The Exchange is the University of Nebraska Omaha School of Public Administration biannual newsletter.
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THE Newsletter of the School of Public Administration http://spa.unomaha.edu Summer/Fall 2013 University of Nebraska Omaha exchange Now From The Director’s Desk The School of Public Administration: A Look Back By Dr. Ethel Williams It is amazing how fast forty years passes by. In 1972-73 the following events were important: Nixon was re-elected to second term in the White House and took his unprecedented eight-day • visit to Communist China to meet with Mao Zedong America landed more men on the moon • Gov. George Wallace of Alabama was shot by Arthur Bremer at a political rally in Laurel, MD • The Supreme Court made the historic Roe vs. Wade abortion decision • Mark Spitz won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics where eight Palestinians kid- • napped and killed 11 Israeli wrestlers The trend in fashion included miniskirts, midi skirts, hot pants, stretch fabrics and pant • suits with wide-leg trousers (one of the past Directors still has his!) M*A*S*H premiered on CBS and Time Inc. transmitted HBO as the first pay cable network • Electronic mail was introduced • Several faculty members in the Political Science Department at UNO helped to create • the Department of Public Administration While I was not a part of the Department of Public Administration in 1972-73, I came soon after- wards. I was a very young, recent MPA graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the very first Director of the Human Relations Department for the City of Council Bluffs when I was asked to be on the Advisory Board for the Division of Training and Community Service. This introduced me to the new School of Public Affairs and Community Service (SPACS) and many individuals in the new units. I was quickly introduced to the members of the PA Department - David Scott, Department chair, Harry Reynolds, David Paulsen and later Harold Gordon. After coming to work for the University full-time, I was asked to teach as an adjunct, and I quickly became an integral part of the Department. These were the “good ol’ boys” (I say that in the most respectful and loving way). I knew the theoretical side of public administration and they knew both theory and practice. They brought me into their “club” and taught me more about the discipline than my highly-valued MPA alone could ever do. Continued on page 2 Then
Transcript
THE
Newsletter of the School of Public Administration
http://spa.unomaha.edu
Summer/Fall 2013
University of Nebraska Omaha
exch
ange Now
From The Director’s Desk
The School of Public Administration: A Look Back By Dr. Ethel Williams
It is amazing how fast forty years passes by. In 1972-73 the following events were important:
Nixon was re-elected to second term in the White House and took his unprecedented eight-day •visit to Communist China to meet with Mao Zedong
America landed more men on the moon•
Gov. George Wallace of Alabama was shot by Arthur Bremer at a political rally in Laurel, MD•
The Supreme Court made the historic Roe vs. Wade abortion decision•
Mark Spitz won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics where eight Palestinians kid-•napped and killed 11 Israeli wrestlers
The trend in fashion included miniskirts, midi skirts, hot pants, stretch fabrics and pant •suits with wide-leg trousers (one of the past Directors still has his!)
Several faculty members in the Political Science Department at UNO helped to create •the Department of Public Administration
While I was not a part of the Department of Public Administration in 1972-73, I came soon after-wards. I was a very young, recent MPA graduate of the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School ofPublicandInternationalAffairsandtheveryfirstDirectoroftheHumanRelationsDepartmentforthe City of Council Bluffs when I was asked to be on the Advisory Board for the Division of Training and Community Service. This introduced me to the new School of Public Affairs and Community Service (SPACS) and many individuals in the new units. I was quickly introduced to the members of the PA Department - David Scott, Department chair, Harry Reynolds, David Paulsen and later Harold Gordon.
After coming to work for the University full-time, I was asked to teach as an adjunct, and I quickly became an integral part of the Department. These were the “good ol’ boys” (I say that in the most respectful and loving way). I knew the theoretical side of public administration and they knew both theory and practice. They brought me into their “club” and taught me more about the discipline than my highly-valued MPA alone could ever do.
Continued on page 2
Then
Continued from page 1
From the beginning, the emphasis was on quality education. The members of the faculty valued managerial competen-cies (not a word used in the late 1970’s), and made sure students were introduced to practical skills and practitioners that could help them develop as public managers. Relation-ships were developed with the Nebraska city and county managers and later Nebraska Municipal Clerks. David Paulsen recognized the need for additional training for city clerks and worked very diligently to help develop the Municipal Clerk School and Academy (still one of the best in thecountry).Thefacultyalsowasawareoftheneedtofulfillthe statewide mandate that was a part of establishing the department.
The response was to begin teaching courses in Lincoln, making it possible for state workers and those in driving distance to earn an MPA. How to reach the rest of the state
Early in its history the Department also reached out to the newly formed National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). It was strongly believed that member-ship in the organization, and later accreditation by NASPAA, would only help the MPA program become stronger.
I left the Department for nearly a decade but returned to a larger faculty and a greater emphasis on academic excellence. The “good ol’ boys” had all retired and a couple had passed away, yet the foundation they had built was strong. The quest for academic excellence was even stronger. The Department had grown to include Urban Studies, and had started to develop a new Ph.D. in Public Administration. Around the same time the Aviation Institute was added to the unit. The DepartmentappliedtobecomeaSchool,andlateraddedtheonlineMPA,theCertifiedPublicManager Program, and most recently the Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management.
Looking back over the last 40 years of the Department/School of Public Administration, I feel especially fortunate to have been a part of the majority of it. There is still the quest to be better andbetter.Thereisstilltheconsciousknowledgeofthestatewidemandateandwaysoffulfillingit – the distance program is extremely helpful. There is also still the conscious effort to reach out to public sector stakeholders – a much broader constituency than 40 years ago.
What will the next 40 years look like for the School? When I became the School Director I asked myself; had I learned enough from David Scott, Harry Reynolds and David Paulsen – PA 1.0? Had working with David Hinton, B.J. Reed and John Bartle – PA 2.0 – taught me enough to move the School to PA 3.0? I will leave that assessment to the Director in 2053; remembering that 40 years will pass very quickly.
