administration and Society

4 Semester 14 units 40~41 units program




97

Management and Policy

http://www.usc.edu/schools/price/programs/masters/mpa/

* GRE or GMAT

Undergraduate Social Sciences Courses

12

Economics for Policy, Planning, and Development

4

Intersectoral

Leadership 2

Professional Practice of Public Administration

4

Human Behavior in

Public Organizations 4

Public Financial Management and Budgeting

4

Choose one course

from the following: 4

Program and Policy

Evaluation

Modeling and

Operations Research

Administrative

Research and Analysis

Total 1

2 Total 2

6

3 CSU San Bernardino

* GPA: 3.0+ n/a Expository Writing for Administration

Research Methods in Administration

4 Quarter 12 units 48 units program

http://mpa.csusb.edu/mpa_program.htm

Statistics course Public Administration Theory and Practice

4

Internship in Public Administration

Public Financial Management

4

Public Sector Management of

4








98

Information Systems

Human Resource Management in the Public Sector

4

Public Budgeting and Finance

4

Management of Public Organizations

4

Administrative Regulation

4

Public Policy Analysis 4

Comprehensive Examination

0

Total 36

4 CSU Dominguez Hills

* an overall GPA of at least 2.75 in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) upper division units, OR 3.0 overall GPA

* TOEFL: 80+ Fundamentals of Public Administration

2 Environment and Practice of Public Administration


http://mpaonline.csudh.edu/

Fundamentals of Applied Statistics for Public Administration

2 Public Management 3

Fundamentals of Financial Resource Administration

2 Administrative Theory and Behavior

3

Fundamentals of Public Personnel Administration

2 Quantitative Methods in Public Administration

3



99

Administrative and

Public Policy Analysis 3

Seminar: Public Personnel and Labor Relations

3

Seminar: Public

Financial Management 3

Foundations of Ethical

Administration 3

Capstone: Integrative Seminar in Public Administration OR

3

Honors Thesis

Total 8 Total 27

5 CSU Los Angeles

* GPA: 3.0+ * TOEFL: 80+ Foundations of Public Administration

4 Research Design for Public and Nonprofit Managers

4 Quarter 12 units 48~52 units program

http://ecatalog.calstatela.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=4&poid=589&returnto=105

Public Policy 4 Public Sector Information Management and Computing

4

Data Analysis for Public and Nonprofit Managers

4

Applied Research in Public and Nonprofit Administration

4

Intergovernmental Relations

4

Public Sector Organization and Management

4

Public Sector Human Resource Management

4






100

Public Budgeting and Financial Administration

4

Seminar: Philosophy of Public Service

4

Total 8 Total 36

6 CSU Long Beach

* GPA: 3.0+ * TOEFL: 80+ Foundations of Public Policy & Administration

3 Semester 12 units 39 units program

http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/aa/catalog/current/chhs/public_policy/ppa_mp01.html

Government Budgeting and Finance

3

Public Sector Human Resources Management

3

Seminar in Organization Theory and Behavior

3

Policy Issue Analysis 3

Research Methods in Public Administration

3

Seminar in Urban Affairs (option)

3

Public Works Facilities and Urban Policy (option)

3

Directed Research 3~6

Directed Studies (option)

1~3

Total 2

8






101

~33

7 CSU Fullerton

* GPA: 3.25+ * TOEFL: 570 Internship in Public Administration (required if no previous public sector administrative working experience)


http://hss.fullerton.edu/paj/MPA/

Administrative Organization and Process

3

Seminar in Public Administration Theory

3

Administrative Research and Analysis

3

Administration and Systems Management

3

Seminar in Public Finance

3

Seminar in Public Sector Human Resources Management

3

State and Local Government OR

3

Seminar in Metropolitan Government OR

Seminar in Public Administration and Policy

Comprehensive Examination OR Project/Thesis

3

Total 21



102

~27

8 CSU Northridge

* GPA: 2.5+ * TOEFL: 85+ Seminar in Public Administration & Its Environment


http://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/MPA

Research Methods for Public Administration

3

Seminar in Organization Theory and Human Behavior

3

Public Budgeting and Financial Administration

3

Seminar in Public Policy Process

3

Comprehensive Examination

3

Total 1

8

9 University of La Verne

* GPA: 3.0+ * TOEFL: 80+ Public Administration and Society


Human Resource Management in Public Organizations

3

Organizational Theory 3

Policy Formation and Analysis

3

Management of Public Funds

3

Integrative Ethical Leadership

3

Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis for Public Management

3




103

Managing Information Technology in Public Organizations

3

Graduate Seminar 3

Total 27

104

iv. Profile of MPA Graduates 2009 - 2012

Name

Position

Employer

Location

2009 Winter Masters of Public Administration Graduates

Tiffany

Cavitt

N/A N/A

George

Fernandez

Child Support Officer County of Los Angeles El Secondo, CA

Candice

Garcia

Associate Attorney Betty Auton-Beck Professional

Law Corporation

Redlands, CA

Renee Latu

Executive Director Santa Ana Watershed Association Redlands, CA

Jessica

McLaughlin

Administrative Assistant Foothill Aids Project Claremont, CA

Lizette

Navarette

Program Assistant to Mayor City of Riverside Riverside, CA

Aruna

Rodrigo

Associate Attorney Law Offices of Vincent B. Garcia Rancho

Cucamonga, CA

Jay Trunnell

Information Technology

Officer

Cucamonga Valley Water District Rancho

Cucamonga, CA

George

Williams

Environmental Specialist Southern California Edison Rosemead, CA

2009 Spring Masters of Public Administration Graduates

Alba Bailey

Program Leader Think Together Ontario, CA

Cordell

Chavez

Sr. Water Resources Specialist City of Corona Corona, CA

Adam

Collier

Planning Technician City of Rancho Cucamonga Rancho

Cucamonga, CA

Christopher

Dalton

Community Preservation

Officer

City of Anaheim Anaheim, CA

Ricardo

Dell

N/A N/A N/A

Paul Fisher

Management Aide City of Rancho Cucamonga Rancho

Cucamonga, CA

105

Christina

Freitas

Clinic Doctor CRC Health Group Palm Springs, CA

Matthew

Halleck

Tax Account Representative Conidian Tax Service Fountain Valley,

CA

Stacy

Margolin

N/A N/A N/A

Kimberly

Neustice

Building Permit Tech City of San Dimas San Dimas, CA

Virginia

Rodriguez

N/A N/A N/A

Eric Yan Management Analyst City of Montebello Montebello, CA

Name

Position

Employer

Location


Diana

McKenn

Environmental & Regulatory

Compliance Mgr.

Town of Apple Valley Apple Valley, CA

David De

Leon

Regulatory Compliance

Specialist

So. Cal Edison Brea, CA

Eric Stanley

Police Sergeant City of El Monte El Monte, CA

Mitchell

Gariador

Director of Administration Pomona Valley Workshop Montclair, CA

Demetrius

Williams

N/A N/A N/A

Yuichi

Ishikawa

N/A N/A N/A

Leslie

Marcarello

N/A N/A N/A

Andrea

Williams

Grant Writer Villa Esperanza Services Pasadena, CA

Karina

Banales

Human Resources Supervisor Six Flags California Valencia, CA

Glen Castro

Office Specialist Orange County Child Support

Services

Santa Ana, CA

Stacey

Niemeyer

Management Analyst City of Claremont Claremont, CA

106

Miriam

Estrada

Social Worker II San Bernardino County Dept. of

Public Health

Ontario, CA

Gina

Trujillo

Deputy Probation Officer II LA County Probation Department Sylmar, CA

Joanna

Maldonado

N/A N/A N/A


Allyson

Arguello

Programs & Administration

Intern: Housing Development

and preservation Unit

Los Angeles County Community

Development Commission

Monterey Park,

CA

Josh

Candelaria

Deputy Director, Office of

Legislative Affairs

County of San Bernardino San Bernardino,

CA

Crystal

Cornejo

Switchboard Manager University of La Verne La Verne, CA

Virginia

Culbertson

Supervising Children’s Social

Worker

LA County DCFS Covina, CA

Luis

Escobedo

Associate Planner City of Whittier Whittier, CA

Marisela

Godinez

Accountant II Los Angeles County Public

Library

Downey, CA

Matthew

Green

Substitute Teacher Jurupa Valley School District Riverside, CA

Tyra, Leon

Account Manager Rogers Benefit Group Glendale, CA

John Marsh

N/A N/A N/A

Flavio

Medina-

Martin

Executive Asst. (Confidential)

HR

Ontario- Montclair School

District- Human Resources

Ontario, CA

Megan

Mouch

Staff Assistant/ Field

Representative

Congressman David Dreier San Dimas, CA

Patrick

Napier

Volunteer Coordinator Inland Valley Hope Partners Pomona, CA

Jeanna

Pomierski

Executive Secretary Gary Ovitt, San Bernardino County

Board of Supervisors

Chino Hills, CA

Name

Position

Employer

Location

107


Janet Clark

Management Program

Assistant

Department of Homeland Security Los Angeles, CA

Christian

Cruz

CFO Alberto M. Cruz Inc. Montebello, CA

Stephanie

Cypert

Executive Assistant University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA

