POLS 330-1: Bureaucracy and the Policy Process
Fall 2007
M/W/F10:00 – 10:50 AM
DuSable 252
Instructor: Ms. Georgette Dumont
Email:
Office: DuSable 476
Phone: (815) 753-1818
Office hours:Wednesday 8:00 – 9:30 AM
Friday 8:00 – 9:30 AM, and by appointment
Course Objective
This class will looks at the role of the public bureaucracy in the formation and implementation of public policy. This will include the interaction of public agencies with other levels and branches of government, as well as the interaction of bureaucracy with nonprofit organizations, interest groups, and the media. Special attention will be paid to the tools bureaucracies use in the call for efficient government. At the conclusion of the class, you will be able to identify how the bureaucracy responds to each of the aforementioned actors and the importance of each in the implementation of American public policy. In addition, you will know the different ways you can influence the bureaucracy and public policy.
Course Materials
Course text: Stillman, Richard (2004). The American Bureaucracy: The Core of Modern Government, 2nd ed.Belmont, CA:Wadsworth Publishing.
Supplemental Material: There will be articles that will be available through JSTOR and ArticleFirst as well as select book chapters. For your convenience, this material will be linked on Blackboard.
In addition to the texts, students are required to create accounts on the Blackboard Course Server ( during the first week of class. This site will be utilized for posting on-line readings, important course announcements, student grades, other course materials as well as a tool for you to communicate with me and your classmates.
Calculation of Grades
Your grade in this course will consist of your performance on two exams (a midterm and a final exam), two homework assignments, one research paper, and class participation. The following is a breakdown of how the grades will be determined:
Class participation / 25 points / The grading scale is as follows:Blackboard postings / 25 points / 360 – 400 – A
Case study talking points / 50 point / 320 – 359 – B
Homework #1 / 10 points / 280 – 319 – C
Homework #2 / 20 points / 240 – 279 – D
Homework #3 / 20 points / < 240 – F
Midterm Exam / 50 points
Research Paper / 100 points
Final Exam / 100 points
400 points
To calculate your grade, simply add the total points earned to determine how many more points you need to get your desired grade.
Class Policies
Attendance: There is a strong positive correlation between class attendance and student performance. Being in class affords you the opportunity to ask questions and learn from your fellow students. Noting this, it is strongly recommended, but not required, that you attend class. An attendance sheet will be passed around at the beginning of each class. Its purpose is for me to keep track of those who are attending on a regular basis. This is needed in helping my to decide you final grade in case you are on the cusp between two grades. For instance, if you are close to earning a B, but in the higher C range, if you have attended classes regularly (less than three absences) then you are more apt to receive a B for your final grade. If you have not attended on a regular basis, the grade would be a C.
As noted on the syllabus, 50 of the 400 possible points you can earn in this class are based on participation. If you are not in class, you cannot participate, and therefore you do not earn those points. In addition, even if you are in class, and do not participate, you only earn a fraction of those points, since simply being in class is not considered participation.
If you need any more clarification, please let me know.
Tardiness:I expect all students to get to class on time and remain in class for the duration of the class period. If you are late, you will be marked absent.
Late assignments/make-up exams:I do not accept late work, nor do I offer make-up exams. If you have a situation that requires an exception, you must notify me well in advance and be prepared to produce documentation.This means do not ask for an extension the week the assignment is due!
Course Communications:Students have an obligation to activate and monitor their NIU email account. This account will be used for out-of-class communication as well as Blackboard.
Class Discussion: As noted above, 50 of the 400 possible points you can earn in this class are based on participation. I do understand that some people are not apt to speak up in groups – especially large groups like our class. Therefore, participation pints are broken into two subgroups – in class and Blackboard.
Half the points (25) are based on class discussion – contributing meaningful comments on the subject at hand. The other 25 points are earned through posts on Blackboard.
In the discussion board section, you are expected topost one article a week that relates to bureaucracy and comment on it AND you mustcomment on at least one other article posted by another student. So at the least - you should be making two postings per week. If there are any posts to your article, please respond to it. Make sure all articles are posted and responded to by Thursday night! All posts are worth one point. To earn this point, your articles/replies/responses have to be relevant to the bureaucracy. The maximum number of points one can earn in a week through posting is 3. The maximum points that can be earned through posting for the semester is 25.
Issues raised in these articles will be discussed in class on Fridays.
Case Study “Talking Points”: Each Friday we will be applying what was discussed that week to current topic/ real life situations so that you will be able to appreciate the role and importance of the bureaucracy in every-day life. Each Talking Point memo is worth 5 points. The maximum points that can be earned through Talking Point memos for the semester is 50.
Each of the case studies will be in one of two formats: a pre-assigned case study where the material you are expected to work from is posted on Blackboard, or a current events case study. For the latter, make sure you come to class prepared to discuss current events and what is going on in the news related to the American bureaucracy topic for that week. Be sure to get different points of view on the topics. In other words, do not take what CNN or FOX News says is “the undeniable truth.” I want you to gather information on a couple different perspectives on the issue you will be discussing. The issue can be an expansion of your blackboard posting. However, make sure that it is more than just one article and your views on it.
