Member News: Jered B. Carr

Jered Carr, University of Illinois at Chicago, published "What Have We Learned about the Performance of Council-Manager Government? A Review and Synthesis of the Research" in the September/October 2015 issue of the Public Administration Review. 

Abstract

The 100th anniversary of the International City/County Management Association provides an excellent point to review and assess research on the performance of the council-manager form of government. The development of the council-manager form arguably has been the most important innovation in American local government over the last century, yet its impact on the performance of municipal governments is not well understood. This article reviews and assesses the empirical evidence for 10 propositions that council-manager governments perform better than mayor-council governments. This evidence indicates that although progress has been made on demonstrating differences in representation and functionality, the proposition that council-manager governments are better managed than mayor-council governments has yet to be seriously engaged in this literature. Filling this critical gap requires progress in two areas: the development of theory to explain why council-manager governments are better-managed organizations and the production of evidence assessing the major propositions of this theory.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/puar.12415/abstract

Report on SIAM Mission Statement and Name

SIAM members,

Following the annual section business meeting I appointed a committee chaired by Eric Zeemering to make recommendations regarding the implementation of the new mission statement adopted at that meeting. The committee took this task quite seriously and after much work and deliberation reported back the attached recommendations that include a revised and more concise statement of the section mission. At the section executive council meeting earlier this month voted unanimously to send the committee recommendation to the full membership at the annual meeting with a recommendation that the proposed changes be adopted. I have attached the committee report here. Also note that the Deil Wright Symposium will include a panel discussion on the mission of SIAM. I encourage everyone to attend the Deil Wright Symposium and the annual business meeting which will be Saturday, March 19 - 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm.

Best regards

Rick Feiock

SIAM Exec council chair

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To:         Rick Feiock, Chair and SIAM Executive Committee 
From:     Mission Implementation Committee 
RE:        Report on SIAM Mission Statement and Name 
Date:      December 17, 2015 

Background

For several years, the Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management (SIAM) has been engaged in a discussion about the section’s future, strategic goals, and declining membership.  When Rick Feiock became section chair, he signaled the need for the section to confront the trend of declining membership by aligning our work with the most salient topics in our subfield of public administration.  A committee, chaired by David Miller and Jered Carr, brought recommendations to the 2015 section business meeting to update the mission statement and section name.  The membership adopted the new mission statement by a vote of sixteen (yes) to fourteen (no).  The mission implementation committee was appointed to continue the dialogue about the new mission statement and section name. 

The mission implementation committee began work by conference call on May 7, 2015.  The committee decided to survey the membership of the section in order to make sure that our efforts align with the goals and views of the membership.  The survey was available to the membership between September 1 and September 18, 2015.  The survey was sent to 237 members.  Ninety surveys were completed for a response rate of 37.97%.  The committee reconvened by conference call on October 20, 2015 to discuss the results.  Additional deliberations occurred by email through the month of November.  This memo summarizes key findings from the membership survey and the committee’s recommendations regarding the section mission statement. 

Membership Survey 

The survey results, provided in an attachment for the executive committee, show some disagreement within the membership about the mission statement.  While 62 percent of the membership reports they are satisfied or very satisfied with the section’s old mission statement, 55 percent report they are very satisfied or satisfied with the new mission statement.  When asked about the importance of various topics to the section, intergovernmental relations (1.76) received the most salient score on a scale from 1 to 10, with intergovernmental management (2.20), intergovernmental administration (2.28) and federalism (2.72) not far behind.  Collaborative governance (2.98), state‐local relations (2.50) and interlocal relations (2.79) also received support.  Network governance (3.86), metropolitan governance (3.86) and urban affairs (4.7) appear less salient. 

The committee reviewed open responses to the question, “Would you recommend any specific additions or revisions to the mission statement?”  Several respondents signaled that both the old and new mission statements are verbose and cover too much content.  Respondents signaled that mission statements should be short and focused.  The committee took these recommendations seriously during our deliberations.   