FACULTY & STAFFSCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION6001 Dodge StreetOmaha, Nebraska
68182-0276
(402) 554-2625Ethel Williams, Director
John BartleRobert BlairTara Bryan
Carol EbdonAngela Eikenberry
Mary HamiltonBryce Hoflund
Dale KraneKen Kriz (to May 2013)
Jooho LeeJoe MancusoGary Marshall
James B. MillikenPatrick O’Neil
BJ Reed Chris Reed
Russell SmithArwiphawee Srithongrung
(to May 2013)
Ellen Freeman-WakefieldAmy Kelley
Rhonda Sheibal-CarverMeagan Van Gelder
AVIATION INSTITUTE(402) 554-3424
Scott Vlasek, Director
David ByersMichael Ferguson
Becky LutteDavid SmithBrett Teten
Gayle LokeySara Martin
NASA OFFICE(402) 554-3772
Scott Tarry, Director
Lulu FerdousDaneisha Hall
Michaela LucasMelissa Wragge
“The essence of statesmanship is not a rigid adherence to the past, but a prudent and probing concern for the future.” Hubert H. Humphrey
32 SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL
Dr. Ethel Williams
32 SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONPAST TO THE PRESENT CONTEST
The current newsletter looks back over the development of UNO’s School of Public Administration. It is appropriate, therefore, to challenge the many graduates of the program with a set of questions based on SPA’s history. These questions focus on facts about past and present PA faculty members and facts about the former building in which SPA used to be located.
Thiscontestismeanttobefun,butitisalsoaseriouschallenge.A$25giftcertificatefromtheUNOBookstorewillbeawardedbyDr.DaleKranetothefirstpersonwhocorrectlyanswersthemostquestions.Pleaseanswerthequestionsandsendthemviae-mail to [email protected], fax to 402 554-2682, or regular mail to SPA Attn.: History Contest. Deadline for receipt of submissions is Friday, October 11, 2013. Please be sure to include your name and contact information along with your answers.(Sorry, UNO employees are not eligible for this contest.)
1. UNO’s School of Public Administration (SPA) used to be located in a large mansion on the west side of the Dodge Streetcampus?Ifyoulookedonacampusmap,whatwastheofficialnameoftheoldhouse?
2. What is the name of the faculty member who directed the Urban Studies program during the 1980s and 1990s? Hint: the person obtained their doctoral degree from a university in the Netherlands.
3. Which faculty member sings in a choir and was previously employed by the City of Council Bluffs, Iowa?4. OnwhichsideofSPA’sformerresidencewasthefireescapelocated?5. Which current faculty member once served as UNO’s Dean of Graduate Studies? Hint: the person is very
knowledgeable about horses.6. WhichfacultymemberhasservedinimportantfiscalpostsintwodifferentU.S.cities?7. What was distinctive about the bathrooms in SPA’s old house?8. Which faculty member once worked for the National League of Cities and is a renowned expert on scotch
whiskeys?9. Who was the Administrative Assistant when Prof. B.J. Reed was chair of the Department of Public Administration?10. The Gateway once published a picture of what animal perched on the old mansion’s chimney?11. WhowasSPA’sfirstSeniorExecutiveinResidence?12. Which former faculty member was a city manager in Oregon?13. Thephotocopymachineandofficesupplieswerelocatedinanareaoftheoldmansionthatoriginallywaswhat
type of room?14. From1987to2012whowasthetallestmemberofSPA’sfacultyandwasalsoaformerpoliceofficer?15. Which faculty member was the recipient of the 2010 Grenzebach award for outstanding research and is often
seen riding a bicycle?16. What was the street address of SPA’s former building? Hint: part of it can be found in the current building.17. Whichcurrentfacultymember’sofficeintheoldhousehadalargefireplacewithriverbirchlogsinit?Hint:personwas
formerly employed by the NE Department of Economic Development.18. Name the faculty member who speaks English, Korean, and Polish.19. Name two of three original faculty members who formed SPA when the unit was formally established by the university.20. Name the faculty member who has degrees from two different universities in Texas and who has taught federal
government managers in the Washington, D.C. area?21. In what year did SPA move from the old mansion to the renovated Engineering building (now called CPACS building)? 22. NamethefacultymemberwhoisaformerArmyofficerandisaneditoroftheLacanianCompass?Hint:hasadegreein
counseling.23. Which faculty member makes gourmet cheeses and is studying food safety?24. In what year was the Aviation Institute added to SPA?25. Which current faculty member has been on the faculty of four different universities?26. WhichmemberoftheSPAofficestaffhaspetsnamedEllyMayandSadieSue?Hint:thepersonistheAssistant
DirectoroftheNebraskaCertifiedPublicManager®program.27. Which PA faculty member has served as Director of the School of Public Administration and also has served as the
Director of the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR)? Hint: this person recently retired from UNO’s OIE.28. WhichmemberofSPA’sofficestafflikestogocamping,andcouldrideamotorcycletothecampsite?29. Name the SPA Senior Executive in Residence who is originally from Gothenberg, NE? Hint: the person was once
employed by GAO.30. Who is SPA’s marathoner and triathlete? Hint: the person has an Ed.D. from a university in Ypsilanti, MI.31. Who recently received their US Citizenship and is one of the School’s biggest hockey fans?32. WhichfacultymemberwasaRugbyplayerandofficiatesthegame?33. Name the three SPA faculty who were invited to be National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) fellows.
Tie breaker: Name the university in Romania that UNO SPA assisted with the creation of that university’s program in public administration.