Please have a “talking points” page with the following info:
Your name
Issue you are focusing on (i.e. immigration, state budget implications, etc.)
Sources used (please provide me with a copy of all sources used. If you gained interest of the topic from a news channel – CNN, Fox, MSNBC, CSPAN – please go to their website and print whatever material you can find on what you saw.).
Key/ talking points on each (pros and cons) and the relation to bureaucracy and week’s topic
Any “notable quotes”
This will be handed in at the end of class. This should be one page with a bulleted format
Cell Phones: No cell phone use during class. This includes not only calls but text messaging, internet browsing, and instant messaging as well. Please turn your cell phones off.
Behavior: I expect professional decorum in the classroom at all times. Do not read the newspaper, talk to your friends or sleep during class. Do not come to class late or leave early. All of these actions are not only rude to your teacher and peers, but are also not acceptable in a college setting.
Academic Dishonesty: The maintenance of academic honesty and integrity is of vital concern to the Department of Political Science and the University community. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty willface both academic and disciplinary sanctions. It is each student’s responsibility to become familiar with this section of the University's Academic Integrity policy of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Advising Handbook, and to follow it.
Disabilities: Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NIU is committed to making reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities.NIU’s CAAR’s mission ensures that people with disabilities "are viewed on the basis of ability, not disability" and that their needs will be met in order to ensure an environment of equal opportunity. Students should inform the instructor of any such needs, and have the needs verified through the Center for Access-Ability Resources, Health Services [Fourth Floor: Phone: (815) 753-1303] during the first two weeks of the semester.
Obligations–I expect you to arrive to class on time and prepared. This means to make sure you have completed the readings before class. This means be ready to answer the question noted above each reading on the syllabus. The questions can (and will) be posed to you in different ways: quizzes, blackboard discussions, or class discussions. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. I will make myself available to help you outside of class or office hour times if necessary.
Class Paper: There is one 10-15page research paperfor this class. The paper will be due by November 19. As noted above, it will not be accepted if handed in late. The paper topic is discussed in more detail below.
Undergraduate Academic Awards: The department of political science offers award opportunities to undergraduates, both those who major or minor in political science as well as those who do not. A list of the awards is available on the department’s website, or through this link.
Department of Political Science website: Students are strongly encouraged to visit the political science department’s website for information. This site is up-to-date with information that will assist students in contacting faculty and staff, exploring graduate studies, researching career options, and accessing important details related to undergraduate programs and activities.For important information on the Department of Political Science, please visit:
Class Schedule:*
August 27: Introduction
Review class syllabus
Blackboard overview
August 29:The Structure of American government
What is the basic structure of the American Government, and why does it matter?
Readings: Skim all the PDFs on the American government at this link:
August 31: Case Study: Current events – What are some of the news items that you see as related to American bureaucracy?
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
Homework assignment #1 due:Certified completion of the Online Tutorial on Academic Integrity, available at:
Your name must be printed on the completion document! Worth 5 points.*
September 3: No Class
September 5:The American bureaucracy
What is the American Bureaucracy?
Read: Stillman Ch1, pgs 1-7
September 7:Bureaucratic Myths and Realities
What are the myths of American Bureaucracy and how can they affect citizen’s view of government?
Read: Stillman Ch 1, pgs 7-29
Blackboard postings are still due!
September 10:Politics-Administration Dichotomy
What is the dichotomy, and why does it matter?
Read: Wilson, Woodrow 1887. “The Study of Administration” Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 2 , pp. 197-222. Available on Blackboard.
Dimock, Marshall 1937. “The Study of Administration” The American Political Science Review, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 28-40. Available on Blackboard.
September 12:Politics-Administration Dichotomy, cont.
What is the “Administrative State”? How does it fit into the politics-administration dichotomy?
Read: Laurence J. O'Toole 1987. “Doctrines and Developments: Separation of Powers, the Politics-Administration Dichotomy, and the Rise of the Administrative State”
Public Administration Review, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 17-25.
September 14Case Study: Firing of Federal Prosecutors. Available on Blackboard.
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
September 17:CLASS CANCELED
September 19:The Rise of the American Bureaucracy
Why was there a need for bureaucracy and how did it come into existence?
Read: Stillman Ch 2, pgs 35-49
September 21:Case Study: Current events – What are some of the news items that you see as related to American bureaucracy?
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
September 24:CLASS CANCELED
September 26: The Rise of the American Bureaucracy, cont.
What are the general characteristics of the rise of American bureaucracy?
Read: Stillman Ch 2, pgs 49-73.
September 28: Case Study: The Farm Bill, Available on Blackboard.
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
October 1:Public Policy Overview
What is the purpose of public policy?
