SAMPLE SYLLABUS - subject to change; provided as an example only for prospective students. For current students, the syllabus you are given in class by your instructor is the one which applies to your course, and which you should follow. Tennessee State University Department of Public Administration Course Number: PADM 6240 section 95, a hybrid delivered course Thursday evenings 5:00 to 8:00 PM Spring, 2011 Title: Seminar in Staff Functions: Personnel Course Credit: Three Credits Instructor: Ann-Marie Rizzo, Ph.D. Office: Avon Williams Campus, Suite F 405 Email: arizzo@tnstate.edu Phone: (615) 963 – 7250 Office Hours: Tuesday 2:00 – 4:30 Wednesday 12:30 – 4:30 Thursday 1:00 – 4:30 Course Description: This class will be required in the Master of Public Administration program. This semester it is conducted as a hybrid course: one week on-line, one week on campus. Its purpose is to instruct the public administration professional as well as the pre-service student about the field and practice of human resources management. This course will emphasize applying the theoretical knowledge discussed in class lectures to “real world” situations and events through the use of case study analyses. The student will be expected to demonstrate her/his knowledge of human resources management through various reading and written exercises. Course Learning Outcomes: • • • • • • • • • • At the end of this course the student will be able to: Motivate workforce both ethically and effectively Explain institutional and legal environment of government Assess practical situations in public administration and take principled positions Identify the legal implications of diversity in organizations Comprehend the composition and demographics of changing society and workforce Design and use performance measures Apply theories that can inform leadership and management in organizations Explain the external and institutional politics of decision making Apply systematic research processes to novel problems and produce research in written format Describe the challenges of and criteria for proper administrative data collection and maintenance 1 Instructional Methodology PADM 6240 is a hybrid course which means that lectures, reading and case study exercises are offered one week on campus, the next week on line and so on throughout the semester. Students are expected to be prepared and informed participants in class discussion whether it occurs on line or in class. Learning effectively on-line will require different skills from on campus classes. Having said this, the successful on-line learner frequently has mastered skills which facilitate learning in traditional courses. Note the following examples, all of which apply in this course. At a minimum, the competent on-line student: • • • • • • • • Is a self directed learner. This means the student believes he or she is responsible for learning the course subject matter. S/he checks progress in the course, attends to deadlines, takes initiative to remedy deficiencies, misunderstandings and requests feedback from the instructor Is responsible for reading and understanding the syllabus and other guidelines for the class, assignments, timelines, emails, etc. The response “I didn’t read the deadline/instructions/my email concerning this” is not an acceptable excuse. The instructor will be contacting you using your mytsu address. If you choose not to check your mytsu email, the onus is on you! Knows how to schedule and creates a study routine, pacing him or herself to complete work in a timely manner Checks frequently with the course homepage and offers feedback to the instructor as needed Submits assignments on time Reviews course material routinely Takes notes and can summarize a discussion Is well prepared for on-line discussions, speaks informatively and expresses points relevant to the discussion For further information, please consult http://www.clt.odu.edu/oso/index.php?src=lo_effective Required Text Berman, Evan M., James S. Bowman, Jonathan P. West and Montgomery R. Van Wart. Human Resource Management in Public Service: Paradoxes, Processes, and Problems. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 3rd edition, 2010. Additional readings will occasionally be required and will be distributed through the course’s eLearn site. Course Requirements Written Assignments (5 @ 40 points) 200 points 2 Case Study Critiques (4 @ 50) Final examination Total 200 points 100 points 500 points Final Grades will be based on cumulative points as follows: A = 500- 450; B = 449 - 390; C = 389 - 325; D = 324 - 250; F = below 250. Essays (Homework) Roughly every two weeks the student will read an assignment or conduct research into a public personnel issue and compose a short essay. The written assignment – referred to in the Course Schedule as Homework 1, 2….etc. - should be between 3-5 pages in length and should specifically answer the question given to the student by the instructor. Some questions will require library research; others will attempt to bridge theory with practice. Each assignment will be located under the Content module on-line. Students must submit the all written