ClassInfo

By the end of the semester, students should be able:

• To obtain basic knowledge and terminology of budgeting and financial management;

• To summarize budgetary process, revenues, and expenditures of a public or nonprofit organization;

• To apply basic tools of financial analysis, such as break-even analysis and marginal cost analysis, in making simple financial decisions;

• To know how financial information is organized and reported in the accounting system;

• To interpret data in financial statements and relate them with each other; and

• To determine and calculate financial ratios to assess financial condition

There will be a first exam (30 points) and a second exam (30 points) for this course taken at the Humphrey School. The first exam will be an analysis of a real budget and real financial statements of nonprofit and public organizations, word questions, and financial problems. The second exam will be an analysis of real annual financial reports of nonprofit and public organizations, word questions, and financial problems. The second exam ONLY covers material from the second half of the course.

The final assignment is a group project in which you will review the financials of a real government or nonprofit organization and present your findings to the class in person. You will be assigned to groups in the second week of class. The group should submit a 5+ page paper of your findings at the last class. The group will also present a power point presentation (no more than 10 minutes) of the findings at the last class. The group should provide me a copy of the power points and any other information that would be helpful. This group paper (20 points) and presentation (8 points) are worth 28 points.

Organizations pervade human life. They are sites of power, innovation and social change but can also be places that discourage initiative and reinforce inequalities found in society. Effective organizational management and leadership are critical to achieving broadly beneficial social, economic, and public value. The task is difficult because of the complexity of human behavior in organizations, constrained resources, competing demands of many stakeholders outside of the organization, and pervasive changes in the world we live in. Most of you will work in some kind of organization when you graduate and many, if not most, of you will be managers and leaders during your careers. This course will help prepare you to be an organizational leader in this realm, focusing on empowering you with the courage to act under uncertainty in order to strengthen the effectiveness of your organization. Furthermore, it aims to provide both "the forest" and "the trees", and give you practice in thinking back and forth between the different levels so that when you are working and approach a problem at one of these levels, you have an awareness of the complexity of the situation at the alternative level.

To create that foundation, we focus on different ways to analyze organizations and develop sound recommendations for change - leaders and managers must understand organizational complexity in order to act.This course introduces students to some of the major theoretical approaches to organizational analysis, including concepts from public administration, sociology, political science, organizational psychology, and management. Learning to use multiple perspectives is critical because all perspectives contribute to understanding how to develop and sustain effective organizations and, ultimately, to how well individuals can help create public value. By gaining insight across different theoretical perspectives, students will develop an understanding of how theories provide distinctive windows into understanding behavior in complex social settings. Throughout, you will come to see that organizations provide opportunities and constraints as well as power and privilege within particular contexts.

I also expect that by taking this course you will gain or improve upon certain skills, such as: A) Critically reading and understanding advanced academic texts, such as journal articles and books. B) Academic research, such as identifying sources, developing an argument, coherently supporting said argument with secondary sources, etc. C). Argumentation and persuasion, particularly with regard to a specific public policy outcome. D) Visual communication techniques, particularly in the presentation of academic work.

• Expand personal leadership capacity by strengthening a sense of personal purpose, voice, agency, and experience in leading a group and communicating publicly about professional work.

• Strengthen capacity for adaptive problem solving through reflective analysis of complex organizations, community conditions, programs, and policy networks.

• Cultivate ability to engage effectively with others, while holding tension, by strengthening one's theoretical understanding and practical experience in instituting change.

• Deepen understanding of program design and factors affecting implementation.

• Learn strengths and limitations of quantitative and qualitative data analysis to inform decision-making.

• Improve one's ability to collect, evaluate, and use research-based evidence in defining public policy concerns and making recommendations for improvements.

• Enhance skills to connect with community and to confidently and productively engage with others in the context of diverse cultures, virtually and face-to-face.

• Deepen understanding of social conditions and engage with complex dynamics of difference and diverse perspectives to strengthen public value.

