Faculty Contact Information:
Archie J. Twitchell, DPA
Email: atwitche@cs.com
Tel: 859 699 6356
Fax 859 881 0914 | |
Consultation:
| Consultation on request atwitche@cs.com | |
Required Texts and Readings:
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Texts used exclusively in this course --
O'Toole, L. J. Ed. (2000). American intergovernmental relations, (3rd ed.). Washington, DC. CQ Press.
Peterson, P. E. (1995). The price of federalism. Washington, DC. The Brookings Institute.
Text used in multiple courses:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, (5th ed.). Washington DC: Author | |
Supplementary Readings:
The Articles of Confederation:
http://www.constitution.org/cons/usa-conf.htm
The U.S. Constitution:
http://www.constitution.org/cons/constitu.txt
The Constitution of Virginia ? 1776:
http://www.nhinet.org/ccs/docs/va-1776.htm
All graduate students should be prepared to utilize the UMUC online library. The library contains a large number of full text academic journals that are free of charge and immediately available. The library homepage also contains a number of links related to improving students' research and writing skills.
USEFUL WEBSITE: http://www.aspanet.org | |
Recommended Journals:
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Course Description:
| Prerequisite: Undergraduate American political science or American government. Focuses on the complexities and inadequacies of the federal-state-local system; with conflicts and cooperation between the three levels; with changing roles of government; with the development of structures, processes, and management to strengthen the intergovernmental system and improve performance; and with increasing student problem-solving and managerial capabilities. | |
Course Goals:
As a required course in the management track of the MPA, this course analyzes the challenges of managing programs within federalist systems of government. Upon completion of this course, participants should have an understanding of the:
- history of the federalism.
- significant legislation pertaining to IGR.
- unique problems of state government.
- challenges and promises of local and regional governments.
- crisis of state and local budgeting.
- impact of the courts on IGR.
- alternative funding arrangements of state and local activities
- probable future of intergovernmental relations.
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Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify the primary grant mechanisms.
- Compare and contrast the distinct phases of IGR.
- Delineate intergovernmental “tax domains.”
- Differentiate between the primary IGR policies
- Explain intergovernmental policy overlap issues.
- Identify new areas of state and local finances.
- Develop new models for revenue estimation.
- Implement new methods of revenue collection and disbursement.
- Identify the means of circumventing balanced budget amendments.
- Detect the major problems facing state and local governments.
- Develop strategies for avoiding costly social service litigation cases.
- Identify sources of grant money at state and nation levels.
- Write a grant proposal.
- Apply governmental policy objectives more effectively.
- Implement new laws pertaining to Equal Opportunity.
- Generate appropriate charts, tables and graphs.
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Grading Information:
Grades for this course will be assigned as follows:
A = 450-500 points
B = 400-449
C = 350-399
F = Below 350
Please note that Bowie State University does not use "D" for graduate students. The grade F(a) is used to designate academic failure. F(n) is used to designate failure for non-completion. Grades of Incomplete or Withdrawal are governed by UMUC-Europe policies. For further details, please refer to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog. Hard copies of the catalog are available in your local Education Center. | |
Course Requirements:
Graduate school at the masters level focuses on helping students obtain the education needed for success as professionals in their chosen fields. Thus, UMUC-Europe Graduate Programs and Bowie State University share the common goals of promoting excellence in academic scholarship through thoughtful inquiry and the skillful application of knowledge and theory for the betterment of society. In order to maximize your graduate educational experience in general and this course in particular, you are required to:
In summary the requirements for this course are:
Participation--------------100 points
Term paper-----------------100
Midterm exam---------------100
Final exam-----------------100
Projects (50 points ea.)---100
Total----------------------500 | |
Description of Course Requirements:
Successful graduate students in American universities dedicate approximately three hours of preparation/study time for every hour spent in the face-to-face classroom. Thus, the following course requirements were developed on the assumption that students would be prepared to spend approximately 150 hours of their own time working on them. In an 8-week term, that is the equivalent of a half-time job. Most 14-week graduate distance education courses require at least 10 hours per week of dedicated time, plus time spent in the virtual classroom.
The following course requirements were developed to comprehensively explore intergovernmental relations.
Participation:
A thoughtful and comprehensive response to each assignment posted in the Conference each week is required. The expectation is that you will write several paragraphs that are responsive to the question posed.
Term paper:
The term paper shall address the relationship of a federal agency to the states. For example the Department of Education enforces the ?No child Left Behind Act?. Why is the Federal government requiring states to test students. Why is the federal government setting standards for success or failure of schools when this has been the domain of the states? Is this a funded or unfunded mandate?
The grade on the term paper is dependent on the quality of the English and the quality of the analysis.
The midterm and final exams are essay type and involve the application of theories and principles addressed in the class. The analysis of cases is frequently required.
Two projects are required.
Project One involves the analysis of the Articles of Confederation. Why are they important? What did they contribute to the forming of the nation? Did they succeed or fail to serve their purpose?
What did the constitution of Virginia contribute to the Articles of Confederation and to the Constitution?
Why has the Constitution been successful?
The project is limited to four double spaced pages.
Project two involves the analysis of the role of the Supreme Court in defining the relationship between the states and federal government. A minimum of six cases must be analyzed for their impact and of those two must be recent ? within the past 20 years.