Carlos

Figueroa

Quality Systems Specialist McKinley Children’s Center Norwalk, CA

Jennifer

Finnie

Administrative Assistant City of Hope Duarte, CA

Diana

Manzano

Emergency Management

Planner

Citrus Valley Health Partners Covina, CA

Jennifer

Palacio

Accounting Service Specialist City of Glendale- Finance Glendale, CA

Lizette

Navarette

Grant Writer City of Riverside Riverside, CA

Tony Thi

Database Administrator Panda Restaurant Group Rosemead, CA


Luis

Aceves

Police Officer Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles, CA

Lisa Ayala

Exec. Assistant Covina Welding & Sheet Metal Covina, CA

Kelley

Booth

Crime Analyst Los Angeles County Sheriff’s

Department

San Dimas, CA

Candice

Bowcok

Assistant Planner City of La Verne La Verne, CA

Erika Casas Interviewer State of California Employment

Development Department

Los Angeles, CA

Rudy

Garcia

Legal Processing Assistant San Bernardino Superior Court San Bernardino,

CA

Sahar

Khalaf

French and Arabic Instructor Berlitz Language Center Pasadena, CA

Nannette

Pettis

Grants Manager California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA

108

Lisette

Sanchez

Assistant Planner City of Hesperia Hesperia, CA

Chanvirak

Sarath

N/A N/A N/A

Dieu To

N/A N/A N/A

Jerrod

Walter

Assistant Planner City of Chino Hills Chino Hills, CA

Denise

Zamora

EOP&S/Care Specialist Citrus College Glendora, CA

Name

Position

Employer

Location


Aparicio,

Erika

Clerical Specialist, Human

Resources

Mt. San Antonio College Walnut, CA

Arenas,

Monique

N/A

L.A.C. Probation Dept.

San Gabriel, CA

Bolden,

James

N/A

N/A

N/A

Bracamonte

s, Diana

Consultant Global Business Solutions Costa Mesa, CA

Dailey,

Angela

Legal Assistant Cheren Law Associates Encino, CA

Farooqi,

Naseem

Staff Analyst II First 5 San Bernardino San Bernardino,

CA

Fischer,

Deeya

Operations Manager DB Building Fasteners Ontario, CA

Gann,

Tammy

Marketing Intern San Gabriel Valley Economic

Partnership

Irwindale, CA

Maria,

Faviola

Linguist Metropolitan Interpreters &

Translators

N/A

Martinez,

Damien

Management Analyst City of Pomona Pomona, CA

Olmedo,

Conrad

N/A

N/A

N/A

Svoboda,

Shawn

Police Officer Los Angeles Police Department

North Hollywood,

CA


Alarcon,

Angelica

Buyer Specialist AMI Metals, INC Fontana, CA

Aleksandry

an, Aylin

Quality Assurance

Kaiser Permanente

Pasadena, CA

109

Alvarado,

Richard

Retired

N/A

N/A

Angel,

Cjavan

N/A N/A N/A

Bristol,

Taylor

Partner Bristol, Haynes & Associates Rancho

Cucamonga, CA

Bushmeyer,

Sarah

Police Officer City of Monrovia Monrovia, CA

Cavalenes-

Jarvis,

Cynthia

Director of Community Service City of Alhambra Alhambra, CA

Clement,

Erika

Permit Technician

City of Ontario Ontario, CA

De La Cruz,

Gabriela

Public Information Coordinator Pomona Unified School District Pomona, CA

Fleming,

Ronald

Director, Transportation &

Distribution Services

UC Irvine Irvine, CA

Giron,

Guillermo

Education & Academic

Programs Manager

Salvadoran American Leadership

& Educational Fund

Los Angeles, CA

Hill, Davina Human Services Aide LA County Dept. of Children &

Family Services

Pomona, CA

Jackson,

Mary

Asset Manager SRD Housing Los Angeles, CA

Jackson,

Darla

Information not provided

Leonard,

Ryan

Associate Planner Albert A Webb Associates Riverside, CA

Name

Position

Employer

Location


Lopez,

Jesse

Employment Services

Specialist

County of San Bernardino Ontario, CA

Maldonado,

Tamara

Administrative Assistant III

County of LA Fire Department

Nah, Hyun-

Ju

Incheon City Mayor Incheon, Korea

Nancett,

Lorissa

Volunteer – Lead Room Parent

Coordinator

Walnut Elementary Walnut, CA

Ni, Kexin N/A N/A N/A

O’Brien,

Lisa

Administrative Clerk II City of La Verne La Verne, CA

Ponce,

Lorilynn

Investigative Analyst Dept. of Justice-ATF Los Angeles, CA

Quach, Tinh Chief Admin Analyst LA County Metropolitan

Transportation Authority

Los Angeles, CA

Sanchez,

Leticia

Human Resources

Assistant/Medical Clinics

Project Manager

LA County Metropolitan

Transportation Authority

Los Angeles, CA

110

Sanchez,

Nancy

Simental,

Adriana

Management & Program

Assistant

Department of Homeland Security Los Angeles, CA

Svoboda,

Shawn

Police Officer Los Angeles Police Department

North Hollywood,

CA

Tchobanian,

Barbara

Intern Los Angeles County Democratic

Party

Los Angeles, CA

Walker,

Maureen


Woods,

Janet


Yang,

Chaoling

Manager Alexandra Yang Rowland Heights,

CA

111

v. 3.1 MPA Course Evaluations

Spring 2008 – 2011 MPA Students’ Evaluations *

Term # of MPA

Courses

n r Overall MPA

Mean

University/College

Mean

Spring 2008

6 84 69 3.63 3.58

Summer 2008

4 59 28 3.21 3.59

Fall 2008

7 109 74 3.53 3.58

Winter 2009

6 97 69 3.62 3.61

Spring 2009

8 104 91 3.49 3.55

Summer 2009

4 78 57 3.71 3.60

Fall 2009

5 96 63 3.58 3.54

Winter 2010

7 121 82 3.51 3.58

Spring 2010

6 112 93 3.55 3.55

Summer 2010

4 63 56 3.60 3.63

Fall 2010

9 149 95 3.42 3.54

Winter 2011

9 131 102 3.49 3.56

Spring 2011 9 158 104 3.60 3.56

Summer 2011 8 86 46 3.37 3.59

Fall 2011 8 138 78 3.51 3.56

* 1-4 Scale (4 is highest)

112

vi. MPA Alumni Survey 2012 Results

Response

Percent

Response

Count

53.6% 30

46.4% 26

56

0

Response

Percent

Response

Count

1.8% 1

3.6% 2

5.4% 3

23.2% 13

1.8% 1

57.1% 32

8.9% 5

56

0

Response

Percent

Response

Count

66.1% 37

14.3% 8

16.1% 9

3.6% 2

56

0

Response

Percent

Response

Count

83.9% 47

12.5% 7

3.6% 2

7

56

0

Response

Percent

Response

Count

65.2% 30

21.7% 10

13.0% 6

46

10

Public

Private

Non-Profit

answered question

skipped question

International

If non-Southern California, please list city; if international, please list

answered question

skipped question

Q5: If employed, what sector:

Answer Options

answered question

skipped question

Q4: Location of current status?

Answer Options

Southern California

Non-Southern California

Q3: Current status?

Answer Options

Employed full-time

Employed part-time

Not employed, retired

Not employed

Hispanic or Latino

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

White

Other

answered question

skipped question

skipped question

Q2: What is your race/ethnicity? (Choose all that apply)

Answer Options

American Indian or Alaska Native

Asian

Black or African American

Master of Public Administration Alumni Survey 2012

Q1: Gender:

Answer Options

Male

Female

answered question

113

Response

Percent

Response

Count

17.9% 10

53.6% 30

25.0% 14

1.8% 1

1.8% 1

0.0% 0

56

0

Excellent Good Fair Poor

Not

Applicabl

e

Respons

e Count

21 29 0 1 0 51

11 31 8 1 0 51

14 31 5 1 0 51

29 22 0 0 0 51

31 16 4 0 0 51

28 20 3 0 0 51

26 22 3 0 0 51

22 25 4 0 0 51

24 18 9 0 0 51

30 15 6 0 0 51

29 17 5 0 0 51

25 22 4 0 0 51

17 21 9 2 2 51

23 18 9 1 0 51

25 18 7 1 0 51

29 20 1 1 0 51

31 15 4 1 0 51

16 18 14 2 1 51

51

5

Appreciating cultural diversity

Thinking critically and analytically

Sensitivity to moral and ethical issues

Sensitivity to environmental issues

answered question

skipped question

Respond to the ethical dilemmas of public service

Understand the role of analysis and professionalism in

Work independently on policy or management projects

Understand yourself and your professional goals

Communicate and work with elected officials

Value of giving community service

Understand the budgetary and fiscal dimensions of policy

Understand the organizational and management

Do effective work in a group

Communicate with colleagues and citizens orally and by

Work productively and collaboratively with others in your

Enhance democratic values through management

Q8: This section asks about your academic experiences at ULV. Please rate how each of the following

skills/competencies were enhanced/developed by the MPA program at the University of La Verne.