assignments through the eLearn drop box option for the course. Important: if the drop box is not available due to technical reasons, email the assignment to arizzo@tnstate.edu. Whether you use the drop box or email, the time stamp must indicate that you have submitted by the stated deadline for the assignment. The instructor reserves the right to reject assignments submitted after the deadline. Case Study Analyses Each student will be required to write an analysis of four case studies in human resources management. Each case study analysis should be between 3-5 pages in length and should discuss the major facts of the case and should discuss whether or not the right decision(s) was/were made and why. The format of each case study analysis should be as follows: • Identify the important facts in the case study • What decision(s) were made in the case study • Do you believe the decisions were appropriate? • Discuss any alternative solution(s) to the problem and support those solutions with additional research (In other words support your solution with similar cases) • Conclusion • Bibliography In addition, please follow these guidelines regarding presentation and style: 3 • Make sure each section is labeled appropriately (Facts, Decision, Solution, Conclusion, Bibliography) • Citation style: APSA, APA, Chicago • All papers should use the following format: Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1” margins from left to right and top to bottom, and double spaced. The instructor reserves the right to reject assignments submitted after the deadline. Note: Following directions is an important aspect of graduate school training. Therefore, it is important that the student follow the stated guidelines in this syllabus, throughout the course of this class, because failure to do so will result in point reductions. Furthermore, it will probably be to your best interest to submit papers to me before the due date (at least two weeks), so I can make suggestions on how you might want to change your work in order to receive a higher grade. Final examination This short answer and essay examination will test the student’s ability to integrate or pull together the subject matter and apply what she or he has learned throughout the course. It will be held on campus during the last class session. Classroom Civility: Appropriate netiquette is expected in the portion of the course taught on line. Some rules for appropriate conduct may be obvious in both settings. Respect others’ privacy and opinions. Avoid criticism which is neither constructive nor subject-related. Share expert knowledge to elucidate your point. For further guidance on these matters, consult: www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html As with “brick and mortar” classes you are expected to follow all University rules regarding language and behavior, and in all other matters. TSU’s Code of Conduct includes discipline for acts of personal misconduct such as lewd, indecent or obscene conduct, damage to University property or others’ property or threats of indecent or inappropriate acts. If such conduct occurs through or as a result of participation in an on-line course, it is still subject to the same penalties. Please consult the TSU Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Offenses section in the TSU Student Handbook for more complete information. Please consult The MPA Student Handbook online or in print for additional information concerning conduct, advisement, admissions, graduation and the program as a whole. Academic Integrity Tennessee State University expects all students to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity. This means that you will not cheat and you will not help others in doing so. Whenever you submit as your own work that which originates from another, whether the other is a published source, a friend, or a 4 paper archive, you commit a serious violation of academic integrity known as plagiarism (Wilde, 2008, p. 4). The Department reserves the right to discipline students for cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, violation of University rules and otherwise contributing to academic misconduct. As the instructor, I will attach severe penalties to any cheating or plagiarism I discover: this includes assigning a grade of “F” for the course and placing a letter in your student file about the incident. You can be accused of plagiarism after you have completed a course, so you should never pass your papers on for others to use. Remember: a student who provides answers or a paper for another to use is just as guilty of cheating as the user. Consequently, if I discover that your paper, or another similar to it, has been submitted by another student in another class, you can be found guilty of plagiarism. Acts of plagiarism warrant special mention. Students are especially warned against (www.tnstate.edu/11p/promoting academic integrity. htm, p. 2): 1) Copying the work of others on tests or assignments; 2) Copying without quotation marks and appropriate documentation from original sources; 3) Paraphrasing factors or ideas of an author without appropriate