The project is limited to six double spaced pages. | |
Course Schedule:
Course Schedule: This schedule presents 16 units or modules, with each unit corresponding to a regular three-hour weekday meeting, a half-day on weekends, or a full week of DE.
Course Schedule: This schedule presents 16 units or modules, with each unit corresponding to a regular three-hour weekday meeting, a half-day on weekends, or a full week of DE.
The course meets from Nov. 1, 2004 to March 6, 2005
Initial meeting: Nov. 1-7
Introductions
Review of syllabus
Clarification of goals, objectives and requirements
Orientation to subject
Clarification of methods of communications
Second meeting: Nov. 8-14
What is IGR? What is federalism? What is public administration (PA)? Types of governments. Types of federalism.
Peterson 1, O'Toole 2
Third meeting: Nov. 15-21
The evolution from confederation to federalism: O'Toole 1, 12,
The Articles of Confederation at: http://www.constitution.org/cons/usa-conf.htm, The U.S. Constitution at: http://www.constitution.org/cons/constitu.txt
The Constitution of Virginia ? 1776: http://www.nhinet.org/ccs/docs/va-1776.htm
Fourth meeting: Nov. 22-28
Functional and Legislative Theory and models of federalism:
Focus on the distribution of power and authority among federal, state and local governments.
Peterson 2, O'Toole # 4, 5, & 29
First project due 29 Nov.
Fifth meeting: Nov. 29-Dec. 5
Fiscal aspects of federalism
Peterson 6, O'Toole Part III
Sixth meeting: Dec. 6-12
Preemption, mandates and power
Peterson 3, 7
The role of the Supreme Court in the evolution of Federalism. Become familiar with the language of the relevant sections of the Constitution and the logic by which the court arrived at its conclusions.
Gibbons v Ogden (1803), McCulloch v Maryland (1819)
National League of Cities v Usery (1976), Garcia v San Antonio Metro (1985), United States v Lopez (1995), Reread O?Toole Ch. 1-2
Seventh meeting: Dec. 13-22
The midterm will be emailed Dec 13 and will be due not later than 22 Dec.
Term break:
Dec. 22 - Jan. 16
Eighth meeting: Jan.17-23
Further exploration of the role of the courts in IGR with attention on civil rights, voting rights, and decisions on affirmative action decisions. Citations will be provided.
The second project is due 17 Jan
Policy issues that span jurisdictional boundaries. What are the respective roles of the federal and state governments in education and welfare. Explore funded and unfunded mandates?
Peterson 4 -5, O'Toole 15, Part IV
Ninth meeting: Jan. 24-30
Continuation of the examination of policy issues that span jurisdictional boundaries with a focus on health, Medicaid, National Guard and unemployment insurance.
Peterson 8, supplemental reading will be provided
Tenth meeting: Jan. 31-Feb. 6
Role and influence of PIG?s, state lobbyists and other groups such as the State Attorney Generals in IGR
O?Toole 9-11, supplemental material may be supplied.
Eleventh meeting: Feb. 7-13
Policy issues involving devolution, regulation & deregulation.
O?Toole Part V, The tobacco Settlement and the settlement between the NY State Attorney General and Wall Street Brokers.
Twelfth meeting: Feb. 14-20
Examination of the future of IGR. Which future will prevail? O?Toole's traditional or the new assertiveness of the states in matters formerly federal but long neglected. Will the financial difficulties of the states curb their new assertiveness?
Thirteenth meeting: Feb. 21- 27
Summing up.
Term paper due Feb. 21
Fourteenth meeting: Feb 28 ? Mar. 6
The final exam emailed 24 Feb. and is due Mar. 2.
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Academic Policies:
The University has a license agreement with Turnitin.com, a service that helps prevent plagiarism from internet resources. I may be using this service in this class by either requiring students to submit their papers electronically to Turnitin.com or by submitting questionable text on behalf of a student. If you or I submit part or all of your paper, it will be stored by Turnitin.com in their database throughout the term of the University's contract with Turnitin.com. If you object to this temporary storage of your paper, you must let me know no later than two weeks after the start of this class. Please Note: If you object to the storage of your paper on Turnitin.com, I may utilize other services to check your work for plagiarism.
The official university policy on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty can be found at http://www.umuc.edu/policy/aa15025.shtml. Section I.C. states: Faculty may determine if the resubmission of course work from previous classes (whether or not taken at UMUC), partially or in its entirety, is acceptable when assigning a grade on that piece of course work. Faculty must provide this information in their written syllabi. If the resubmission of course work is deemed to be unacceptable, a charge may not be brought under this Policy and will be handled as indicated in the written syllabi.
Please refer to Description of Course Requirements for specific information on how resubmissions will be treated in this course and to the UMUC-Europe Graduate Catalog for information on the following:
Academic Integrity
Course Load
Exception to Policy
Grade Appeal Process
Make-up Examinations
Nondiscrimination
Students with Disabilities
Hard copies of the catalog are available at your local Education Center. | |
Faculty Bio:
| Dr. Twitchell earned his DPA in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He has been involved in military education for several years, and served as both the Program Director for Public Administration and the Academic Director of Graduate Programs at UMUC Europe before transitioning stateside. | | |