Understand the legal and constitutional dimensions of

Apply quantitative analysis techniques to policy and

Answer Options

37-48 months

49-60 months

more than 60 months

answered question

skipped question

Q6: Number of months it took you to complete your MPA program:

Answer Options

less than 18 months

19-24 months

25-36 months

114

Better

Prepared

About Equally

Prepared

Less than

Most

Prepared

No Basis for

Comparison

Response

Count

27 19 2 3 51

23 23 4 1 51

24 22 2 3 51

29 19 2 1 51

29 19 1 2 51

26 23 1 1 51

32 17 1 1 51

24 24 2 1 51

27 20 3 1 51

28 19 3 1 51

32 15 3 1 51

26 20 2 3 51

23 20 6 2 51

31 17 2 1 51

25 19 5 2 51

35 13 2 1 51

30 19 1 1 51

21 20 7 3 51

51

5

Response

Percent

Response

Count

56.9% 29

41.2% 21

2.0% 1

0.0% 0

51

5

Response

Percent

Response

Count

94.1% 48

0.0% 0

5.9% 3

0.0% 0

5

51

5

If you would not have gone to the University of La Verne, please explain.

answered question

skipped question

Q13: With all other things being equal, if you had to seek graduate study in

public administration over again, would you have

Answer Options

Gone to the University of La Verne?

Gone to another Private College or University?

Gone to a State University?

Not gone to college or university?

Excellent preparation

Good preparation

Fair preparation

Poor preparation

answered question

skipped question

Thinking critically and analytically

Sensitivity to moral and ethical issues

Sensitivity to environmental issues

answered question

skipped question

Q12: How well did your University of La Verne education in this program prepare

you for your career?

Understand the role of analysis and professionalism in

Work independently on policy or management projects

Understand yourself and your professional goals

Communicate and work with elected officials

Value of giving community service

Appreciating cultural diversity


Do effective work in a group

Communicate with colleagues and citizens orally and by

Work productively and collaboratively with others in your

Enhance democratic values through management

Respond to the ethical dilemmas of public service

Q10: This section is similar to the last, with the exception that you are to compare your preparation in the following areas to

those of your co-workers or peers from other colleges and universities. For each skill/competency,

please indicate where you are.

Answer Options

Understand the legal and constitutional dimensions of

Apply quantitative analysis techniques to policy and

Understand the budgetary and fiscal dimensions of policy

Answer Options

115

Response

Percent

Response

Count

33.3% 17

66.7% 34

15

51

5

Response

Percent

Response

Count

66.7% 34

27.5% 14

2.0% 1

3.9% 2

3

51

5

Response

Percent

Response

Count

72.5% 37

27.5% 14

0.0% 0

0.0% 0

51

5

Response

Percent

Response

Count

85.7% 42

14.3% 7

49

7skipped question

skipped question

Q19: Do you wish to stay connected with the MPA program at the University of

La Verne?

Answer Options

Yes

No

answered question

Answer Options

Very Satisfied

Satisfied

Dissatisfied

Very Dissatisfied

answered question

Less prepared than most

No basis for comparison

If you indicated "Less prepared than most", please use the box below to

answered question

skipped question

Q16: Overall, how satisfied have you been with the education you received at

the University of La Verne?

answered question

skipped question

Q15: In your opinion, how well did your work at the University of La Verne

prepare you compared with your colleagues?

Answer Options

Better prepared than most

Equally prepared

Q14: Since completing your degree at the University of La Verne, have you

undertaken any additional graduate course work?

Answer Options

Yes

No

If yes, what degree and university?

116

vii. Alumni (2011) Climate Graduate Tables Table 1

Graduate student survey responses (2011): College of Business and Public Management, Public

Administration-MA Demographics

Item % n

Program Location (N =22)

1. Main Campus 100% 22

Missing Data

Are you Hispanic/Latino? (N =22)

1. Yes 60% 12

2. No 40% 8

Missing data 2

Race/Ethnicity (N =17)

1. American Indian/Alaska Native 0% 0

2. Black/African American 6% 1

3. White 47% 8

4. Asian 0% 0

5. Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 0% 0

6. Other 47% 8

Missing data 5

Gender (N =21)

1. Male 43% 9

2. Female 57% 12

Missing data 1

International student (N =22)

1. Yes 5% 1

2. No 95% 21

Missing data 0

Current attendance status (N =21)

1. Full-Time 62% 13

2. Part-Time 33% 7

3. Have graduated 5% 1

Missing data 1

Item % n

Current enrollment status (N =22)

1. Employed full-time in a job that is related

to your graduate program 64% 14

2. Employed part-time in a job that is related


3. Employed full-time but not in a job related


117

4. Employed part-time but not in a job related


5. Not employed in a job at this time 14% 3

Missing data 0

Academic achievement (N =22)

1. Far better than expected 18% 4

2. As well as expected 77% 17

3. Somewhat worse than expected 5% 1

Missing data 0

Descriptive: Mean (M) and Standard Deviation (SD)

1. Age M= 34.82 SD= 10.07 N= 22

2. Current GPA M= 3.72 SD= .25 N= 18

118

Table 2

Graduate student survey responses (2011): Influencing factors to attend La Verne: College of Business

and Public Management, Public Administration-MA (N/A responses were excluded)

Item n Not at all A little/Somewhat Very N/A

1. Reputation of your program 22 0% 32% 68% 0

2. La Verne’s overall reputation 22 0% 32% 68% 0

3. Area of specialization that

matched your interest 22 0% 32% 68% 0

4. Location where the program

was offered 22 4% 23% 73% 0

5. Recommendation of a friend,

acquaintance, or a colleague 17 29% 24% 47% 5

6. Affordability compared to

other private not-for-profit 21 33% 33% 33% 1

7. Opportunity to work with

a specific faculty member 18 67% 17% 17% 4

8. Encouragement of a ULV

faculty member while deciding 18 50% 22% 28% 4

9. Care and attention given to

you by program administrator

or advisor 22 27% 46% 27% 0

10. The information available on

the university and program

webpage 22 9% 59% 32% 0

11. Being near family or other

significant individuals in

your life 22 14% 36% 50% 0

12. The mission and values of

La Verne 21 14% 67% 19% 0

13. Diversity of the student body 22 46% 32% 23% 0

119

Table 3

Graduate student survey responses (2011):Quality of Program of Study: College of Business and Public

Management, Public Administration-MA (N/A responses were excluded)

Item n Poor/ Acceptable Very Good/

Unacceptable Excellent/ N/A

Outstanding

1. Relevance of course content

to your field 22 0% 18% 82% 0

2. Availability of courses 22 9% 23% 68% 0

3. Speed of progress through

program 21 0% 24% 76% 1

4. Level of academic standards 22 0% 18% 82% 0

5. Quality of instruction in

courses by full-time faculty 20 0% 15% 85% 1

6. Quality of instruction in

courses by part-time faculty 21 0% 24% 76% 1

7. Intellectual quality of fellow

students 20 0% 50% 50% 1

8. Faculty accessibility and

availability outside of class time 19 5% 37% 58% 3

9. Faculty providing timely

feedback about academic work 22 9% 36% 55% 0

10. Extent of diversity issues

addressed in course content

and assigned work 18 0% 50% 50% 4

11. Use of technology in

delivering courses 21 5% 33% 62% 1

12. Quality of academic advising 20 5% 30% 65% 2

13. Overall quality of the program

compared to programs in other

schools you considered

attending 18 0% 28% 72% 4

120

Table 4

Graduate student survey responses (2011): Satisfaction with program and university services: College of

Business and Public Management, Public Administration-MA (N/A responses were excluded)

Very Very

Item n Dissatisfied/ Neutral Satisfied/ N/A

Dissatisfied Satisfied

1. Classroom facilities 22 14% 18% 68% 0

2. Rapport between students and

faculty in the program 22 0% 9% 91% 0

3. Collegiality of students in the

program 22 0% 18% 82% 0

4. Opportunities for teamwork

and collaboration 22 4% 23% 73% 0

5. Opportunities to apply what

you learn in the classroom 21 10% 5% 86% 1

6. Feeling comfortable and

supported in the program as

a member of a national, ethnic,

religious or racial group 17 6% 18% 77% 5

7. Library access and support 22 4% 9% 86% 0

8. Career advice from faculty 19 11% 21% 68% 3

9. Assistance from Office of

Career Services 16 25% 38% 38% 6

10. Computer and technology

facilities and services 22 14% 23% 64% 0

11. Services of Financial Aid Office 15 0% 27% 73% 7

12. Writing assistance from the

Learning Enhancement Center 10 0% 40% 60% 12

13. Application process 22 0% 23% 77% 0

14. Registration process 22 32% 14% 55% 0

15. Office of the Graduate

Academic Services 19 5% 47% 47% 3

16. Parking 21 67% 0% 33% 1

17. Food Services 14 14% 43% 43% 8

18. Break Areas 17 29% 29% 41% 5

19. Study spaces 18 28% 17% 55% 4

Item n Not Somewhat Very Important N/A

Important Important

20. Importance in having

services such as the

Registrar, Financial Aid

or Learning Enhancement

Center available at night

on weekends 22 5% 60% 35% 0

121

Table 5

Graduate student survey responses (2011): Competency: College of Business and Public Management,