• Develop an appreciation of the value of "otherness" by establishing new relationships, gaining diverse perspectives, and creating professional networks in a trusting community of praxis.

S/N basis. Grading reflects class participation and several short reflection papers

In addition to readings assigned for each class sessions, students are asked to reflect on how the topics discussed are applicable for their board experience. Several short (1 - 2 page) reflection pagers are assigned.

We spend most of our waking hours for the majority of our adult lives at work. Not surprisingly, people are increasingly demanding work that is engaging and meaningful. Simultaneously, research demonstrates that when people find their work meaningful, they are more likely to undergo personal sacrifices and engage in practices that result in burnout. This seminar-style course will help you:

*understand the phenomenon of burnout and why it is increasingly prevalent;

*develop practices that facilitate your ability to thrive in a career that is personally meaningful and personally sustainable;

*examine organizational and institutional strategies that address burnout, underscoring the systemic nature of the phenomenon.

Explore the expanding and unique role of the city in today's world and our increasing reliance on cities to solve big policy problems. The environment for city policy-making is rapidly changing, with the influence of social movements and protest, higher levels of engagement with city government, and use of a race equity lens to redefine the priorities of public entities. In 2021 we will explore big challenges facing local government using discussion, exercises, and guest speakers for inspiration and real world examples. This year will include an in-depth look at city charters as an instrument of structural and public policy change, with examples drawn from Minneapolis and around the country.

Past guest speakers include: Edina City Manager Scott Neal, St Paul Council President Amy Brendmoen, former Virginia Council Member Nevada Littlewolf, Director of Minneapolis' Race and Equity Division Joy Marsh Stephens, and League of Minnesota Cities Executive Director Dave Unmacht.

Why take this class?

• Understanding local government structure, power relationships, and policy making authority is key to those who will work in and interact with city, county, and regional government systems. As state and federal government continues to struggle political and philosophical divides, local government remains at the forefront of many significant public policy change efforts.

• Understand the basic structure and functions of local government and the roles of stakeholders inside and outside of government.

• Identify and analyze pressures on local government and individuals in local government.

• Engage with those who seek to influence local government decisions, such as community advocates, lobbyists, elected officials and city staff, and explore their motivations and objectives.

• Understand the policy making process at the local government level and how to impact that process.

Instructor Elizabeth Glidden was a Minneapolis City Council Member for 12 years, including 4 as Council Vice President, and today is the Deputy Executive Director and Director of Policy at the Minnesota Housing Partnership. During her time on the Minneapolis Council, Elizabeth authored the city's safe and sick time ordinance, $15 per hour minimum wage, Ranked Choice Voting election reform, and helped create the City's first Department of Race and Equity.

• Understand the basic structure of local government and the roles of stakeholders inside and outside of government.
• Identify and analyze pressures on local government and individuals in local government.
• Engage with those who seek to influence local government decisions, such as community advocates, lobbyists, elected officials and city staff, and explore their motivations and objectives.
• Understand the policy making process at the local government level and how to impact that process

A = 100%-90%

B = 89%-79%

C = 78%-68%

D = 68%-59%

F = less than 59%

25% Reports/Papers/Memos

15% Student Presentations

Individual Assignments 60%

10 Reflective Essays 10%
5 Online Forum Essays 10%
Quiz #1 20%
Quiz #2 20%

Team Assignments 40%

Team Reading Response Paper 5%
Peer Evaluation of Team-Led Discussion 5%
Problem Statement 5%
Policy Brief 10%
Peer Evaluation of Team Policy Brief Presentation 5%
Within-Group Peer Evaluation 10%

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Build an appreciation of the promise and pitfalls of quantitative modeling.

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Acquire a specific set of modeling and interpretation skills through hands-on application.

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Develop an ability to describe the macroeconomic context of a country based on an analysis of time series data on major economic variables.

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Learn to conduct financial and economic cost-benefit analyses of public and non-profit development interventions and programs and learn how to manage the complexities of real-world projects.