The survey also showed split opinion about a change to the section’s name.  On a scale of 1 (unimportant) to 10 (important), the mean was 4.56.  Thirty one respondents selected 1 or 2 to signal low importance.  Fourteen selected 9 or 10 to signal high importance.  Thirty one selected 4, 5, or 6, which might be interpreted as uncertainty or ambivalence.  Given these results, the mission implementation committee chose to focus attention on the mission statement. 

Committee Recommendations 

The mission implementation committee agreed with the survey respondents who stated that both the old mission statement and the new mission statement attempt to convey too much information about the section’s interests and goals.  We set out to craft a concise statement focused on the core of the membership’s shared interests in intergovernmental relations and intergovernmental management within a federal system.  After extensive debate and careful revision, the committee recommends the following mission statement to the executive committee: 

The Section serves as a forum for the study, understanding, and improvement of dynamic federal systems and other forms of intergovernmental relations wherein national, state, and local governments address policy and management issues. 

We believe this mission statement identifies common ground for the section membership.  This statement speaks to the historic roots of the section while also signaling our ongoing interest in the scholarship and practice of intergovernmental relations.  We ask the executive committee to bring this proposal to the general membership at the 2016 meeting of ASPA in Seattle. 

Remaining Questions 

The mission implementation committee acknowledges the dialogue about the future of SIAM will continue.  Rick Feiock and Carl Stenberg are providing a venue for ongoing discussion by allowing committee members to participate in a special panel during the Wright Symposium at the ASPA meeting in 2016.  The section is making every effort to have an open and transparent dialogue about how we maintain a vibrant section focused on salient topics and activities that engage the membership. Several questions remain for the section.  First, is a change to the section name necessary?  While we see divided opinion within the current section membership, we have no sense of external perceptions of the section.  We do not know if, as suggested at the last membership meeting, the name serves as a barrier to entry for ASPA members.  Second, which services and activities provided to the section membership are most important?  The survey did not attempt to assess the value the membership places on the Wright Symposium at the annual conference, the section newsletter, or the subscription to State and Local Government Review.  Third, if the membership approves a more concise mission statement, can this sharper focus help with membership recruitment?  As the membership has engaged in dialogue about the mission, membership remains static.  The membership should consider how to engage new participants in section activities.  We hope that dialogue among section members at the 2016 meeting can help address these three questions.

2016 Deil S. Wright Symposium: Friday, March 18, 2016

2016 DEIL S. WRIGHT SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCEMENT

The Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management (SIAM) invites ASPA members to attend the 2016 Deil S. Wright Symposium at the 2016 ASPA national conference in Seattle. The symposium honors the career and contributions of Professor Deil S. Wright, who was a charter member of SIAM and remained active until his passing in 2009. The all-day meeting on Friday, March 18 will feature cutting edge research on local governance and intergovernmental management by outstanding doctoral candidates and junior scholars, collaborating with faculty members, as well as a panel discussion on the Section’s mission. The theme of the symposium is “Intergovernmental Management in Transition” Following is the preliminary agenda.

          

8:30-8:45 Welcome Richard Feiock and Carl Stenberg

8: 45-10:00 Panel 1: Local Governance and Intergovernmental Management Research

The Rise of Specialized Governance in Federalism: Links between Local Autonomy and Special Districts among States

Yu Shi, University of Illinois at Chicago

The Dynamics of Interorganizational Risk Management Networks: Following the 2015 South Korea MERS Response  

KyungWoo (John) Kim, University of North Texas            

Policy Abandonment at Multiple Levels of Government: Understanding Why State and Local Governments Abandon Economic Development Incentives

Eric Stokan, George Washington University

External and Internal Influences on Local Governments to Design Comprehensive Sustainability Programs

Hyungjun Ji, Arizona State University

Why Do Local Leaders Cooperate Across Boundaries? Results from a National Survey Experiment on Mayors and Councilors

Meghan Rubado, Temple University

10:00-10:15 Break

10:15-11:00 Discussion of Panel 1 Papers

Discussants include editors of State and Local Government Review, Public Administration Review, Urban Affairs Review

11:00-12:30 Panel 2:  What Future for SIAM?  Exploring and Adjusting the Mission of ASPA’s Intergovernmental Section

This roundtable features leading scholars and practitioners who served on the committee to review the recent SIAM mission change and make implementation recommendations.  Eric Zeemering will present results of the survey of SIAM members the committee conducted and panel members will provide their thoughts, assessments, and ideas in a dialogue with the other panelists and the audience.