Public Administration-MA (N/A responses were excluded)

Item n Poor/ Acceptable Very Good/

Unacceptable Excellent/ N/A

Outstanding

1. Team work

a. Before starting program 22 0% 23% 77% 0

b. Program so far 21 0% 10% 90% 0

2. Leadership skills


b. Program so far 22 0% 18% 82% 0

3. Working with ethnically/

racially diverse individuals/groups


b. Program so far 22 0% 9% 91% 0

4. Thinking critically and analytically



5. Quantitative research skills


b. Program so far 20 0% 20% 80% 2

6. Qualitative research skills


b. Program so far 21 0% 14% 86% 1

7. Critically evaluating scholarly

literature in your field


b. Program so far 20 0% 15% 85% 0

8. Examining your values and ethics

in relations to your field



9. Writing skills



10. Oral and public speaking


b. Program so far 21 0% 14% 86% 0

11. Analyzing quantitative problems

involving statistics, math, etc.


b. Program so far 21 0% 33% 67% 1

12. Computer and internet skills



13. Solving complex real-world

problems0

122



14. Contributing to the welfare of

your community


b. Program so far 21 0% 14% 86% 1

Table 6

Graduate student survey responses (2011): College of Business and Public Management, Public

Adminstration-MA Qualitative Responses

1. What do you think are the greatest strengths of your program?

Themes:

Professors who work in the industry and bring real world knowledge

The hybrid courses are very conducive to a working professional’s schedule and it is greatly

appreciated

The faculty is strong

All survey responses (N=17):

Classes are only one day a week and some courses are hybrid

Full-time faculty, University staff

I am very passionate about the subject I am studying in

I enjoy some of the professors teaching method, putting to practice real world assignments

I have nearly 30 years of experience in public service and have had the pleasure of examining

other public sector issues and organizational problems with knowledgeable and interesting

professors

I think that the content of courses and practical application are very good

Professors have real-world experience

Professors who work in the industry and bring real world knowledge

The diversity of classes

The faculty

The faculty is strong, diverse, and have loads of experience in public sector as well as the

students

The hybrid courses are very conducive to a working professional’s schedule and it is greatly

appreciated

The professors and their knowledge of the topics covered in the program

The students and faculty interaction and communication

The teachers are great, their real world experience brings interesting topics to the table

Time and availability of the offered courses. Professional careers and experienced staff and

faculty

Unable to comment on this at this time. I’m still trying to determine the strengths of the program

2. What would you change in your program to make it better?

Themes:

123

Add more classes-offer Saturday, more hybrid, or fully online classes

Provide more real-world examples in classes


Add leadership classes and case studies within the curriculum

For the professors to give more real life experiences and to actually lecture from the readings

I hate group projects!

I think that some professors forget that we’re working full-time in addition to taking courses and

to either spread assignments out more over the semester or extend the due dates to avoid too

much being due at once

I would offer more sustainability programs related to the environment

I’m only halfway thru the program, but I’d like to see more in class discussion on critical topics

as they relate to scholarly writings on the subjects

Increase the writing level criteria for admission

N/A

N/A

Offer more classes and make sure that faculty is well qualified to teach courses. I had a very poor

professor that made me feel like I wasted $3,000 in a very important course, Strategic Planning. I

didn’t learn anything and I really need to know the principles of Strategic Planning for my job.

Offer Saturday classes or more hybrid or fully online

Shorten class time to end at 9pm

The classes so far have heavily relied on theoretical knowledge and not on practical knowledge.

The Organizational Theory class has provided no practical/actionable knowledge. Need classes

that focus on real-world applicability that will benefit me in the work arena

The professor’s accessibility and feedback needs improvement. Especially considering the hybrid

nature of a course, we do not get as much interaction time with the applicant and need feedback

from the professors. Unfortunately, some of them do not respond to emails requesting feedback.

It really limits the learning process

Would like to see more mixers between the faculty and students so that networking can take place

3. Other comments or suggestions

Theme:

Get more parking spaces


Better screen international students or those who can’t speak English because it’s very frustrating

to be put in a group and have to do double work because someone can’t speak or write the

English well

Get more parking spaces

Great program, great school

How do I know what kind of an education I’m getting? How do I compare to a USC student for

example? Will an employer chose a USC student over a La Verne student? These are very

important questions to me and I wonder if the program is made to pass everyone because I’ve

known a few students that turn in poor work (I’ve seen it) but still get A’s.

N/A

124

Nights and weekend courses offered in the MPA program

None

Since starting the program, I have encountered numerous registration problems through the online

registration system that is set up by the registrar. The information management department and

registrar should coordinate to fix all of these registration glitches before the registration window

opens up so that it does not frustrate the students who are trying to get their courses for the next

term.

The parking situation for evening/graduate students needs to be drastically improved

125

viii. MPA Annual Reports

a. 2009 NASPAA Annual MPA Report (pdf)

b. 2010 NASPAA Annual MPA Report

NASPAA Annual Report

University of La Verne

Year: 2010

Please note the following specific standard(s) are being monitored with regards to YOUR school:

2.2/2.3, 3.4/5.41

First Name: Jack

Last Name: Meek

Title: Professor of Public Administration, Chair of the MPA Program

Email Address: [email protected]

1. Number of completed Applications (for accredited degree program only) received for current

academic year

85

2. Number of New Admissions (regular & probationary) for current academic year

43

3. Number of Full-Time and Part-Time New Enrollments for current academic year A) Full-time B)

Part-time

A) 36

B) 38

4. Number of program degrees granted last academic year

25

5. Number of Core Faculty (based on the definition you used in your last self study)

6

6. Itemized Core Faculty

Name % of teaching load allocated to courses Dept. (of their tenure)

in the program (Use Integers from 1-100)

Jack Meek 40 Public Administration

Keith Schildt 40 Public Administration

Suzanne Beaumaster 40 Public Administration

Lisa Saye 40 Public Administration

Marcia Godwin 60 Public Administration

mailto:[email protected]

126

Matt Witt 40 Public Administration

7. Budget for the accredited degree program (not the school or dept.) A) total for program,

including salaries B) faculty and staff salaries only (incl. Adjuncts)

A) 289,539

B) 259,141

Standard 1.0 Eligibility for Peer Review

No Change

Standard 2.0 Program Mission

As reported last year, the current mission of the La Verne MPA program was established in 1998-1999

and reviewed by a practitioner advisory board in 2005. The central advancement of the mission was the

development of specific mission components that established the basis for program assessment.

Refinement of this mission assessment was developed in the September of 2007 in response to COPRA’s

accreditation review of August 2007. As a result of this refinement was the establishment of an embedded

assessment process that offered the opportunity for the program to assess central features of its program

mission in terms of program performance. The overall framework of the embedded assessment program is

based on a model that is utilized through out the College of Business and Public Management.

Last year we reported on the preliminary progress toward implementation of the program assessment.

This academic year (2009-2010) program assessment results were presented to the advisory program in

October of 2009 and in April of 2010. Program assessment indicated weaknesses in quantitative

reasoning in comparison to other performance indicators. This weakness corroborated with graduate exit

interviews conducted in December of 2009. These findings were shared with the faculty and advisory

board and formed the basis for articulating some of the requirements for a new faculty position for public

administration graduate programs.

The advisory board also recommended that the program seek more “objective” measures of student

assessment, perhaps using third party and/or practitioner reviews of student performance as a gauge of

program performance. This suggestion was incorporated in the Spring 2010 student culminating research

projects that utilized program alumni that are engaged in public service.

Student 2010 exit surveys also indicate interests in increasing curriculum strengths in the areas of

economics and statistics. Improving in these areas will be the focus of the coming academic year (2010-

2011).

During the 2010-2011 academic year, the program anticipates continuing is transition to the new

NASPAA standards. The core faculty of the program initiated the effort toward assessment based on the

new standards with the development of some initial areas of assessment in the core course offerings. It is

anticipated that the development and design of these new assessments will be ready for full

implementation for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Standard 3.0 Program Jurisdiction

No Change

Standard 4.0 Curriculum

127

As reported last year, program growth has allowed for program differentiation and specialty with the

addition of a non-profit emphasis as well as a formal joint MPA/Law degree with the La Verne College of

Law. These program specialties were reflected in student interests based on student discussions with

faculty and through exit reviews. This coming academic year, the program expects to implement an

economic development certificate that offers students the opportunity to explore practical applications

with regard to local and economic development.