54 SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL
40 Years of Growth, Success and Accomplishments
By Nick Schinker
Anniversaries are meant to be celebrated, and that is truly the sentiment as the School of Public Administration (SPA) marks its 40th year of ser-vice to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the community and the world. “Since our humble beginnings, we have grown tremendously, not only in size but also in stature and reputation,” says Ethel Williams, Ph.D., SPA Director and Reynolds Professor of Public Affairs. “We have worked together to build the School from one that is recognized regionally to one that is recognized nationally for the strength of our programs and our faculty, their research and the leadership positions they hold.” The 2013 edition of the U.S. News & World Re-port’s “America's Best Graduate Schools” ranks SPA among the nation’s top programs. In its Pub-lic Affairs rankings, UNO placed 33rd nationally and tied for 23rd place among public institutions. In addition:
Information technology and management ranked sixth nationally among 15 similar programs, and third nationally among public universities; Public management administration ranked 21st nationally;
City management and urban policy ranked 14th nationally;
Publicfinanceandbudgetingrankedsixthnationally; and
Nonprofitmanagementranked11thnationally.
Through the years, SPA administrators and faculty membershavefilledmanyhighprofilerolesinna-tional professional organizations. For example, Dr. Williams is the incoming president of the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Adminis-tration (NASPAA), the premier membership orga-nization of graduate education programs in public policy, public affairs, public administration, and
publicandnonprofitmanagement.B.J.Reed,former UNO College of Public Affairs and Com-munity Service (CPACS) dean, now senior vice chancellorintheOfficeofAcademicandStudentAffairs, previously served as NASPAA president. The chair of SPA’s Master in Public Administration program, Carol Ebdon, Ph.D., served as chair of the national Association for Budgeting and Finan-cial Management. In addition, SPA has four Fellows elected to the prestigious National Academy of Public Adminis-tration: Drs. Williams and B.J. Reed, former SPA Director Dr. John Bartle, the David Scott Diamond Professor of Public Affairs and now CPACS dean; and Mary Hamilton, Ph.D., SPA’s senior execu-tive-in-residence and consultant for the Nebraska CertifiedPublicManager®program. “Our faculty members sit on national review boards, accreditation boards, and peer and pub-lication review boards,” Dr. Williams says. “We have a great history of service to the profession.” She notes that the School has grown from four in-structors in 1973 to 13 full-time faculty members, each having earned a Ph.D. “Our early faculty were respected in the discipline,” she says, “but the discipline was not as broad as it is today.” As one of the largest Public Administration (PA) programs in the country, the School continues to expand by offering new areas of concentration and dual degrees, such as the Master of Social Work/Master of Public Administration. “Our Ph.D. program continues to grow based on its solid reputation,” Dr. Williams says. “Because of our national rankings, we are being sought out by an increasing number of students who do their research on strong PA programs.”
Professor Gary Marshall, Ph.D., is the chair of SPA’s Ph.D. in Public Administration program, which focuses on the role of public sector orga-nizations in a democratic and diverse society. Dr. Marshall joined the SPA faculty in 1995. “What enticed me initially was its reputation as a place on the march,” he recalls. “During my interview, I was struck right away by the collegiality,” he says. “Everyone I met had a shared sense of what they were trying to build. They were hiring assistant
54 SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL
professors who would work to sustain what they were trying to do over time. I saw a level of professionalism and high achievement that still continues to grow.”
He says a successful university program de-pends on horizontal networking, not corporate hierarchy. “A strong national reputation comes from other people at other universities recog-nizing the new and innovative things you are doing,” he says, “and what we are doing has served us well.”
Dr. Marshall says an increase in privatization haschangedtheprofileofthepeopleattractedby SPA’s programs. “I used to teach more people who worked directly for the federal gov-ernment at the local level, or at state agencies,” he says. “The median age was higher, and they wantedspecificthings.Theywantedtoadvancevia vindication of what they already knew. “Now I see a lot of younger students who are hungrier to learn and apply what they learned right away. That demands more of us as experts.” Associate Professor Robert Blair, Ph.D., earned his MPA at UNO in 1975 three years after the programbegan.“Iwashiredtobethefirstgraduate assistant in Public Administration,” he recalls. “I thought it was because they recog-nized my capacity and potential, but what they really needed was a big guy to move boxes into the old house on the west end of campus.” He pointstoDavidScott,thefirstdepartmentchair,as one of the key people who provided a strong foundation for the School. “He put an emphasis on city management. The faculty he hired were real nuts-and-bolts guys. They were very practi-cally-oriented people with years of experience in thefield.TheyknewwhatPublicAdministrationis all about.” After 14 years working in a variety of city and state government positions, Dr. Blair returned to UNO in 1989 as a Senior Research Associate at the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR). He joined the faculty of the School of Public Ad-ministration (SPA) in 1996. “I moved into an of-ficeoncampuswhereIoncestudied,”hesays.
“You never know the opportunities life is going to throw your way.” A member of the SPA faculty since 1982, Chris-tine M. Reed, Ph.D., is Regents/Foundation Pro-fessor and Director of the Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Master Academy. When she arrived, the unit was still a department and not yet a School. She says former CPACS Associate Dean David Hinton, Ph.D., had been appointed interim department chair. “It was a small pro-gram,”sherecalls,“anddefinitelynottheSchoolthat it is today.” Dr. Hinton immediately set about the task of drawing more faculty members to the department. “Dave was a phenomenal re-cruiter,” she says. “He had an incredible ability to articulate the vision of where we were going. He helped create a culture in the department that really blossomed.” Dr. Reed credits the late John Kerrigan, who served as Dean of CPACS, with motivating her and others to become active in national organi-zations and to publish their research. “He want-ed us to help make the department more visible, and by doing so we would continually increase our credibility.” Shesayspartnershipsformedwithstateoffi-cials in Lincoln, and with private individuals and organizations throughout the Omaha community, also fueled SPA’s growth and reputation. “When I look back, I see how the tapestry was woven,” Dr. Reed says. “It’s a powerful story of the mean-ing of building networks and active connections in the community.” It’s a story that is not yet completed, says Dr. Williams. “I see a very bright future for the School,” she says. “I believe we will continue to build on our reputation, and that we will attract students and faculty with a heart for public ser-vice and the drive to succeed. “We will continue to evolve, and change our ways when neces-sary. By doing so, we will ensure our relevance, and our role as an academic and community leader.”