citation. For information on proper form as well as what not to do, one good place to begin is: www.georgetown.edu/honor/plagiarism.html This homepage contains a dazzling array of rationales for why plagiarism is not only dishonest, unprofessional and in some cases, prosecutable . Please pay special to the section on “Examples of Plagiarism” Avoid these! The TSU Undergraduate Catalogue section on “Academic Misconduct” As the TSU Student Handbook makes clear (see p. 16), penalties for plagiarism and other academic dishonesty range from a zero on the assignment to failure in the class. Special Circumstances It is not possible to predict special circumstances such as technology failures, university closings due to weather, etc. This is one reason why keeping your contact information up to date with the instructor and the department is important. Please notify the instructor if your phones, addresses or other contact information changes during the semester or, for that matter, as you progress through your academic program. Although this course is conducted on-line some events may require us to contact you using other means. Also note: The readings, lectures, and class discussion may be supplemented by use of videos and guest “speakers” that do not appear on the schedule. Finally, the instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus with proper notification to students. Students with Special Learning Needs If you believe you need special accommodations to conduct your class work, contact Ms. Patricia Scudder, Director of Students with Disabilities, Disabled Student Services office, at 615 963-7400, preferably before the fourth class meeting. The Department of Public Administration, in conjunction 5 with the Office of Disabled Student Services, makes reasonable accommodations for qualified students with medically documented disabilities. The instructor must be aware of your status if it will affect your class activities and assignments before assignments are due. PADM 6240 Grading Rubric Criterion Rubric: Inferior (C) Rubric: Satisfactory (B) Understanding Seems to understand texts and requirements but does not express this clearly and explicitly. Does not use concepts from the text or class to analyze paper’s elements. Shows solid grasp of concepts. Discusses ideas Clearly, explicitly. Seldom misunderstands materials or expresses them poorly. Using concepts Examples or analogies are not apt, are naïve, or repeat instructor/text examples. Comparisons, contrasts between concepts are naïve, unclear or incorrect. Does not apply theory to practical experience appropriately. Uses appropriate examples, analogies. Draws appropriate comparisons, contrasts between various concepts used In class. Can apply theory and ideas to practical experience. Demonstrates Knowledge required for paper. Critical thinking and reasoning Mostly reiterates in-class or text discussion. Draws inappropriate inferences. Accepts what others say/write uncritically. Occasionally offers critical Commentary. Can identify underlying theory, values. Arguments are logical and ckear, Writing and argumentation No evidence of revision, editing. Some spelling, grammatical errors. Argument lacks flow, logic, clarity. Evidence of revision, editing. Few spelling or grammatical errors. Argument flows, is logical and clear. Rubric: Excellent (A) Shows complex, sophisticated Understanding Of concepts, theories. Uses many concepts to analyze issues. Can envision beyond what was taught and form own ideas. Examples, analogies are interesting and suggest additional Possibilities. Discussion is clear and detailed. Draws insightful contrasts between various concepts. Applies theories, ideas creatively and innovatively. Offers penetrating criticism of material, Shows pros, cons, explains why. Arguments are sophisticated and clear. Presentation is clear, smooth. Errors are rare. Argument is persuasive on its own terms. Course Schedule All readings are from the required text, referred to as Berman (et al), unless otherwise specified. Additional articles and case studies will be included under the Content link for the course. 6 On line sessions are indicated by italicized type. On campus classes are indicated by standard typeface. 1/13 Introduction 1/20 The Context of Public Personnel Administration and Its Challenges Berman, chapter 1 1/27 Laws Governing the Public Sector Workplace chapter 2 2/3 chapter 3 Recruitment Homework 1 is due 2/10 Selection chapter 4 Homework 2 2/17 Position Management chapter 5 Case study 1 2/24 Motivation chapter 6 Homework 3 chapter 7 Case study 2 3/3 Compensation 3/10 Spring Break chapter 8 3/17 Work and workplace quality Part 1 3/24 Work and workplace quality Part II Homework 4 3/31 Training and development chapter 9 4/7 chapter 10 Performance Appraisal 4/14 Organizational justice, the work, and the worker Case study 3 4/21 Unions and the Government Klingner, et al, ch. 13 Homework 5 (hand-out) chapter 11 4/28 Wrap-up and review Berman, conclusion 5/5 Final examination 7 Case study 4 *** Note this course schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor with appropriate notification to students. 8