Standard 5.0 Faculty

Because of program growth over the past two academic years, the University has recognized the need to

fulfill the mission of the MPA program by providing two positions last year (one was a replacement

position) and a new position this coming academic year. The MPA program maintains a strong full

time/part time faculty ratio with students and Dean Helou reports that MPA program faculty are holding

to university guidelines on course overloads. In terms of program management, Professor Meek receives a

reduced load for managing the MPA program and directing graduate studies, Professor Beaumaster

receives a reduced load for directing the DPA program and Professor Schildt receives a reduced load for

serving as department chair.

The search committee protocol produced a diverse candidate pool in all three recent hires (2008-2009 and

2009-2010). In each search, a diverse selection of candidates received invitations for both phone

interviews and subsequent campus interviews. The result of search committee strategies and

deliberations, the program was able to select two female and one minority faculty from the final

candidates. In the 2009-2010 faculty search, minority candidates chosen turned down further

consideration on two occasions despite selection for further consideration.

Standard 6.0 Admission of Students

No Change

Standard 7.0 Student Services

No Change

Standard 8.0 Support Services and Facilities

The overall program budget of the MPA program remained the same from the previous year. Differences

in program reporting from this year compared to last are due to reporting on different items and are not

comparable.

We can continue to report a very active faculty in terms of conference attendance in a wide array of

public administration seminars and conferences. This coming academic year (2010-2011) university

predictions are quite solid for program and university growth. The program faculty finished its first year

in a newly redesigned facility on campus.

Standard 9.0 Off-Campus Programs and Distance Education

The main campus is the only location where the program is offered. The La Verne MPA program is not

offered on line.

Supplement

128

NONE

c. 2011 NASPAA Annual MPA Report

2011 NASPA Annual Report

University of La Verne MPA Program

8/9/2011

Jack W. Meek

Professor of Public Administration,

Director, Master of Public Administration

Note: The following is the annual report to the National Association for Schools of Public Affairs and

Administration (NASPAA). The report responds to annual review guidelines and accreditation reporting.

A special thanks Dean Abe Helou and to Li-Fen Liu of the Dean’s Office for diligently working of the

data required for this report.

Master of Public Administration Mission Statement




The mission will be achieved through a curriculum that emphasizes: (1) management of organizational

resources, (2) the changing context of public administration, and (3) analytic and decision-making

capacity. Students will also develop an understanding of the practice of public administration in diverse

public organizations and of the ethical dimensions of public service.

1. Mission and Goals

The MPA program faculty reviewed the mission of the MPA program of the University of La Verne in

the spring of 2011. There was considerable discussion regarding the mission and mission components

especially in regard to advancing social and environmental justice. There were no changes made to the

mission but future considerations for revision will take place in the coming academic year. The program

faculty and advisory board will return to a review of the mission in the fall of 2011 as part of an overall 5-

year review of the program.

2. Substantive Changes

There have been no substantive changes in the program during the 2010-2011 academic year. Faculty

established some changes to program admission requirements as discussed in 5.1.

3. Program Evaluation

Information Management

Information regarding the La Verne MPA program is gathered from university sources (recruitment,

admissions, enrollment, student course evaluations on faculty, advancement to candidacy, graduation

rates) and from college/program resources (student admission profiles, student assessment, graduate

profiles, graduate exit survey). This information is used for reporting purposes to the faculty in monthly

meetings and to the MPA advisory board in bi-annual meetings.

129

Implementation of Competency Assessment

Competency assessment is based on a course embedded protocol where mission based program learning

objectives are established and operationalized in assignments in selected courses. Each term, faculty

assesses program-learning objectives from course assignments designated for program assessment.

Assessments are gathered and summarized by the college staff and program director and reported to both

the faculty and advisory board.

Learning objectives in the area of analytic decision-making (in particular, quantitative reasoning) was

reported in both course assignment assessments and exit surveys were reported to be below program

standards. Curriculum changes were undertaken to improve student-learning outcomes. Preliminary

evidence indicates that a more hand-on and applied approach to quantitative reasoning improved learning

outcomes. Improved exit survey scores on quantitative reasoning was also observed. Future scores on

learning objectives and exit surveys will be monitored for evidence of curriculum adjustment impact.

The MPA program will undertake a 5-year review during the 2011-2012 academic year following the

program assessment guidelines established by university guidelines and the College of Business and

Public Management. The 5-year review will focus on university, college and program information

available from the 2006-2011 academic years. Outside-the-university reviewers, the program faculty, the

program advisory board, and a college committee will review this information. Results of the program

review will be used to inform the future directions of the program.

A review of the NASPAA revised 2009 accreditation standards took place with the faculty in the fall of

2010 with a selected course receiving attention with revised operationalization. The revised accreditation

standards will be revisited in the fall September retreat of 2011 by the faculty. A crafted program design

to the new standards will be undertaken with full implementation anticipated for the January term of

2012.

4. Faculty Nucleus

4.1 Below are members of the La Verne MPA program faculty nucleus during the 2010-2011 academic

year.

Faculty Member Name Academically or

Professionally Qualified

How are they involved in the

program

Jack Meek, Director Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Suzanne Beaumaster Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Keith Schildt Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Matthew Witt Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Marcia Godwin Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Lisa Saye Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

David Powell (Fall 2010) Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

4.2 Percentage of courses in each category taught by full and part-time faculty during 2010-2011

% Taught by Full Time faculty % Taught by Part time Faculty

All Courses 51.3% 48.7%

Required Courses 65.2% 34.8%

All Courses include the nine core courses and two program emphasis areas (governance, non-profit

management) in the MPA program. Required Courses refer to the nine core courses in the MPA Program

130

taken by all students. Each of the program emphasis areas encompasses four courses that comprise the

composition of the emphasis area.

During the 2010-2011 academic year, one FTF member unexpectedly left in mid-year and the program

covered these classes with a PTF member. If the FTF had not departed mid-year, the percentage taught

by FTF required courses would have been 78.3%, for all courses the FTF faculty coverage would have

been 59%. The Department was able to replace the position with a FTF member for the 2011-2012

academic year. In addition, the Department was authorized to hire an additional faculty member for 2011-

2012. Both of these positions include teaching and governance responsibilities in the MPA program.

5. Student Data: Admissions, Graduation Rates and Employment

5.1 Admissions 2010-2011

Student Category Number of Students

Applicants 122

Admitted Students 49

Enrolled Students 38

5.2 Graduation Rates: Graduating Students Form 2006 (Five Years from Annual Review Date of 2011)

Initially Enrolled

(2006)

Graduated in

100% of Degree

Program Length

Graduated in

150% of Degree

Program Length

Graduated in

200% of Degree

Program Length

Number of Full-

Time Students in

the ARY-5 *

7 7 7

Number of Part-

Time Students in

the ARY-5 *

0 8 12

Total Number of

Full-Time

Students in the

ARY-5

41 7 15 23

* Estimate

Note: Data Presented is Accumulative

Data provided in table 5.2 indicate that 56% of the students who started the MPA program in 2006 (ARY-

5) graduated in 200% of the degree program length. All students attending full time graduated within

100% of the Degree Program Length.

Further analysis of the 2006 cohort MPA enrolled students indicates the following:


7.3% (3) of the students were academically disqualified

9.7% (4) of the students were placed on academic probation and did not return to the program


The ARY-5 number of graduates is lower than preceding years in the program: 2001 (94%), 2002 (63%),

2003 (77%), 2004 (86%), and 2005 (67%). During this same period of time, the program has grown from

enrolling 16 students per year (2001) to 41 students per year (2006). The 2007-2010 trends in enrollment

131

have remained between 30-40 students per academic year. The examination of the 2006 cohort data

above indicate that 7 students (17%) were unable to academically succeed in the program. In addition, 2

students (4.8%) transferred to other programs. This calls upon the program to strengthen its admissions

requirements in both student preparation and clarifying program objectives for prospective students. The

faculty reviewed the admissions requirements in the spring of 2011 and clarified the program objectives

and strengthened program admissions.

In order to improve student information management, the College implemented a new advisory program

that emphasizes student retention. This emphasis includes an improved communication with students as

well as an improved data management and monitoring system. With this initiative, the program will be

able to better understand student progress toward degree completion.

5.3 Employment of Graduates

Employment Statistics 2010 MPA Graduates

Employment Statistics

Total Number of Graduates

National or central government in the same

country as the program

1

State, provincial or regional government in the

same country as the program

City, County or other local government in the


9

Foreign government (all levels) or international

quasi-government

Nonprofit domestic-oriented 5


Private Sector—Research/Consulting

Private Sector but not research/consulting 1

Obtaining further education 3

Unemployed

Status Unknown 5

Total: 24

6. Resource Sufficiency

There are no significant changes in program resources. Program faculty are funded through program,

department and college funds in order to attend and present papers at professional associations and

conferences. The Program Director is able to attend NASPAA conferences and related professional and

academic conferences. Within College processes, MPA Program development needs are proposed as

ideas and projects, such as hosting ASPA events or bringing in quest speakers or hosting seminars, and

funded through either the department or the Dean’s office.

