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HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
PADM 6200
Fall 2016
Dr. Saundra J. Ribando Office Hours: TW, 2:30-5;
E-mail: or by appointment
Phone: 737-1710
Office: Allgood Hall, N310
People are at the heart of organizations--and their effectiveness. No one can be successful without a solid understanding of how to find, hire, lead and manage people. In this course, you will learn how to do just that. You will learn how to design jobs, choose an appropriate compensation level for those jobs, recruit and select people to fill them, then supervise their performance.
Learning Outcomes: This course is designed to assist you in mastering specific competencies identified by our accrediting body, the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration and specific learning outcomes we have identified as being essential to your success. This course addresses:
NASPAA Competency / Student Learning Outcome / Assessment MethodTo lead and manage in public governance / Students will be able to properly identify human resource issues and develop a course of action or solution that is based on a solid understanding of HRM principles and related law / Case study assessed by instructor and outside (practitioner) evaluator
To articulate and apply a public service perspective / Students will be able to properly identify ethical issues and develop appropriate courses of action / Case study assessed by instructor and outside (practitioner) evaluator
To communicate and interact with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry / Students will be able to properly identify human resource issues involving diversity and develop a course of action or solution that is based on a solid understanding of human resource management and human behavior / Case study assessed by instructor and outside (practitioner) evaluator
Course Learning Objectives: By the end of this course, students will
· Be able to
o Develop a position description, along with an associated pay scale.
o Develop a recruitment and selection strategy and conduct a job interview
o Choose an appropriate performance appraisal strategy and develop performance standards for a given position
o Use skills learned in the class to effectively respond to a case study
· Understand the major provisions of employment law and their application in the workplace
Required Text(s):
Freys, S. F. (2004). Human Resource Management in Local Government: An Essential Guide (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: International City/County Management Association.
Class Structure: This course uses a combination of lectures, discussion, writing assignments, case studies and application exercises.
Class Policies:
Attendance and class preparation policy: Since this is a graduate class, you are expected to be present each and every class date. Please contact me in advance if you must miss class or will be late. With the exception of the first night of class, you are expected to have read the assigned material and come prepared to engage in meaningful, productive discussion.
Late assignments: I will NOT accept late assignments unless you have discussed the matter with me in advance. Assignment due dates are clearly published in this syllabus. It is your responsibility to organize your time to make sure you meet those dates.
Compliance with ADA: Augusta University abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The university will make reasonable academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Contact Testing and Disability Services (Galloway Hall; 706-737-1469) for more information on how to initiate the process for accessing academic accommodations. If you have already registered with Testing and Disability Services, please ask for an appointment with me so we can discuss accommodations for you.
Cell phones/pagers: Turn them off before coming into the classroom, unless you have discussed the matter with me in advance.
Academic integrity: This institution expects you to refrain from plagiarism and cheating. Both are serious breaches of academic conduct and may result in permanent dismissal from this program and/or the institution. I recommend you become familiar with the various forms of academic dishonesty outlined in the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities in the Graduate Student Catalog.
Evaluation:
Exams: There will be two exams in this class (as shown on the timeline). Those exams will be short answer/essay exams.
Class Discussion: Class discussion will be evaluated based on how often you participate in class discussion in a meaningful, productive, and prepared manner. What constitutes "meaningful, productive, and prepared" is at the discretion of the professor.
Application Exercises: Short exercises designed to give you practice with the material covered in class will be assigned at the end of five nights of class and will generally be due during the next, regularly scheduled class. Due dates for these exercises are on the general timeline at the end of this syllabus.
Case Studies: Each of you will do two case studies. The first case study will be presented in class on the night that case is assigned for discussion. The second one, which will count for more points, will be presented to a panel that will include a practitioner, who can evaluate your proposed solution from the standpoint of professional practice. For each case, you will present a memorandum that briefly describes the problem, outlines your proposed solution, and why that is the best approach for the case in question. You will present your proposed solution orally as well.
Exams 150 each 300
Case Studies
Case Study 1
Memo
Oral Presentation
Case Study 2
Memo
Oral Presentation 200
Class Discussion 100
Application Exercises
1: Career goals
2: Job description
3: Salary & compensation
4: Recruitment & selection
5: Performance evaluation
General Timeline
Date / Topic to be covered / Assignment8/23 / Introduction to the class
Understanding human motivation (lecture)
8/30 / Classification and Compensation
Application exercise #1 due / Read Ch. 1
9/6 / Recruitment and selection
"Public Safety Promotional Systems and Minority Officers" (Case #1)
Application exercise #2 due / Read Ch. 2
9/13-20 / Performance evaluation
9/13: "Staff Reduction with a Human Touch" (Case #2);
Application exercise #3 due
9/20: Application exercise #4 due (9/20) / Read Ch. 3
9/27 / Labor-management relations
"Cedar Valley Slowdown" (Case #6)
Application exercise #5 due / Read Ch. 4
10/4 / Exam #1
10/11-18 / Employee rights / Read Ch. 5
10/25 / Benefits
"Retiree Health Care in Sun City" (Case #5) / Read Ch. 6
11/1 / Setting expectations / Read Ch. 7
11/8-15 / Problems
11/15: "Problems in the Building Division" (Case #3) & "The Disabled Parks Employee" (Case #4) / Read Ch. 8
11/22 / Career management
11/29 / Exam #2
12/6 / Case study #2 due/presented