Read: Rourke, Francis. 1984. Bureaucracy, Politics, and Public Policy, 3rd ed. Harper Collins Publishers. Chapter 1: Introduction: Bureaucracies and Policy Making. Available on Blackboard.
October3:Public Policy Overview, cont.
Who are the actors involved in making public policy? How?
Read: Ripley, Randall and Grace Franklin. 1984. Congress, the Bureaucracy, and Public Policy, 3rd ed. Homewood, IL: The Dorsey Press. Chapter 8: Congress, the Bureaucracy, and the Nature of American Public policy. Available on Blackboard.
October 5: Case Study: Immigration, Available on Blackboard.
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
October 8:Forces Shaping the Modern American Bureaucracy
How does the first level of inputs on bureaucracy influence bureaucratic institutions?
Read: Stillman Ch 3, pgs 77-83
October 10:Forces Shaping the Modern American Bureaucracy, cont.
How does the second level of inputs on bureaucracy influence bureaucratic institutions?
Read: Stillman Ch 3, pgs 83-90
October 12:Case study: Case study: Centralia Mine Explosion, available on Blackboard
What bureaucratic agency was involved? Did it do its job well? Why or why not?
Read: Martin, John Bartlow 1975. “The Blast in Centralia No. 5: A Mine Disaster No One Stopped”. In Richard J. Stillman (ed.) Public Administration: Concepts and Cases, 8th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, pp 31-44. Available on Blackboard.
Homework #2: Due October 12th After reading “The Blast in Centralia No. 5,” how do you think the people in the study viewed public administration? What were the forces impacting the decisions being made? How did their views affect their actions?
Specifically write about two of the following people in the study: Inspector Scanlon, Director of the Department of Mines and Minerals Medill, Governor Green, District UMW Union Leader “Spud White”, Centralia Mine Manager Brown, and the Centralia mine workers of Local 52 who wrote “The Save Our Lives” letter. This assignment should be 2 pages double spaced, 12 pt times new roman font, 1 inch margins.
October 15:Forces Shaping the Modern American Bureaucracy, cont.
How does the third level of inputs on bureaucracy influence bureaucratic institutions?
Read: Stillman Ch 3, pgs 91-107 and
Cook, Timothy. 1989. Governing with the News: The News Media as a Political Institution.
Ch 7: Beyond the White House, Available on Blackboard.
October 17:Forces Shaping the Modern American Bureaucracy, cont.
How does the fourth level of inputs on bureaucracy influence bureaucratic institutions?
Read: Stillman Ch 3, pgs 107-124
October 19: Case study:Discuss “forces” from previous case studies from the homework assignment due today.
Homework #3: Due October 19: Going back to one of the Case Studies we have done to date. What were the internal or the external forces influencing the outcome of the case? Make sure you identify which force you are identifying! What had the greatest impact, what had the least impact? Why?This assignment should be 2 pages double spaced, 12 pt font, 1 inch margins.
October 22:Inside the Public Bureaucracy
How can professionally appointed administrators and/or experts affect public policy?
Read: Stillman Ch 4, pgs 129-157.
October 24:Inside the Public Bureaucracy, cont.
How can civil servants affect public policy?
Read: Stillman Ch 4, pgs 157-195.
October 26:Case study:Surgeon Generals’ testimony before Congress, available on Blackboard
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
October 29:Inside the Public Bureaucracy, cont.
Who are your street-level bureaucrats? Why are they important?
Read: Lipsky, Michael. 2005. Street-Level Bureaucrats as Policy Makers. Reprinted in Jay M. Shafritz Karen S. Layne and Christopher P. Borick (eds) Classics of Public Policy. New York: Pearson Longman, pp 51-61. Available on Blackboard.
October 31:Review for the Midterm
November 2:Midterm Exam
November 5:Go over the Midterm
November 7:Outputs of the American Bureaucracy
What are the outputs of bureaucratic agencies dependent on?
Read: Stillman Ch 5, pgs 201-223
November 9: Case Study: Current events – What are some of the news items that you see as related to American bureaucracy?
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
November 12:Outputs of the American Bureaucracy, cont.
What role do the different actors in the bureaucracy play in producing the desired outputs?
Read: Stillman Ch 5, pgs 223-248
November 14:Administration Communication
Why is communication important in public administration?
Read: Rosenthal, Uriel. 1997. “The Relevance of Administrative Communication to Democratic Politics: Communicating in Democracies.” In James L. Garnett and Alexander Kouzmin (eds) Handbook of Administrative Communication, New York: Marcel Dekker, pp 153-169. Available on Blackboard.
November 16:Case Study: Current events – What are some of the news items that you see as related to American bureaucracy?
“Talking points” page on this case is due at the end of class.
November 19:Introduction to Networks
No Reading
Semester Paper due
November 21: No class – Thanksgiving break
November 23: No class – Thanksgiving break
November 26:Networks and the Bureaucratic System
What are networks?
Read: Gromley, William and Steven Balla. 2004. Chapter 4, “Networks” in Bureaucracy and Democracy, pp112-129. Available on Blackboard.