In terms of faculty resources, there are some significant positive changes. The Department was able to

replace the mid-academic year vacated position with a FTF member for the 2011-2012 academic year. In

addition, the Department was authorized to hire one additional faculty member for 2011-2012. Both of

these positions include teaching and governance responsibilities in the MPA program. With these

additions, reliance on part-time faculty for teaching will be reduced.

132

d. 2012 NASPAA Annual MPA Report

2012 NASPAA Annual Report

University of La Verne MPA Program

10.13.12

Jack W. Meek

Professor of Public Administration,

Director, Master of Public Administration

Note: The following is the annual report to the National Association for Schools of Public Affairs and

Administration (NASPAA). The report responds to annual review guidelines and accreditation reporting.

A special thanks Li-Fen Liu of the Dean’s Office for diligently working of the data required for this

report.

Master of Public Administration Mission Statement




The mission will be achieved through a curriculum that emphasizes:

(1) Management of organizational resources

(2) The changing context (contextual nature) of public administration

(3) Analytic and decision-making capacity

(4) Practice of public administration in diverse public organizations

(5) Ethical dimensions of public service

Students will also develop an understanding of the practice of public administration in diverse

public organizations and of the ethical dimensions of public service.

The NASPAA universal competencies included the following:

(1) To lead and manage in public governance;

(2) To participate in and contribute to the public policy process;

(3) To analyze, synthesize, think critically, solve problems and make decisions;

(4) To articulate and apply a public service perspective; and

(5) To communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and

citizenry.

The NASPAA competencies were framed within the La Verne MPA mission-based learning outcomes.

2. Mission and Goals

The MPA program faculty reviewed the mission of the MPA program of the University of La Verne

during the 2011-2012 academic year.

Much of the discussion focused on advancing social and environmental justice under the overarching

concept of the “civic professional.” Attention was also placed on integrating the MPA mission with the

University President’s initiative around “The La Verne Experience,” where emphasis is placed on

133

integrated curriculum, moving theory to practice. Mission review was also discussed with the MPA

Advisory Board in its May 1, 2012 meeting

There were some minor revisions to the mission so as to integrate the La Verne MPA mission

components with the NASPAA required competencies. In addition, some minor adjustments to the

mission to clarify the diversity and ethical dimensions of focus in public service. These revisions are

finalized in the mission statement made in the introduction of this session.

2. Substantive Changes

There have been no substantive changes in the program during the 2012-2013 academic year. Faculty

established one changes to the “governance” emphasis in the program where a course in “comparative

administration” was added as an option in the four-course requirement in the emphasis. This course is

designed to allow for faculty and students to examine administrative systems across contextual

differences.

3. Program Evaluation

Information Management

Information regarding the La Verne MPA program is gathered from university sources (recruitment,

admissions, enrollment, student course evaluations on faculty, advancement to candidacy, graduation

rates) and from college/program resources (student admission profiles, student assessment, graduate

profiles, graduate exit survey). This information is used for reporting purposes to the faculty in monthly

meetings and to the MPA advisory board in bi-annual meetings.

Implementation of Competency Assessment

Competency assessment is based on a course embedded protocol where mission based program learning

objectives are established and operationalized in assignments in selected courses. Each term, faculty

assesses program-learning objectives from course assignments designated for program assessment.

Assessments are gathered and summarized by the college staff and program director and reported to both

the faculty and advisory board.

The MPA program is nearing the completing of a 5-year review during the 2012-2013 academic year.

The review is based on program assessment guidelines established by university guidelines and the

College of Business and Public Management. The 5-year review will focus on university, college and

program information available from the 2006-2011 academic years. Outside-the-university reviewers, the

program faculty, the program advisory board, and a college committee will review this information.

Results of the program review will be used to inform the future directions of the program.

134

4. Faculty Nucleus

4.1 Below are members of the La Verne MPA program faculty nucleus during the 2012-2013 academic

year.

Faculty Member Name Academically or

Professionally Qualified

How are they involved in the

program

Jack Meek, Director Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Suzanne Beaumaster Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Keith Schildt Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Matthew Witt Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Marcia Godwin Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Lisa Saye Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Adrian Velazquez Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

Soomi Lee Academically Qualified Teaching, Governance

4.2 Percentage of courses in each category taught by full and part-time faculty during 2010-2011 followed

by the 2011-2012 academic year.

2010 -2011 Percentage of courses in each category taught by full and part-time faculty

2011 -2012 Percentage of courses in each category taught by full and part-time faculty

All Courses include the nine core courses and two program emphasis areas (governance, non-profit

management) in the MPA program.

Required Courses refer to the nine core courses in the MPA Program taken by all students. Each of the

program emphasis areas encompasses four courses that comprise the composition of the emphasis area.

During the 2010-2011 academic year, one FTF member unexpectedly left in mid-year and the program

covered these classes with a PTF member. If the FTF had not departed mid-year, the percentage taught

by FTF required courses would have been 78.3%, for all courses the FTF faculty coverage would have

been 59%.

For the 2011-2012 academic year, the Department was able to replace the position with a FTF member.

The resulting FTF coverage moved from 51% to 81% of all courses, and from 65% to 86% of required

courses.

% Taught by Full Time faculty % Taught by Part time Faculty



% Taught by Full Time

faculty

% Taught by Part time Faculty



135

5. Student Data: Admissions, Graduation Rates and Employment

5.1 Admissions 2010-2011

Student Category Number of Students

Applicants 124

Admitted Students 55

Enrolled Students 34

5.2 Graduation Rates: Graduating Students Form 2006 (Five Years from Annual Review Date of 2011)

Initially Enrolled

(2007)

Graduated in

100% of Degree

Program Length

Graduated in

150% of Degree

Program Length

Graduated in

200% of Degree

Program Length

Number of Full-

Time Students

in the ARY-5 *

UTD UTD UTD UTD

Number of Part-

Time Students

in the ARY-5 *

UTD UTD UTD UTD

Total Number

of Full-Time

Students in the

ARY-5

40 8 17 24

* UTD = Unable to Determine

Note: Data Presented is Accumulative

Data provided in table 5.2 indicate that 60% of the students who started the MPA program in 2007 (ARY-

5) graduated in 200% of the degree program length.

Further analysis of the 2007 cohort MPA enrolled students indicates the following:


20% (8) of the students were placed on academic probation and did not return to the program


10% (4) have completed more than 12 units but have not completed the program

The ARY-5 number of graduates is higher than the preceding year, 60% 5o 51.2 %.

The examination of the 2007 cohort data above indicate that 8 students (20%) were unable to

academically succeed in the program. This calls upon the program to strengthen its admissions

requirements in both student preparation and clarifying program objectives for prospective students. The

faculty reviewed the admissions requirements and concluded that some pre-requisite work should be

considered if the student profile does not indicate sufficient preparation, especially in the areas of

statistics.

In 2011, the College implemented a new advisory program that emphasizes student retention. This

emphasis includes an improved communication with students as well as an improved data management

and monitoring system. With this initiative, the program is able to better understand student progress

toward degree completion through reports provided by the administrative assistant to the program.

136

5.3 Employment of Graduates

Employment Statistics 2010 MPA Graduates

Employment Statistics

Total Number of Graduates

National or central government in the same

country as the program

2

State, provincial or regional government in the


8

City, County or other local government in the


13

Foreign government (all levels) or international

quasi-government

1

Nonprofit domestic-oriented 3


Private Sector—Research/Consulting 2

Private Sector but not research/consulting 5

Obtaining further education

Unemployed

Status Unknown 9

Total: 43

Note: the Private sector includes law firms. Two graduates listed above are from the MPA program

includes a joint degree program with the University of La Verne School of Law.

6. Resource Sufficiency

There are no significant changes in program resources. Program faculty professional activities are funded

through program, department and college funds in order to attend and present papers at professional

associations and conferences. The Program Director is able to attend NASPAA conferences and related

professional and academic conferences. Within College processes, MPA Program development needs are

proposed as ideas and projects, such as hosting ASPA events or bringing in quest speakers or hosting

seminars, and funded through either the department or the Dean’s office. The Department was able to

replace the mid-academic year vacated position with a FTF member for the 2011-2012 academic year.

137

ix. MPA Exit Interviews 2008-2013

This survey has been completed by La Verne MPA graduates to help us assess how well we are meeting

our program objectives in the Master of Public Administration (MPA).

