Public Policy Schedule: Fall, 2008
Professor Wayne Hayes, ENST20701

|PP Home |Syllabus | Bulletin Board |
TOC: Key Dates, Part I, Part II, Part III

Important Dates ^

Please note the due dates below:

Introduction to the Course ^

September 4: Syllabus, Schedule, Web Site | Roster and Course Management

  1. Introductions, yours and mine
  2. Roster check. Please note that attendance will be taken and absences of all registered students will be recorded.
  3. Syllabus distributed and reviewed, expectations and responsibilities explained.
  4. Schedule and Bulletin Board previewed
  5. Overview of course flow, theory, and content. How to do well: Tips and traps.
  6. Q. and A.

Part I: Introduction Through Agenda and Globalization & Sustainability ^

Part I, covering the public policy cycle from Introduction through Formulation I, begins September 11 and ends October 9, with an exam. The sequence of topics corresponds to the web site.

September 11: Introduction To Public Policy

  1. Introduction
  2. Orientation
  3. Premises
  4. The limits to public policy
  5. The legacy of Malthus: public policy as the dismal science
  6. A brief word on ideology in public policy
  7. Trial run: What is your political ideology?, a web-based quiz game

September 18 & 25: How to study Public Policy

  1. Introducing the study of public policy
  2. Why study public policy?
  3. The scope of public policy
  4. What are the general approaches to public policy and which is adopted here?
  5. Definitions of public policy
  6. How to study public policy
  7. The public policy cycle as a method

October 2: Agenda Setting and Power

Please read the appropriate sections in Lester Brown, Plan B 3.0 Part I, that corresponds to your group's theme: energy & climate change, social aspects, and anatural capital. The lecture and discussion will include these topics:

  1. Introduction to agenda setting
  2. Setting the agenda
  3. Definitions: simple and explanatory
  4. Agenda typology
  5. Who sets the agenda and how
  6. How to study the agenda
  7. Bias and the exercise of power

October 9: Formulation I

  1. Transition from agenda to policy formulation
  2. Introduction to policy formulation
  3. Defining policy formulation
  4. Skills of policy analysis
  5. The foundations of American public policy making
  6. Example of the political manipulation of intelligence analysis and roles within intelligence community
  7. Illustrative cases, including Ramapo College Mission Statement

October 16: Exam, Part I of course

The class will begin with a brief meeting on our groups and their respecive projects, followed by a short break, then the exam. We will also precede the exam with a short discussion of the Presidential and Congressional elections.

Exam on Part I, multiple choice and essay format, counts 30% of grade.

Part II: Formulation II to Evaluation ^

Part II covers the public policy cycle from Formulation II through Evaluation. This section begins on October 16 and ends on November 13 with an exam on Part II of the course.

October 23: Formulation II: Policy Authorization

  1. Politics and policy formulation
  2. Case study: Stephen Labaton, Midnight Talks Close Deal on Financial Overhaul, New York Times, October 23, 1999, handout
  3. Film: H.R. 2121: An Act of Congress, with discussion
  4. Case study: Gail Russell Chaddick, Critical Energy Bill Crafted in Secrecy, Christian Science Monitor, October 2, 2003.
  5. Iron triangles
  6. Incrementalism
  7. Policy overhaul

October 30: Implementation

  1. Introduction to implementation
  2. Note cartoon reflecting implementation
  3. Defining implementation. Discussion: Can implementation work well?
  4. Cases of implementation, good and bad
  5. Traditional Public Administration | bureaucracy
  6. Successful Implementation: Liberal and Conservative views
  7. Return mid-term exam and review.

November 6: Budget

  1. Budget overview
  2. Define budget
  3. The budgetary process
  4. Overall discussion of US budget and examination of significant summary tables, especially Table S-7, Budget Summary by Categories
  5. Try a sophisticated budget simulation--it may surprise you
  6. Incrementalism, once again
  7. State and local budgets, with emphasis on current state budget stress

November 13: Evaluation & Review

  1. Transition: closing the loop
  2. Introduction to evaluation
  3. Evaluation defined
  4. Evaluation explained in context
  5. Explanatory cases of evaluation
  6. Historical roots of evaluation research
  7. Formal evaluation
  8. Informal evaluation
  9. Review for exam

November 20: Exam II, 30% of final grade

We will continue the groups and projects on Brown for the first part of this session, then I will present the Exam on Part II.

  1. Part I: multiple-choice, Part II of course
  2. Part II: essay on the public policy cycle

Part III: World Sustainability Policy ^

November 20: Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0:
sundot Speech by Lester Brown
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Preface and Ch. 1, Entering a New World, pp. 1-18
sundot Wayne Hayes, Overview of Brown: Lecture Notes
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 2, Beyond the Oil Peak, pp. 21-40
sundot Presentation of notes on Plan B 3.0: Ch. 2, Beyond the Oil Peak
sundot Time permitting, we will play The U.S. Oil Policy Simulation
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 3, Emerging Water Shortages, pp. 41-58
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 4, Rising Temperatures and Rising Seas, pp. 59-78
sundot Wayne Hayes, Notes on Global Warming
sundot Brown, Ch. 5, Natural Systems Under Stress, pp. 79-98
sundot Wayne Hayes, Notes on Natural Systems Under Stress
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 6, Early Signs of Decline, pp. 99-120
sundot Wayne Hayes, Notes on The Social Divide
December 4 & 11:Formulating Earth Restoration Policy:
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 8, Restoring the Earth, pp. 142-162
sundot Class roundtable re Earth Restoration, discussing the following:
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 9, Feeding Seven Billion People Well, pp. 163-181
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 10, Stabilizing Climate, pp. 182-203
sundot Lester R. Brown, Plan B 3.0: Ch. 11, Designing Sustainable Cities, pp. 204-224.
sundot Wayne Hayes: Presentation of Plan B

December 18:Final Report Due (no class)

The final report is due by December 18, but can be transmitted in advance. I will be in our classroom at our regular time, 6:00 PM, to assist should you have problems. I will depart by 6:30 PM, however. See the memo on the final report for the assignment.

The Public Policy Cycle Web Site | Page: © Wayne Hayes, Ph.D. | ™ ProfWork | wayne@profwork.com
Initialized: 5/22/2001 | Last Update: 12/7/2008

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