SCHOOL 7 6 SCHOOL NEWS
“Out of This World Training” by Michaela Lucas
The NASA Nebraska Space Grant is partnering with the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to provide “Out of This World” training for Nebraska teachers. Nineteen teachers and pre-service teachers from across thestatewereselectedasthefirstclassofNASANebraskaEducationSpaceAmbassadors(NESA).Thiscadre of teachers will travel to Kennedy Space Center in July for training by the NASA Education staff. They will tour facilities, participate in simulated launches, and learn hands-on activities. They will share their training with other teachers throughout Nebraska as part of their ambassador role. Training teachers impacts more students over time than student-based activities. The goal is to help teachers become more confidentindeliveringNASA-relatedcontent.
UAS Summit by Michaela Lucas
The NASA Nebraska EPSCoR program hosted 25 individuals from across the state at an Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Summit on May 28. The event, held at the Strategic Air & Space Museum, established a UAS Working Group for Nebraska with many action items to position the state for opportunities associ-ated with unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned aerial systems. If others are interested in participating, especially with policy issues, please contact Michaela Lucas at [email protected].
Michaela Lucas Outstanding UNO Organization Advisor by Lulu-A-Ferdous
Michaela Lucas was awarded the Outstanding Advisor of the Year Award for Women in Aviation by UNO’s Student Organizations and Leadership Program. The award is given to the best advisor for their contribution to a student organization on campus. Mrs. Lucas was selected for her pioneering leadership in aviation and aerospace science, her mentoring and stewardship towards motivating women and minor-ities in aviation and STEM disciplines, as well as for cultivating leadership among the members among other qualities. The Women for Women, UNO Chapter also recognized Michaela Lucas by selecting her for Woman of the Month for March 2013 for her outstanding leadership role as one of the advisors of the WiSTEM (Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Organization at UNO.
UNO Women in Aviation Hosts Women in Aviation Conference Session by Lulu-A-Ferdous
UNO Women in Aviation Chapter Advisor Michaela Lucas and Chapter President Lulu-A-Ferdous facilitat-ed the University Aviation Association session for college and university students at the recent Women in Aviation Conference. The session was standing-room only to hear guest speaker Anna Mracek Dietrich, ChiefOperatingOfficer(COO)andCo-FounderofTerrafugia,theworld’s'firstpracticalflyingcar'.TheUNO Chapter was represented by 12 members at the conference in Nashville, TN March 12-16, 2013. The NASA Nebraska Space Grant sponsored the trip for members to attend professional development sessions and education sessions at the conference that annually draws over 3,000 attendees associated with the aviation and aerospace industry from all over the world.
SCHOOL 7
Nebraska CPM Program by EllenFreeman-Wakefield
In April of this year, Dave Skow, Nebraska Department of Correctional Services, received the 2011 Askew Award from the National CPM Alumni organization, the American Academy of CPMs to “acknowledge the efforts of those who have demonstrated exemplary work in their CPM projects” Dave’s project was entitled NDCS Treatment File andaddressedhowtheInmateTreatmentFile(firstimplementedintheearly1970’s)couldberestructuredmak-ingitmoreefficient,costeffective,easytouse,andmeettheneedsofthedepartmenttoday.Daveunfortunatelywas unable to be in attendance at the event.
On January 24, 2013 the program welcomed six new participants to this years CPM program. New participants include Carol Armknecht, a case manager with NDCS - Tecumsha Facility; Karla Dush, a program director with HeartlandFamilyService;WillLingerafirefighterandparamedicwiththeCityofPapillion;JoshMadsenaWasteWater Treatment Operator with the City of Blair and Keisha Silas, a case manager with NDCS- Lincoln Facility. In addition, we welcomed Diane McKee a program director with Catholic Charities - Des Monies who will complete the program from last year.
Applicationsforthe2014CPMCohortarenowavailableonlineorcallEllenFreeman-Wakefieldat402-554-2636or visit website at www.unomaha.edu/cpm/index.php for more information.
Nebraska Clerks Institute and Academy byEllenFreeman-Wakefield
The Nebraska Clerks Institute and Academy took place March 18-22, 2013 at the New World Inn Columbus, Nebraska and welcomed over a 150 participants. This year the Institute and Academy was honored to welcome keynotespeakerRichardWatson,aPoliceOfficerwith29yearsexperiencewiththeMetropolitanPoliceService,currently working for the Public Order Branch as an Event Planner at New Scotland Yard. Constable Watson spoke about his work with all types of Police Operations from Ceremonial, Public Order, Community and highly ConfidentialOperations.SomeofthehighprofileeventsinLondonPCWatsonhaseitherplannedorwasinvolvedin include; Visit of The Pope in 2010, The Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, Various NFL regular season Games played now played in London, and 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. All oftheseeventsincludedsignificantinvolvementofspecialistpolicedepartments,otheremergencyservices,localmunicipalities and event organizers.
As it had started out the week ended on a high note, with Michael Fann and his session “Creating a Culture of Civility - Is it Me or Is it You”. This session examined the role that poor communication skills, attitudes, personal insecurities, and other factors play in creating a toxic culture within many organizations. In the session Michael provided the clerks with skills to identify evaluation points and action steps designed to enhance the work environ-ment toward a more productive, positive and safer culture.