1 = Poor ● 2 = Below average ● 3 = Average ● 4 = Above average ● 5 = Excellent ● 0 = No opinion

How well has the MPA program prepared you to:

Program Satisfaction Assessment

2008

May

(n=7)

2009

Jan

(n=5)

2009

May

(n=9)

2010

Jan

(n=8)

2010

May

(n=9)

2011

Jan

(n=7)

2011

May

(n=15)

2012

Jan

(n=15)

2012

May

(n=24)

2013

Jan

(n=10)

Preparation for your future occupation or career

advancement 4.3 3.6 3.8 4.0 4.2 3.9 4.7 3.8 4.7 4.7

Degree to which course content was stimulating

and interesting 4.0 4.0 4.1 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.0 4.7 4.2

Expertise of faculty in their content areas 3.4 4.2 4.3 4.8 4.4 4.3 4.6 4.4 4.7 4.6

Degree to which our program has stimulated

your interest in public affairs 4.1 3.8 4.5 4.4 4.4 4.3 4.6 4.0 4.6 4.6

Extent to which the program has allowed you to

make connections with others in the profession 4.3 3.4 4.3 4.3 3.7 3.7 4.2 3.6 4.1 4.3

Assistance you received from ULV MPA support

staff 4.1 3.8 4.8 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.2 3.9 4.9 4.7

Career advising you received from ULV MPA

faculty and staff 3.8 2.0/3 3.1 2.6 3.9 3.9 3.7 2.1 4.5 4.5

Academic advising you received from ULV MPA

faculty and staff 3.9 3.0 3.6 3.5 4.3 4.1 3.8 2.6 4.8 4.9

Teaching ability of the ULV MPA faculty 4.0 3.8 4.0 4.5 4.3 4.4 4.6 4.3 4.2 4.4

Accessibility of the faculty 4.6 3.8 4.4 4.4 4.2 4.7 4.5 4.3 4.2 4.5

Attitude of the faculty toward students 4.6 3.8 4.6 4.8 4.4 4.3 4.6 4.2 4.4 4.6

Class size 4.1 4.4 2.7 4.8 4.3 4.7 4.6 4.6 4.4 4.6

Classroom facilities 3.9 3.2 2.4 4.0 3.8 4.0 4.2 3.6 4.6 3.8

Student resource/reference room (PAAC) 4.2 4.0/3 3.0 2.5 4.0 4.3 3.9 1.6 4.3 3.7

Student computer lab (PAAC) 4.5 3.3/3 2.6 2.4 3.8 4.4 3.3 1.5 n/a n/a

Commons Room in PAAC 4.3 3/3 3.2 2.0 4.0 4.3 2.4 1.2 n/a n/a

ULV MPA program as a whole 4.1 4.0 4.1 4.9 4.2 4.4 4.7 4.1 4.5 4.5

Overall quality of ULV MPA courses 3.7 3.4 4.0 4.9 4.4 4.4 4.6 4.0 4.4 4.3

Overall education you have received from the

ULV MPA program 4.0 3.8 4.2 4.9 4.4 4.4 4.8 4.1 4.5 4.4

Would you recommend the La Verne MPA

program to others?

- Extremely

- Moderately

- Not at all

100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

65%

29%

6%

40%

50%

10%

Program

Faculty and Staff

Faculty

Facilities

Overall Program

138

Program Satisfaction Assessment

2008

(May)

(n=7)

2009

(Jan)

(n=5)

2009

(May)

(n=9)

2010

(Jan)

(n=8)

2010

(May)

(n=9)

2011

(Jan)

(n=7)

2011

(May)

(n=15)

2012

(Jan)

(n=15)

2012

(May)

(n=24)

2013

(Jan)

(n=10)

Understand the legal and constitutional

dimensions of public service 4.2 4.4 4.4 4.0 4.3 4.5 3.8 4.5 4.3

Apply quantitative analysis techniques to policy

and management problems 3.0 3.0 4.1 3.9 4.4 4.1 3.4 3.9 3.8

Understand the budgetary and fiscal dimensions

of policy decisions 4.0 4.3 4.8 4.1 4.4 4.4 3.6 4.1 3.2


dimensions of public service 4.2 4.4 4.8 4.6 4.3 4.6 3.9 4.7 4.4

Do effective work in a group 4.4 4.1 4.8 4.4 4.6 4.8 4.1 4.6 4.0

Communicate with colleagues and citizens

orally and by writing 4.0 4.1 4.8 4.4 4.1 4.8 4.4 4.5 4.5

Work productively and collaboratively with

others in your agency 4.0 4.2 4.6 4.3 4.4 4.8 4.2 4.7 4.7

Enhance democratic values through

management 4.2 4.2 4.4 4.4 4.1 4.6 4.2 4.6 4.0

Respond to the ethical dilemmas of public

service 4.2 4.0 4.3 4.3 4.6 4.7 4.0 4.5 4.4

Understand the role of analysis and

professionalism in democratic governance 4.2 4.3 3.9 4.4 4.6 4.7 4.0 4.7 4.5

Work independently on policy or management

projects 4.8 4.2 4.8 4.4 4.6 4.6 3.8 4.7 4.7

Understand yourself and your professional goals 4.0 4.3 4.5 4.3 4.1 4.8 4.1 4.6 4.6

Communicate and work with elected officials 3.6 3.9 4.4 3.8 4.3 4.5 3.8 4.0 4.0

Theoretical foundation

Managing organizational resources

Practical Individual Competence

Ethical dimensions of public service

Analytic and decision-making

Practice of PA in diverse public organizations

139

x. Percentage of courses taught by FT and PT faculty

% Taught by Full Time Faculty % Taught by Part Time Faculty

2007 - 2008



2008 - 2009



2009 - 2010



2010 - 2011



2011 - 2012



140

xi. MPA Diversity Plan

Adjunct Faculty Utilization

Table 1. 2007 - 2011 Diversity Plan in Use of Adjuncts *

AY 2007-2008 AY 2008-2009 AY 2009-2010 AY 2010-2011

Total Number of

Adjuncts Assigned

8

10

13

13

Male White

2

5

5

8

Male Minority

3

5

8

4

Female White

3

-

-

1

Female Minority

-

-

-

-

* Scheduled assignments by class offering

Guest Speakers

Table 2. 2007-2011 Diversity Plan in Use of Guest Lectures

2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011

Total Number of

Guest Lectures

6

13

7

11

Male White

1

5

4

5

Male Minority

2

4

2

6

Female White

1

2

1

-

Female Minority

2

1

-

-

ADA

-

1 White Male

-

-

141

xii. MPA Graduation Rate 2006 and 2007

Academic 2005 ~

2006 Academic 2006 ~ 2007

# of Students 27 41

# of Switchers 1 2

# of students who are Academic Disqualified 1 3

# of Students who are Academic Probation 0 4

# of students who completed 12 units or less 6 6

# of students who graduated in 2 years 8 7




Graduation Rates

- Excluding AP & AD

Graduated in 2 years 32.00% 21.88%




- Including AP & AD





142

xiii. Public Service Values and the La Verne MPA Mission October 2, 2012




In supporting that mission, the faculty are committed to emphasizing the public service values

embedded in the conduct service in public administration. The faculty have identified public

service values that are emphasized in courses as listed in Table 1 that follows.

Table 1 Public Services Values in the La Verne MPA Curriculum

Public Service Value How Examined Course

Pursuing the public

interest with accountability

and transparency

Rulemaking assignment

Students research economic development

and redevelopment projects. The research

process emphasizes issues relating to the

transparency of data and public

involvement. Students also evaluate

outcomes in light of accountability issues.

Examining multiple readings and

presenting best alternatives that provide

essential tools to develop mechanisms for

maximizing public resources and providing

public services through decentralization,

privatization, outsourcing and the

enhancement of intra-organizational

capacity.

PADM 533 – Policy and

Society

PADM 586 – Tools of

Governance

PADM 501 Public

Administration and Society

Serving professionally

with competence,

efficiency, and objectivity.

Legislative process learning in “applied

project”

Students learn about effective approaches

to economic development; they also

develop research and analytical

competencies.

Through the analytical examination of

diverse case studies that showcase the

ethos of public administration and help

students generate critical skills for project

development.

PADM 533 – Policy


Governance

PADM 501 – Public

Administration

Serving Professionally

with respect, equity, and

fairness

Equity and Fairness

Policy Analysis Assignment

Policy formation process and power

differentials in policy making in “applied

project” assignment.

PADM 596 – Graduate

Seminar

PADM 533 – Policy

143

Demonstrating respect,

equity, and fairness in

dealings with citizens and

fellow public servants.

Students research economic development

and redevelopment projects. The research

process emphasizes issues relating to the

transparency of data and public

involvement. Students also evaluate

outcomes in light of accountability issues.


Governance

Acting ethically so as to

uphold the public trust

Students examine ethical issues related to

the role of the public and private sectors in

development projects along with ethical

concerns with public administrators acting

as entrepreneurs.


Governance


The commitment to public service values distinguishes NASPAA-accredited programs from other degree

programs. The expectation that the Program will:

§ _Define and pursue a mission that benefits its community through education and disseminating

knowledge about public affairs, administration and policy reflects NASPAA’s commitment to public

service values for example civic virtue, participatory processes and social equity;

§ _Direct resources toward observable and measurable outcomes reflects NASPAA’s

commitment to public values of transparency and accountability;

§ _Evolve and improve reflects NASPAA’s commitment to public values of responsiveness and

sustainability;

In this way, NASPAA’s accreditation process promotes public service values as the heart of the

discipline.