Participants

Eric Zeemering, Northern Illinois University (Chair)

Ed Benton, University of South Florida

David Miller, University of Pittsburgh

David Warm, Executive Director, Mid-America Regional Council

12:30-1:30  Lunch Break

1:30-3:00  Panel 3: Local Governance and Intergovernmental Management Research

Bottom-up Federalism: An Examination of U.S. Local Governments’ Climate Change Policy

Benoy Jacob, University of Colorado, Denver, Brian Gerber, Arizona State University, Sam Gallaher, University of Colorado, Denver

Equipment Sharing Among Local Governments

Daniel D. Wendt, Bowling Green State University

Empathy and Ethics in Public Servants: The Role of Public Administration Education in Developing Competencies for Collaborative Governance

Mariglynn Edlins and Stephanie Dolamore, University of Baltimore

Can You Put Food on the Table? Redefining Poverty in America

Maureen Berner and Alexander Vazquez, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Discussant

John Kincaid, Layafette University

3:00-3:15  Break

3:15-4:45  Panel 4: Public Administration and Providing and Managing Collaborative and Environmental Programs in the New Era

Providing Public Services in a Networked and Collaborative Environment

David K. Hamilton, Texas Tech University

The Municipal Governance of Sustainability: Climate Change, Polycentricity, and Public Administration

Dennis Patterson and Robert E. Forbis, Jr., Texas Tech University

Determinants of Change and Innovation in U.S. Local Governments Natural Hazard Management Practices

Brian Gerber, Arizona State University

The Conflicted Role of Professional Managers: Help Guild or Insulate from the Metropolitan Region

David Miller, University of Pittsburgh

Discussant

Beverly Cigler, Penn State Harrisburg

4:45-5:00 Wrap-Up  Richard Feiock and Eric Zeemering

SLGR seeking local government practitioners for comment on article

The Governance Matters (GM) section of the State and Local Government Review (SLGR) is looking for assistance in identifying local government practitioners who have undergone or closely studied local government (that is, city-county) or regional consolidation to read and comment on an article on that topic to be published in SLGR GM.  The selected practitioners would participate by teleconference in a roundtable discussion of the article which would be summarized in an introductory article in the same GM section and their views would be credited by name in the issue.  If you know of someone who you think would be a knowledgeable and willing contributor to this endeavor, please contact GM Editor, Bruce Perlman at bperlman@unm.edu. 

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE: SIAM Section Meeting on March 19

The SIAM section meeting will be held on Saturday, March 19 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Please save the date. 

Clinical Assistant or Associate Professor position at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Colleagues:

We are filling a new role of clinical professor position in our department at the Assistant or Associate level. 

This new faculty member will primarily teach in our undergraduate public policy and our MPA programs. We also hope that this person will immediately or eventually serve as director of the undergraduate program. In this case, the teaching load will likely be six per year and a two course reduction to accommodate the administrative assignment.

This clinical position is designed for someone who is looking for a permanent position at a research university and is a strong teacher, but does not want to deal with the research expectations that go with the tenure track position. Clinical faculty in the Department of Public Administration are evaluated on the basis of teaching and service. The Clinical position is not temporary, but simply not tenure track. Our Assistant Clinical Professors have a path for promotion to Associate and Full Professors. 

Please share this announcement with anyone you think might be interested in this opportunity. It could be a great opportunity for someone who wants to be at an urban research university but does not want the research expectations that go with tenure track positions. It could also be a great opportunity for someone who enjoys teaching undergraduate students and wants the opportunity to help shape their careers. UIC has a highly diverse student body and many of our undergraduate students are first generation college students.

The search closes on January 4, 2016. We may extend it by a few weeks, but  I am not sure yet. 