Clerks throughout the week also had the opportunity to network at social events, meet with vendors and learn more about the International Institute Municipal Clerks Conference which will take place in Omaha in 2016.
Russian Delegates Visit UNO by Meagan Van Gelder
In May, ten Russian delegates came to Omaha to learn more about accountability and governance and the city of Omaha. Dr. Mike Mendlick of the Friendship Force of Greater Omaha coordinated the visit through Open World Leader Center, an exchange and partnership program to create a stronger understanding between Eurasian and Americanleaders.Thedelegateswerestateandlocalofficialsandoneprofessor.TheyvisitedOmaha’smayor’soffice,HeartlandFamilyServices,ValmontIndustries,andenjoyedahayrackrideatShadyLaneRanch.Ourguests spent a day on the UNO campus. SPA Faculty and local practitioners presented on the topics of elected officials,citymanagers,nonprofitorganizationsandpublicbudgeting.FormoreinformationaboutOpenWorld,please visit www.openworld.gov
One Man with Many SidesDale Krane, Ph.D., Kayser Chair ProfessorBy Nick Schinker
Whether the topic is public administration, federalism or research design, Dale Krane, Ph.D., communicates a perspective that is as razor sharp as the pieces of scrap steel he used to handle as a young man in one of his early jobs in Indiana. Dr. Krane is a man with many sides. He is a dedicated teacher who since 2007 has held the title of Kayser Chair Professor at the School of Public Administration and who has twice served as a Fulbright professor in Brazil. An author and editor, he is an expert in several areas including the 1965 Voting Rights Act, American federalism, home rule in America and community development block grant programs. His professional service includes his election as president of the UNO Faculty Senate, as well as extensive national council and committee work with the American Society for Public Administration and the American Political Science Association. He has provided technical assistance to state and local governments in the US, and to public officialsinBrazil,Japan,Moldova,RomaniaandVenezuela. “If you are going to be a professional in a career that asks you to be multi-faceted, you ought to push yourself to be as good as you can in each facet,” Dr. Krane says. “My research, my teaching and my professional service all have been recognized. A lot of people work very hard their entire careers and are not recognized for their contributions. I feel very privileged and fortunate.” Dr. Krane grew up in the Gary-Hammond area of Indiana, an industrial region thick with steel mills and automobile plants.Hisfather,Walter,wasaplumberandpipefitterwho worked as a foreman on construction projects. Dr. Krane worked one summer for his father, as a construction laborer, moving bricks and mortar. He also worked as a waiter, dishwasher and restaurant manager, andasasteelgrinderandsteelloader,fillingtrucksandrail cars. One of his jobs was to pick up the pieces of scrap steel trim that had been discarded by the cutting machines. It was arduous work. “The steel scrap was very sharp,” he recalls. “I wore long-sleeve sweatshirts and thick gloves to keep from getting cut.” While completing his undergraduate work at Indiana University he made the decision to become a university professor. “The only question was, would it be in government or economics?” The interest in public affairs goes back to his parents. “They were active at the
precinct level, hosting receptions for local candidates in our home,” he recalls. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1965 during a turbulent period for US cities. The civil rights movement had prompted passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. But the
radicalism of the late 1960s turned the protests from non-violent sit-ins to deadly riots. “At the time, cities had become a matter of great concern for people,” Dr. Krane says. Hisfirsttimeattheheadofaclassroomwasasateaching assistant at the University of Minnesota. “It was a large, two-tiered amphitheater with about 300 seats,” he says, smiling. “The students in the top tier thought I was about 4-foot-6. That’s how big the room was.” He taught at the University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh while completing his dissertation at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. “I had to teach four courses a semester,” he says, “and get research done at the same time.” A drop in college enrollment in the early 1970s led to the elimination of all non-tenured faculty members in Oshkosh during his third year there. “Because I had begun a public administration program in Oshkosh I received an offer to establish a PA program at Mississippi State University.” He and his wife, Maria Carmen, a native of Brazil whom he had met while both were graduates students in Indiana, lived in Starkville for 13 years. As the parents of two children, Karina and Jordan, “Maria and I were involved in parent-teacher associations during desegregation. It was a very interesting time to live in the South.” They went from Mississippi to Texas, where he taught for two years at the University of North Texas and his wife served at Texas Women’s University in Denton. In 1988, he received an offer to join a growing Public Administration program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He says UNO and SPA have provided many opportunities to thrive. “The School is a very supportive environment,” he says. “We have an excellent organizational culture here where people do well.”
98 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
98 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Faculty Fast Facts:
Robert Blair, David Drozd and Jerome Deichert, “Fire Protection in Rural Nebraska: A Focus on Volunteer Based Organizations” University of Nebraska Omaha 2013
GangChen,CarolEbdon,KennethA.Kriz,andOlivierMaisondieuLaforge,“TheManagementofDefinedContribution Pension Plans in Local Government,” Public Budgeting and Finance, vol. 33, no. 3 (2013), forth-coming.
Aimee Franklin, Dale Krane, and Carol Ebdon, “Multi-Level Governance Processes – Citizens & Local Bud-geting: Comparing Brazil, China, and the United States,” International Review of Public Administration, vol. 18, no. 1 (2013), pp. 121-144.
Carol Ebdon, Pat O’Neil, and Gang Chen, “The Regional Ripple Effects of the 2011 Missouri River Floods: Disaster Management in Omaha, Nebraska,” Municipal Finance Journal, vol. 33, no. 2 (Summer 2012), pp. 35-59.
Carol Ebdon, “Organization of the Financial and Budgeting Function,” in Management Policies in Local Government Finance, 6th ed., John R. Bartle, W. Bartley Hildreth, and Justin Marlowe, editors, Washington, D.C.: International City/County Management Association (2012).
John Bartle has been selected to serve as Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service ef-fective April 1, 2013
Mary Hamilton was recently awarded the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services’ Partnership Award for 2013.