Public Service Values--The mission, governance, and curriculum of eligible programs shall demonstrably

emphasize public service values. Public service values are important and enduring beliefs, ideals and

principles shared by members of a community about what is good and desirable and what is not. They

include pursuing the public interest with accountability and transparency; serving professionally with

competence, efficiency, and objectivity; acting ethically so as to uphold the public trust; and

demonstrating respect, equity, and fairness in dealings with citizens and fellow public servants. NASPAA

expects an accreditable program to define the boundaries of the public service values it emphasizes, be

they procedural or substantive, as the basis for distinguishing itself from other professional degree

programs.

144

xv. Faculty Biosketches

a. Suzanne Beaumaster

Suzanne Beaumaster, Associate Professor of Public Administration

Director, Doctoral Program in Public Administration

Suzanne Beaumaster is Associate professor of Public Administration at the College of Business and

Public Management and started with the University of La Verne in 1997. Professor Beaumaster offers

courses in organizational theory, ethics and information technology. Her research focuses on the

utilization of information in public sector organizations. Professor Beauamster has published chapters in

books on public information management as has several articles published in conference proceedings.

Professor Beaumaster holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Ohio University (1988) a

Master of Public Administration degree from Northern Kentucky University (1992) and a PhD. in Public

Administration and Public Affairs (1998) from Virginia Tech. Her dissertation title is “Information

Technology Implementation Issues: An Analysis.”

b. Marcia Godwin

Dr. Marcia Godwin, Associate Professor of Public Administration

Dr. Godwin has extensive experience in local government administration in Southern

California. She teaches advanced data analysis courses in the Doctor of Public

Administration program and a variety of courses in the Master of Public Administration

Program.

Dr. Godwin earned a Ph.D. in political science from Claremont Graduate University

and holds master’s degrees in both public administration and public policy. Teaching

and research interests include local government fiscal sustainability and ethics, local government

innovation, and development of the next generation of public managers. She has also authored several

analyses of California congressional and senatorial campaigns for the The Roads to Congress series,

conducted research on gun control and gun rights interest groups, and co-authored work on gender and

politics.

Professional experience includes full-time positions with the Cities of Chino and Rancho Cucamonga in

California along with consultant work in the areas of integrated waste management, emergency

preparedness, and grants administration. Dr. Godwin also has experience with developing environmental

programs, volunteer management, budgeting, contract and grant management, and collaborative public

networks. She is active with a number of non-profit and professional organizations, along with serving as

director/chair of the University of La Verne’s Institutional Review Board.

c. Soomi Lee

Assistant Professor of Public Administration

Soomi Lee is a visiting Assistant Professor of Public Administration at the

College of Business and Public Management at the University of La Verne. She

teaches quantitative research methods, data analysis, and microeconomic

analysis for public policy. Her research encompasses public finance, social

identity and diversity, and informal institutions. Her primary research includes

the role of procedural fairness on public resource allocation, the effect of racial

diversity on public good provision at the local and the state levels, and juvenile

145

justice issues in California. She works with the Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights

Watch in the Los Angeles office. Professor Lee received her Ph.D. in Economics and Political

Science from the Claremont Graduate University in 2011.

d. Jack Meek

Professor of Public Administration

Director, MPA Program

Jack W. Meek, Ph.D. is a La Verne Academy Professor and Professor of Public

Administration at the College of Business and Public Management at the University of

La Verne where he is Director of the Master of Public Administration Program. Jack's

research focuses on metropolitan governance including the emergence of administrative

connections and relationships in local government, regional collaboration and

partnerships, policy networks and citizen engagement. Jack serves on three editorial

boards including the Journal of Organizational Behavior and Theory. Jack's most recent

publications is a co-edited book, Networked Governance (2012 CQ Press) and a co-

authored book, Governance Networks in Public Administration and Public Policy (2010

CRC Press).

Selected Research and Publications

• Jack W. Meek And Kurt Thurmaier, Eds. (Forthcoming 2012) Networked Governance: The Future of

Intergovernmental Management. CQ Press.

• Christopher Koliba, Jack W. Meek, Asim Zia (2010) Governance Networks in Public Administration

and Public Policy. New York: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.

• H. George Frederickson and Jack W. Meek (2011) Bureaucratie sans Frontiéres: Legitimacy,

Authority, Accountability in Geo-Governance Systems, in Edoardo Ongaro, Andrew Massey,

Marc Holzer, Ellen Wayenberg (eds.) Policy, Performance and Management in governance and

Intergovernmental Relations: Transatlantic Perspectives. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.

• Jack W. Meek, Guest Editor (2010) Complexity Theory for Public Administration and Policy, Vol. 12,

Issue 1, for the Journal Emergence: Complexity and Organization.

• Goktug Morcol, Lorlene Hoyt, Jack W. Meek and Ulf Zimmerman, Eds. (2008) Business Improvement

Districts: Research, Theories, and Controversies. Public Administration and Public Policy Series,

Auerbach Publications of Taylor & Francis.

Selected Awards and Affiliations

• Chair, Master of Public Administration, College of Business and Public Management, University of La

Verne;

• Visiting Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College;

• 2007 CAPES Foreign Visiting Fellow, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense in Campos, Brazil.

(Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior)

Visiting scholar, Citizen Engagement Initiative (Professor Terry Cooper, Director), School of Policy,

Planning and Development, University of Southern California (2003-2006)

e. Lisa Saye


I hold a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management and a Doctorate in Public

Administration. I have over a decade of experience in holding public and private sector positions

in University Teaching, Human Resource Management, Policy Formation, Implementation and

http://www.cqpress.com/product/Networked.html

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http://iscepublishing.com/ECO/issue_contents.aspx?Volume=12&Issue=1.

http://iscepublishing.com/ECO/issue_contents.aspx?Volume=12&Issue=1.

http://www.taylorandfrancis.com/books/details/9781420045765/



146

Evaluation domestically and internationally. My practical experience includes directing a

research business whereby I conducted Needs Assessments and Program Evaluations for

numerous federal grants including some in Public Housing. My international experience

includes conducting interviews and surveys on course curriculum, employment policies and

international policies in Haiti, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, The Gambia, The Maldives and

Brasil. I have published texts, articles and presented findings and conclusions to international

university administrators, international radio and television outlets and conferences. I hold board

memberships with the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) and

the Association of Third World Studies (ATWS). I am a Fulbright Specialist (2010-2015) and

have presented at conferences in Korea, France, Haiti, and Nepal.

f. Keith Schildt

Professor of Public Administration

Chair, Department of Public and Health Administration

Keith Schildt holds a Ph.D. in political science and masters degrees in both public administration

and urban studies. He is Professor of Public Administration and Chair of the Department of

Public and Health Administration. He teaches public policy and strategic planning as well as

does research in food and nutrition policy. Prior to working in academia, Keith worked in

municipal government. He is also a strategic management consultant and policy analyst to a

wide variety of government and nonprofit organizations.

Keith has been on the Board of Directors and served leadership roles for a number of nonprofit

organizations; for example, he is past President of the National Association of Nutrition and

Aging Service Providers, was on the Board of the Association of Nutrition Services Agencies,

and the California Association of Nutrition Directors for the Elderly. He also helped form the

California Nutrition Coalition, a 501C3 education and advocacy organization. He currently is the

Chairman of Tustin Unified School District’s Community Advisory Committee on Special

Education and is on the board of directors of the Orange County Asperger’s Support Group (a

non-profit educational and advocacy organization)

g. Adrian M. Velazquez


Adrian M. Velazquez, Ph.D. (University of Texas at Dallas, 2007), is Assistant

Professor of Public Administration in the College of Business and Public Management

at the University of La Verne. Dr. Velazquez teaches courses in leadership,

methodology, human resources, and organizational theory. His research centers on the

analysis of immigration policies and phenomena. He is particularly interested in

Mexican immigration to the U.S. and the development of immigrants’ social

networks, as well as factors that contribute to social exclusion. Dr. Velazquez’s work

has appeared in the Journal of Ethnicity and Criminal Justice and the Simon Review.

His book, Mexican Immigrants’ Social Networks: An Analysis of Social Exclusion in

the United States of America, has been accepted for publication by the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa

in México.

Dr. Velazquez holds a Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he also

obtained an MPA degree with a Policy Analysis concentration. Previously, he graduated with a law

degree from the Universidad de Guanajuato. In Mexico, Dr. Velazquez worked as a consultant for the

147

private sector before entering public service in the Water State Commission of Guanajuato, where he

worked as Department Manager of Legislative Support. In the U.S., he worked as a faculty member at

Southern Illinois University - Carbondale before joining the University of La Verne. He has also provided

consulting services and training in Human Resources for diverse companies in Texas and New York.

h. Matthew Witt

Associate professor of public administration.

Dr. Witt’s teaching areas include integrated ethical leadership, managing sustainable

communities, public administration theory, research foundations, and urban

environments. Dr. Witt's primary published work pertains to race and public

administration theory, and state crimes against democracy. Dr. Witt recently led

design team to the semifinals of the National Ideas Competition for the Washington

Monument. This submission built upon research examining the master planning

history of the Capital Mall, published in 2005 in Public Administration Review. Dr.

Witt also served recently as moderator for the International Hearings on the Events of

September 11, 2001, hosted at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada.

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