Best Regards,

Jered

 

Jered B. Carr, Ph.D.,
Professor and Department Head, Department of Public Administration
http://cuppa-pa.uic.edu/

Co-Editor and Managing Editor, Urban Affairs Review
Email: urban.affairs.review@gmail.com
Blog: www.urbanaffairsreview.blogspot.com
Web: http://uar.sagepub.com/

University of Illinois at Chicago
College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs

Office Location thru January 2016
818 S. Wolcott Street, Room 406
Chicago, Illinois 60612
p 312-413-7853  f 312-996-8804
jbcarr@uic.edu

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After January 2016
412 South Peoria Street, 132 CUPPA Hall
Chicago, Illinois  60607
p 312-413-7853  f 312-996-8804
jbcarr@uic.edu

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New Clinical Professor Appointment in Public Administration

The Department of Public Administration (DPA) in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) (http://www.uic.edu/cuppa/pa) plans to hire a new non-tenure-track faculty member at the Clinical Assistant or Clinical Associate Professor level beginning in August 2016.

The public administration program offers two graduate degrees: the Master in Public Administration (MPA), which is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, and the Ph.D. The DPA also offers a new undergraduate degree (B.A.) in Public Policy. We also have a large and active program of international students.

The successful applicant’s primary duties will be teaching in the department’s undergraduate public policy program including courses in the policy process and policy analysis. A strong commitment to excellent teaching, especially at the undergraduate level and a commitment to curriculum and program development is expected.

Candidates with an earned PhD or who can demonstrate high likelihood of degree completion by August 2016 in public administration, political science, public policy, or a related field are preferred. Candidates with demonstrated expertise and the capacity to teach courses in public policy are preferred. In exceptional cases candidates without a PhD may be considered if they have sufficient relevant experience. Successful candidates will have teaching and service responsibilities equivalent to eight courses over two semesters. Individuals who are members of a recognized underrepresented group are particularly encouraged to apply.

Clinical faculty are a valued and crucial element of the DPA’s workforce and hold positions through which they contribute to the service and teaching missions of the department and university. At UIC clinical faculty have clear career ladders and generally receive multi-year renewable contracts. Non-tenure system faculty including clinical professors are represented by UIC United Faculty Local 6456, IFT-AFT, AAUP. The most recent contract can be viewed at http://uicunitedfaculty.org/docs/NTS-CBA-8-16-12-through-8-15-15-copy.pdf.

The University of Illinois at Chicago is located just west of Chicago's Loop, it enrolls 29,000 students and is the largest public research university in the Chicago area. The College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs was created in 1995 as part of UIC's Great Cities Initiative. It houses two academic programs (Public Administration and Urban Planning and Policy). The College also hosts nine research centers: the Survey Research Laboratory, the Great Cities Institute, the Urban Transportation Center, the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, the Great Cities Urban Data Visualization Lab, the Center for Urban Economic Development, the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement, Center for Public Safety and Justice and the Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement.

Application Procedure. For fullest consideration, please apply by January 4, 2016 via the University application system: https://jobs.uic.edu (Job ID # 57814). A completed on-line application and the following attachments are required for consideration: a cover letter of interest, curriculum vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy and experience and contact information, including email addresses, of three professional references. For specific questions about the position, please send an email to Ms. Sari Buffill (buffill@uic.edu). Active screening of applicants begins on January 5, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled.

The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the University of Illinois at Chicago not to engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era and to comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders and regulations.

Member News: Patricia Atkins, Catherine Collins, Lisa Lowry

Published in State Tax Notes October 19, 2015 is the article "Real Estate Transfer Taxes: Widely Used, Little Conformity" by Patricia Atkins, Associate Research Professor, George Washington Institute of Public Policy, with co-authors Catherine Collins and Lisa Lowry. The article reviews the current status of real estate taxes related to the transfer and recording of deeds and mortgages in the states and localities. It utilizes data obtained through the Significant Features of the Property Tax project, a joint venture between the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the George Washington Institute of Public Policy. The website can be accessed by all at no cost at https://www.lincolninst.edu/subcenters/significant-features-property-tax/ and makes available additional data on other property tax topics.