Pat O’Neil was the recipient of the CPACS 2013 Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service
Ethel Williams was selected as one of the 26th Annual Tribute to Women Honorees on June 4, 2013
FAST FACTS
Along with Drs. Christine M. Reed, Regents/Foundation Professor; and B.J. Reed, now Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at UNO; Dr. Krane wrote the School’s Ph.D. proposal and helped build the program. He has assisted in developingthefirstpublicadministrationprogramatAlexandruIoanCuzaUniversityinIaşi,Romania;andthefirstlocalgovernmenttrainingprogramsatthe Academy of Public Administration in Chisinau, Moldova. In 2011, he was a Fulbright professor in Salvador, Brazil, his second time as a Fulbright professor in Brazil, a nation he has studied extensively because of its federalist government. He also has been a peer reviewer for the Fulbright Senior Specialist in Political Science and Public Administration program.
“UNO is a place of wonderful opportunities and entrepreneurship,” he says. “The people in our unit have a great deal of collegial support for each other.”
Maria Krane, Ed.D., serves as Executive Director of International Programs and Adjunct Associate Professor of Education at Creighton University. She and Dr. Krane will celebrate their 44th anniversary in August, 2013. They have four grandchildren. Amonghisinterests,Dr.Kranelistsfinecuisine,excellentvintages,independentfilms,Americanjazz,Musica Popular Brasileira – and tropical beaches. Ask him to name his favorite beach and he settles back, his mind’s eye revisiting the dozens of sunsets and shores he has visited. “Leblon beach in Rio,” he says, hesitating before he begins to argue with himself. “Or Divi Little Bay on St Maarten.” Then he pauses again. “And there’s the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean. It has some of the most spectacular beaches in the world.” Each one unique and memorable – just like the many sides of Dr. Krane.
1110 STUDENT NEWS
MPA and UBNS Capstone Projects
Our MPA students complete a “capstone” research project as part of their degree requirements. The research includesavarietyoftopicsandmethodologies,andthefindingsarevaluableforpublicandnonprofitagencies.Here are the projects from the Spring/Summer semesters:
Spring 2013
Program Evaluation of Westchester County Airport’s Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (Laura Guercio)•
Implementing a Theory Y Culture in Order to Increase Safety Standards in a Self-Reporting Environment •
(Mark J. Lewin)
Value-Added Modeling of Teacher Evaluation: To What Extent is the Student’s Progress Directly Attributable •
to the Teacher’s Efforts? (Anna Asante)
How Chicago Succeeded in Making Its City Greenest in America (Kathleen Cho)•
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Poverty in Louisiana: Evaluation Study of Effectiveness (Na-•
taliya Arlyapova)
The Fight to End Child Hunger in the Metro Area: A Program Evaluation of the Back Pack Program (Wendy •
Kaiser)
Using GIS to Plan an ADA Compliant Trail in a Stream Corridor Greenway (Michael Cooper) •
A Comparison of Development Methods in Park Avenue (Sheree Goertzen) •
Big Arena, Small Town: A Case Study of Ralston Arena (Matthew Gonzalez) •
The Role of Social Capital Formation in the Development of Poor Communities (Christian Gray)•
Availability of Real Food in Omaha, NE (Kate P. Sierra)•
An Analysis of the Practicability of Next-Generation 911 Systems in Nebraska (David Atwood) •
The Effect of Delinquent Juveniles on the Economy: An Analysis of Juvenile Recidivism Rates and a Pro-•
Identifying the Cost Savings Per Individual to Minnehaha County by Using a Housing First-Model Program •
(Robert Wilson)
Policy Evaluation of Airport Zoning Laws for Nebraska (Tad Lambert)•
Electronic Media and Citizen Participation: Do Electronic Tools Lead to Enhanced Citizen Participation in •
the Planning Process? (Jennifer L. Dam Shewchuk)
University of Nebraska - Lincoln College of Engineering: A Case Study of Chaos (Renie Hagensen)•
Papillion La Vista Schools Foundation, Investing in the Future, Process Analysis (Dean Nilson)•
1110 STUDENT NEWS Student News
Student Fast FactsDoctoral Student Ji-Hyung Park recently published a manuscript in the Public Finance and Management Journal (2013). Local Government Reform: Is It Effective on Debt Burdens? Public Finance and Management Journal, 13(3), 195-214.
Anthony Campbell, a doctoral candidate has recently assumed the duties of Social Media Coordinator SIAM’s State and Local Government Review.
Drew Kamp announced he is the new Director of Story County Community Outreach
Christian Janousek, a PhD candidate in Public Administration, has been awarded a 2013 Graduate Research and Creative Activity (GRACA) grant for support of his dissertation research.
CatherineBrown,adoctoralstudentinPublicAdministration,receivedbotha$5,000grantfromtheUNOOfficeofResearchand Creative Activity and a Summer Graduate Scholarship to assist with her dissertation research on the purposes and effects offoundation-fundednonprofitcapacitybuildingprograms.
Three doctoral students and one of our MPA students presented their research at the UNO Research Fair at the Milo Bail Student Center.