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Become effective and critical consumers of experimental and non-experimental impact evaluation studies of development programs and interventions

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Build an appreciation of the promise and pitfalls of quantitative modeling.

-
Acquire a specific set of modeling and interpretation skills through hands-on application.

-
Develop an ability to describe the macroeconomic context of a country based on an analysis of time series data on major economic variables.

-
Learn to conduct financial and economic cost-benefit analyses of public and non-profit development interventions and programs and learn how to manage the complexities of real-world projects.

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Become effective and critical consumers of experimental and non-experimental impact evaluation studies of development programs and interventions

Why is action by local organizations, governments, and communities critical for energy innovation in the face of climate change? What policies, programs, and technical solutions are being explored at sub-national levels and how are they implemented? This course examines energy and climate innovations at community and local scales to prepare you (students) for professional work on climate change and energy issues at local and community levels - key areas of activity for careers in sustainability, environmental policy, climate change, and resilience.

Students in this course will apply concepts, theories, and analytical skills to case studies and client-focused projects. As communities face the varying challenges of climate change, this course examines both mitigation and adaptation responses to climate change and asks students to think both critically and practically about how to innovate and respond to these local risks. There are many dimensions to climate change, but this course focuses primarily on energy, including renewable energy integration, responses in the electricity sector to changing climate conditions (e.g. wildfires), and infrastructure change. Each week we will explore issues of local and community energy and climate action and engage (when possible) with those responsible for planning and implementing case study projects. Course content will draw from policy instruments and programs (e.g. community choice aggregation, community solar, solarize), local and regional initiatives (e.g. green training programs, resilience hubs), local government programs or policies (e.g. utility-municipal partnerships, benchmarking, and efficiency standards), and skills for working across diverse perspectives and positions on energy issues.

Assignments will include a client-based project focused on climate planning and local energy policy, personal reflections, and response papers.

[Course offered every other year]

o Examine the organization and structure of crisis decision-making within the U.S. national security apparatus;

o Analyze in depth four foreign policy crises: the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962); Vietnam - Tet (1968); Iraq (2006-2008) and a Current Events Crisis (2016).

o Put themselves in the position of national security leaders as part of a crisis simulation; and

o Write an analysis of a historical foreign policy crisis.

Four books will be required for this course and will be available through the UM Bookstores:

o Allison, Graham T., and Zelikow, Philip D., "Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis" (2nd edition), Pearson Longman (January 1999).

o Stern, Sheldon M., "The Week the World Stood Still: Inside the Secret Cuban Missile Crisis (Stanford Nuclear Age Series)" (Paperback) Stanford University Press (January 18, 2005).

o McMaster, H.R., "Dereliction of Duty," Harper Perennial; Reprint Edition (Paperback), (May 8, 1998).

o Harris, David, "The Crisis: The President, the Prophet, and the Shah - 1979 and the Coming of Militant Islam," Little, Brown and Company (Paperback) (2004).

This class provides an opportunity to think through some small and large personal dilemmas. It will not provide answers, but it will provide space for conversations about ethical aspects of different choices.

To begin to understand the ramifications of an action or choice, one needs to ask thoughtful questions.
What question(s) should you be asking?
Is there a larger issue that needs to be acknowledged? What are the underlying assumptions? How can you explain your own perspective? What would convince you to change your perspective?

Caveat: The instructor is not an expert in ethics. Like others in international development, I have struggled with ethical issues in the course of doing field research and using the results of field research. My area of expertise, child work/child labor, is a site of many conversations regarding ethics.

This course was designed with Global Policy (MPP), MDP, and MHR masters students in mind. Other graduate students are also welcome. The class provides a place to have conversations and debates about ethical dilemmas - particularly regarding social and economic situations - that may be faced by policy-focused professionals in global contexts.

Approximate grading basis

50% -- posted discussion questions

A/F or S/N. No audits allowed.

If you are satisfied with your grades from the first 3 assignments, you do not have to turn in assignment 4. If you are not, you should turn in assignment 4 and I will drop the lowest of your assignment grades.