Syllabus for Public Policy and the Environment (ENV 2011) Spring 2014 Professor: Sam Edwards Email: edwardss@greenmtn.edu Office phone: 287-8386 Office: Ames 108 Office Hours: MTh 0830-1000 am; W 0830-0930 am Website: http://sam3.pbworks.com Class: M /Th 11-1215 pm Bogue 21 Volunteer Mentor: Monika Ganguly-Kiefner gangulykiefnerml@greenmtn.edu Course Overview: This course is an introduction to the environmental policy process in the federal and state governments. We will focus on the history and evolution of the relevant political institutions and other parties to policy-making, on federal and state roles in decision-making, and on the administrative rule-making processes. Emphasizing the intersection and differing goals of scientific inquiry and policy creation, we will examine the scientific and political nature of risk assessment and risk management, and the application of model regulatory tools. Particular attention will be paid to public participation in environmental policy-making. Finally, students will craft a policy for presentation and possible adoption at Green Mountain College. Specifically students will gain an understanding of the following knowledge areas and will improve upon these skills: Knowledge Areas       Federalism, federal, state and local governmental structures Policy making institutions, with particular focus on the legislative and agency policy-making processes Policy cycles Theories of policy making and the ramification of their application The nature of scientific uncertainty, risk assessment and risk management in environmental policy-making The role of citizen participation in environmental policy-making Skills • • • • • How to identify policy issues, and the policy implications of everyday issues How to recognize patterns and systems from sets of facts How to read statutes and regulatory rules How to read a legal case How to integrate several different facts, theories and/or ideas into coherent frameworks How to identify individual learning styles and capitalize on those styles Required Materials: All readings for this class can be found online. Class expectations: This class is for mid-level students who are serious about learning information and concepts. Students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning and ask for help when needed. 1. Participation. Students are expected to attend EVERY class. Student class participation grades will be largely weighted on your ability to respond correctly and thoughtfully on the day you are chosen to speak for the class, in addition to your ability to contribute to in-class discussions. Appropriateness, relevance, and respect for other classmates rank highly in my grading criteria. 2. Quizzes. Quizzes are used to assess student preparation on assigned material and may be administered at any time. Quizzes cannot be made up. The purpose of the quizzes is to encourage students to keep up with the reading, and to let both student and instructor know whether the student comprehends assignments. 3. Abstracts and in-class graded assignments. Each class you will be asked to prepare a one-page summary or abstract of the FIRST listed course reading for each class. In each summary you should identify the issue, the players involved in the issue, and the main idea or argument of the author. Type out your abstracts, print them, and bring them to class. I can check abstracts at the start of class, the end of class, or not at all. You should improve your abstracts during class based on our discussions. 4. Public policy exercise. This class will draft a policy at the end of the semester designed to solve a current problem at Green Mountain College. Once finished, the policy will be presented to the college for possible adoption. Students will work as a group to consider, draft, and evaluate a policy. Students will be evaluated as a whole on the policy produced, and individually based on a series of assessments. 5. Midterm exam. Students will take one midterm exam. 6. Final Exam Exercise. Because the cumulative event in this class is the Public Policy Exercise, the Final Exam period will not include a long written exam. Instead, the class will engage in evaluation of the public policy exercise, and another exercise designed to show students policy in action. The Final Exam is required, cannot be moved, and cannot be done outside class time Assessment and Evaluation: Student grades will be based on the following: Class participation and in class group projects 20% Abstracts, quizzes, and homework 20% Public policy exercise 20% Midterm exam 20% Final Exam Exercise 20% Grading Scale: Letter grades will be assigned using the following grading scale. A AB+ B BC+ ≥95% 90-94% 87-89% 83-86% 80-82% 77-79% C CD+ D DF 73-76% 70-72% 68-69% 66-67% 65% <65% Late assignments: Late papers and assignments will not be accepted unless you have PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION from me to turn the paper or assignment in late. I will not accept papers or other materials sent to class with a classmate, when the author is not present or otherwise excused. Missed exercises: Missed assignments cannot be made up unless your absence is directly related to a college activity. You must have PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION from me to miss an exercise. Acts of nature will be considered on a case-bycase basis. For more information, see the College’s formal Attendance Policy in the College Catalog. Classwork requirements: All papers and assignments must be typed with standard margins and fonts. Academic Integrity: To plagiarize is “to steal the language, ideas, or thoughts from another, representing them as one’s own original work.” Random House Dictionary, Abridged, 1980. Please see the college catalog for a detailed explanation of plagiarism and penalties for academic dishonesty at Green Mountain College. If you did not say it or think it, you must cite the source of the idea. ANY STUDENT WHO SUBMITS PLAGIARIZED WORK WILL RECEIVE AN F FOR THE ENTIRE CLASS. Classroom Rules:  I will treat you as professionals please do the same. Please be courteous to others in our class.  Please turn your phones off in class. Please do not text in class. If a phone rings in class or you are texting I reserve the right to join in on the conversation.  Please be on time to class. Again I will treat you as professionals and strive to start and end class on time. Please respect your classmates and me by being on time. Students with disabilities: I support learning by all students regardless of any documented disability. If you have a specific learning, physical, or psychiatric disability and require accommodations, please contact me within the first two weeks of the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the Calhoun Learning Center. The Calhoun Learning Center is the office responsible for coordinating accommodations for students with disabilities. The Calhoun Learning Center is located on the 3rd floor of Griswold Library. If you have questions, please contact Christina Fabrey at x8234. Tentative course schedule this schedule may change depending on our pace and interest. Check our online syllabus for the most current information. Abstracts are for the FIRST listed reading Date M 1/20 Th 1/23 M 1/27 Th 1/30 M 2/3 Th 2/6 M 2/10 Th 2/13 M 2/17 Th 2/20 Topic Course introduction Th 2/27 Homework Constitution / Reading 1: 1st class assignment Federalism Reading 2: Constitution Tragedy of the Reading 3: Commons / Prisoner’s Hardin Dilemma / Centralism Coase v. Devolution Individual State Reading 4: Regulation Stewart Race to the Bottom Revesz Modern History and Reading 5: the Presidency JV Switzer Congress Creates Reading 6: Environmental Policy / Downs Issue Attention Cycle O’Connor & Sabato Intro to Values and Reading 7 Policy introduce Bluhm & Heineman integration exercise Theories of Public Reading 8 Policy Litan & Nordaus Theories of Public Reading 10 Policy Litan & Nordaus continued Theories of Public Reading 9 Policy: Delegation, Excerpts from APA APA, and Bureaucracy Learn how lobbying works through a special Hands on lobbying 101 workshop with the HSUS in Montpelier Find an analyze a policy Pick any public policy (past or present) and briefly summarize it then analyze it using the information you have learned so far in class MIDTERM EXAM M 3/3 Th 3/6 M 3/10 Th 3/13 Complete 1st class assignment Abstract 1 Abstract 2 Abstract 3 Abstract 4 Abstract 5 Abstract 6 Abstract 7 No abstract Individual Integration Exercise Due M 2/24 Tu 2/25 Reading Syllabus Introduce Policy Project Reading 10 TBA Spring Break! Class exercise bring in your typed policy summary Date M 3/17 Th 3/20 Topic Reading The role of the judicial Reading branch Case TBA Introduction to Science Reading 11 and Policy Daubert v. Merrell Dow Rosenbaumb Scientific Floor for Reading 12 Agencies Harris; Risk Assessment M 3/31 Th 4/3 M 4/7 Reading 12 Rucklehaus Breyer Risk Management Reading 14 - Lave Reading 15 - Kelman Regulation Tools and Reading 16 Opportunities; Magat, et al. Developing Regulatory Strategy Reading statutes and Excerpts from NEPA, CAA, CWA, ESA and regulations related regulations Public Participation Th 4/10 and Scientific Policy M 4/14 Review class TH 4/17 Policy Exercise M 4/21 Th 4/24 M 4/28 Th 5/1 Sat 5/10 330-530 pm Abstract 8 Abstract 9 FRE/Kumho Tire M 3/24 Th 3/27 Homework Case summary Abstract 10 Abstract 11 Abstract 13 No abstract Reading 18 Abstract 14 Fiorino Summarize learning and apply to policy projects Policy Exercise Policy Exercise Policy Exercise Review class FINAL EXAM