ChangsooSong“FactorsInfluencingMicroenterprises’InformationTechnologyAdoption”FacultyAdvisorDr.KenKriz•Byungwoo Cho “A Sketch of Sustainable Development: Which Units of US City Budgets Focus on Sustainability?” •Faculty Advisor Dr. John BartleMegan Edwards “Bolivia: What is their Role in Civic Engagement in Cochabamba?” Faculty Advisor Dr. Angela Eiken-•berryYan Xiao “The Effect of Public Pension Funding on State Credit Ratings” Faculty Advisor Dr. Ken Kriz•
Can Innovative Budget Models Help Control the Cost of Higher Education While Contributing to Mission Suc-•
cess? (Pat O’Neil)
Outcomes Evaluation of Tax Increment Financing: Comparative Analysis of Omaha, Nebraska (Asha Adhikari)•
Technical Barriers to Trade: Examining Procedures for Assessment of Conformity by Central Government Bodies •
UNO Alumna from the School of Public Administration, Nathan George earned his MPA with an emphasis in local government administration in 2003. He has been serving as Deputy Town Manager since early 2006 in Fishers, Indiana, a beautiful suburb of Indianapolis with a population of over 80,000 with over 400 employees. The Town has accomplished many amazing things, under the leadership of its Town Manager, Scott A. Fadness. As the Deputy Town Manager, Nathan’s role is to oversee many of the internal operations such as the mu-nicipal budget and various business processes and help support and make sure all the Town employees and residents are served at the highest possible service level. Nathan stated that he is extremely grateful for the experience and education at UNO—from the amazing, caring, and knowledgeable professors to the beautiful, resourceful campus, he couldn’t have been better served for entering the professional world of local government. Here are a few ex-amples of the many innovative and creative thinking that has been put into place at the Town of Fishers:
First,existingemployeesfromvariousqualifiedemployeeswerecombinedintotheFleetManagement Department and built a facility at a really low cost in order to service everything fromlawnmowerstotheTown'sfireladdertrucks.Itwasbuiltandequippedfor$650,000andsaved$500,000thefirstyear!
Second, an on site Medical Clinic was constructed for employees. The Town partnered with Novia Care Clinics and built an employee on-site medical center for all employees and their dependants on the Town's health insurance. The Town also began offering Health Sav-ings Accounts (HSA) and high-deductible health plans. The on site facility is amazing - all appointments are only 20 minutes and you book everything online. The Town has various hours and several doctors that work part time there. All visits, medications (not all on the market but a large number), blood work, and other services are free, meaning there is no additional cost to the employee's standard health care premiums. The medicine is bought at wholesale. For example, Lipitor is about $100 on the market and the Town pays only $5. This has been a great service and saved the Town millions of dollars. In fact, the Town is self-insured and hasn't raised its health insurance rates for either the employee or employer side in three years!
Third, the Town partnered with the school district which operates 2 high schools, 12 elementary schools, 3 intermediate schools, 3 Junior High Schools,multipleballfields;andthetwotownshipstoprovideallfieldmain-tenance and snow plowing at
The Town of Fishers Amphitheater
1312 ALUMNI NEWS ALUMNI
no increase to employee staff. The schools pay a lot less in contractual services than they did prior to the Town and the Town picks up the revenue!
Fourth, the Town partnered with the Hamilton East Public Library (the Fishers branch is located within the Town's Municipal Complex) to create an amazing businessincubatoronthegroundlevelflooroftheli-brary that was previously unoccupied. This has had tremendous success and the ICMA is working on an article about it. It has even been presented at the White House as a model project by Indiana business representatives.
Fifth, the Town hired a new Community Development Director and he has worked to create a partnership with a private entity (through the bidding process) to create a $33 million dollar mixed use project on the municipal complex by the Town providing the land, which includes a parking garage for the public.
Sixth, The Town built a phenomenal Amphitheater on site at the municipal complex. The build-ing alone was less than $700,000 and is truly amazing! It's LED light display and surround sound speaker system to the internal portion of the municipal complex is unbelievable, all with
super low costs.
Finally, the Town’s municipal tax rate is still the lowest in the state until you get down to a community of 300 people or less. The Town’s 2013 annual budget has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the GFOA (GovernmentFinanceOfficersAssocia-tion) for the past several years. Visit the Town’s web site at http://www.fishers.in.us/egov/. Here you can learn more about the ex-cellence and innovation that the Town continuously accomplishes.
Nathan in front of Fishers Town Hall
Nathan’s award winning minibike team
14ALUMNI NEWS
Alumni News (if you have a new job or professional news to share, please let us know at: [email protected])
Chris Anderson (MPA 1999 ) received the CPACS 2013 Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service
Meagan Cruickshank (CPM 2012) was recently promoted from Canine Corporal to Case Manager for the Nebraska Department of Corrections.
Linda Douglas (CPM 2012) was recently featured in an article on going paperless in the Arlington, Nebraska newspaper
Gregory Fant (MPA 1992) started a new position at the VA/VHA in Washington, DC
Sheree Goertzen (MSUS 2013) after graduation took a position as a Community Builder at NeighborWorks Lincoln
ValarieLefler(MPA2012)recentlytookapositionasSpecialAssistanttotheDeanintheCollegeofPublicAffairsandCommunity Service at UNO.
Fa’iz Rab (MPA 2011) is now the AmeriCorps Program Manager at the Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc.
Cynthia L. Robinson (MSUS 1997) received the CPACS 2013 Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service
Dave Skow (CPM, 2011) Nebraska CPM Askew Award winner was promoted to Unit Manager at the Lincoln Correctional Facility. He also became a Crisis Intervention Instructor for the department.
Scholarships Awarded to SPA Students
Mary Cornett Scholarship FundMegan Edwards and Jacqueline Rose Rief were selected to receive the Mary Galligan Cornett Scholarship. This schol-arship honors a longtime Omaha City Clerk who served for over 50 years in public service. This award was established in her honor for students pursuing a career in public administration. Megan Edwards spends a great deal of time do-ing international volunteer work, primarily in Ecuador but also in Mexico, Guatemala and Bolivia. Jacqueline Rose Rief is interested in helping to eliminate domestic violence and abuse, and is currently serving with the AmeriCorps VISTA program.
Nebraska City/County Management Association ScholarshipSara Sabaliauskas was awarded a Scholarship from the Nebraska City/County Management Association, which sup-ports students with career goals in city management. Sara served as an intern with the City of Bellevue in the spring semester. In that role, she assisted the city in preparing their application for the State of Nebraska Department of Eco-nomicDevelopment’sCertifiedCitiesprogram.Sara’scareerinterestsareintheareasoflocalgovernment,economicdevelopment, and sustainability. She was recognized at the annual NCMA conference for receiving the scholarship.
Mary and Rodrigo Lopez FellowshipDeanna Stoddard was honored to be the second awardee of the Mary and Rodrigo Lopez Fellowship for Professional Development. Deanna graduated in May with a concentration in Aviation. She used the Fellowship funding to enroll in thecertificationprogramtobeaCertifiedMemberoftheAmericanAssociationofAirportExecutives(AAAE),andtoattendtheannualAAAEconference.AAAEistheprimaryprofessionalassociationforairportadministrators,andcertifi-cationishelpfulinobtainingmanagementpositionsandforpromotionalopportunities.Deannapassedhercertificationexam,andfoundthenetworkingopportunitiesattheconferencetobehighlybeneficial.
Professional Development Session on Implementing a Sustainable Future in Nebraska and School of Public Administration Fall Reception
Wednesday, September 25, 2013 from 1:30 PM to 6:30 PM (CDT)UNO Thompson Alumni Center Omaha, NE
Contact Rhonda Sheibal-Carver 402 554-2625 for more information or click on link http://sustainable-nebraska.eventbrite.com/
15
Generous Donors Provide Scholarship/Fellowship Opportunities for Students
ENGAGEMENT
Thankstoourgenerousdonors,theSchoolofPublicAdministrationhasfiveendowedfundsavailableforstudentscholarships/fellowships. Application criteria and deadlines are announced through e-mail and on the SPA website.
Please consider a gift to support scholarships for the School of Public Administration by visiting http://nufoundation.org. •TheMaryandRodrigoLopezFellowshipforProfessionalDevelopmentprovidesfundingtoengageinsignificantprofessional
and career development activities. Mary Lopez retired as the School’s Career Services Director in 2011 and is an MPA alum-nus.
•TheNebraskaCity/CountyManagementAssociation(NCMA)ScholarshipisfundedbytheNCMA,andisdesignedforMPAstudents in the Local Government concentration who have completed at least 12 hours in the program and are Nebraska residents.
A Note on Donor Support by Tessa Barney The energy in the School of Public Administration (SPA) is palpable. You hear it in the chatter of excited students, you see it in the faces of dedicated faculty, and you experience it out in the community. In just 40 years, the UNO School of Public Administration has become one of the nation’s top programs. No small feat.
Talented, dedicated faculty are at the heart of the SPA’s success. As teachers, scholars, and mentors, they help students gain the skills and education to be successful, and conduct research that enriches our lives as individuals. To maintain our success and momentum, it is essential that we attract, retain, recognize and reward more extraordinary, distinguished faculty – at all stages of their career.
An endowed chair or professorship is one of the most powerful tools for attracting and retaining pre-emi-nent scholars and first-rate teachers – who, in turn, attract other outstanding faculty and students. SPA is proud to have two endowed faculty support funds. A professorship in the Aviation Institute and the recently formed, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska Chair in Health Care Administration and Policy. SPA is currently conducting a national search for the chair to attract candidates who have an academic focus on research and training in health care administration.
You can help ensure the tradition of excellence in the School of Public Administration continues by mak-ing a gift in support of its faculty. If you would like to learn more about faculty or student support funds, please contact me at (402) 502-4103. I also encourage you to check out the newly redesigned University of Nebraska Foundation website at www.nufoundation.org/uno.
Spring GraduatesAnna Asante, MPADavid R. Atwood, MPASkyler Beck, MPAKathleen Cho, MPAJill Clymer, MPAJennider Dam Shewchuk,MPAMargaret Dempsey,MPAMeagan Edwards, MPACailan O’ Grady Franz, MPAAndreaGebhart,CertificateMatthew Gonzalez, MSSheree Goertzen, MS
The School of Public Administration Congratulates the following Spring and Summer 2013 Graduates:
Pi Alpha Alpha Inducts New Members
Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor societyforthefieldofpublicaffairsand public administration. The purpose of this society is to encourage and recognize outstanding scholarship and accomplishment in public affairs and administration. The society seeks to promote the advancement of quality in the education and practice of the art and science of public affairs and administration. Faculty Advisor: Dr. Carol Ebdon
The School of Public Administration recognized the following graduates who were nominated and accepted membership into Pi Alpha Alpha:
Spring 2013 Pi Alpha AlphaJennier Leigh ArmstrongDavid R. Atwood Jennifer L. Dam Shewchuk .Cailan O’ Grady FranzBernadette L. Klatkiewicz Frank MilamKristina Muhhina
Summer 2013 Pi Alpha AlphaSarah Wernimont
Lead article and faculty focus article by Nick Schinker.
Other contributors not noted within:John Bartle, Robert Blair, Catherine Brown, Megan Cruickshank, Carol Ebdon, Lulu Ferdous, Ellen Freeman-Wakefield, Nathan George, Mary Hamilton, Christian Janousek, Dale Krane, Gary Marshall, Ji- Hyung Park, Rhonda Sheibal-Carver, and Meagan Van Gelder
Design and layout by Rhonda Sheibal-CarverEditing by Amy Kelley, Rhonda Sheibal-Carver and Meagan Van Gelder.
The Exchange is published twice a year for the alumni, students and friends of the University of Nebraska Omaha School of Public Administration.
Summer GraduatesAsha Adhikari, MPARebecca Leigh Armstrong, MPARebecca Bouckaert, MPAGang Chen, PhDTimothyA.Hruska,CertificateNataliya Vladimirovna Morozova, MPASarah Regina Wernimont, MPAGerald R. Williams, MPARobert William Wilson, MPA
