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Canyon College

online Intergovernmental Relations and Issues course

COURSE SYLLABUS: Intergovernmental Relations and Issues


Course Title:
Department:
Instructor:
Prerequisites: 		PA583 - Intergovernmental Relations and Issues
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sheree R. Nelson, M.S., B.S. - E-Mail - Vita
None


COURSE OVERVIEW:

Intergovernmental Relations & Issues is a graduate course in the theory and practice of intergovernmental relations and the myriad issues that accompany the day-to-day operations and affect the overall efficiency of our system. This course will address both the legal and political perspectives of the interactions, relationships and public policy considerations throughout the various components and levels of government. After studying its historical perspectives, we will focus on the political, fiscal and administrative aspects of intergovernmental relations. Further, we will examine the executive agencies and departments as the “Fourth Branch of Government,” to acquire an understanding of the multitude of issues that surround public policy making and implementation. Finally, we will look at the future of the intergovernmental system and reforming the bureaucracy.


COURSE OBJECTIVES:

In this course you will:
  1. Gain an understanding of historical and theoretical perspectives of intergovernmental relations.
  2. Examine the structure, dynamics and processes of intergovernmental relations.
  3. Analyze the various political, fiscal and administrative aspects of intergovernmental relations.
  4. Obtain an understanding of the organization and complexity of the Federal government, with an emphasis on Executive departments and agencies.
  5. Assess the future of intergovernmental relations and the system as a whole.

REQUIRED TEXT: Online Bookstore

Laurence J. O’Toole, Jr., editor. American Intergovernmental Relations. 3rd edition, (Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2000)
ISBN #: 0155055232

Kenneth J. Meier, Politics and the Bureaucracy: Policymaking in the Fourth Branch of Government. 4th edition, (Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000)
ISBN #: 1568024053


GRADING:

As a self-guided course, it is imperative that all reading and assignments are done according to the schedule. Early completion of assignments is accepted, but late submissions are penalized. Each late assignment will receive an automatic 10% reduction. After one week, assignments will not be accepted without prior approval from me.

Final grades will be based on the following:
Week One Assignment:
Week Two Assignment:
Week Three Assignment:
Week Four Assignment:
Week Five Assignment:
Week Six Assignment:
Week Seven Assignment:
Week Eight Assignment: 		10%
10%
10%
15%
10%
10%
15%
20%


Weeks one, two, three, five, six and seven involve answering questions from the O’Toole textbook or in reference to the Meier textbook. Each assignment is worth 10% of your final grade.

Week four’s assignment is a policy paper that will include an examination and analysis of a current and significant public policy.

Week eight’s assignment is a research paper that will include a substantive analysis of the various theories and models of intergovernmental relations.

Although there are no traditional tests for this course, exceptional effort and thought is expected from each student, as represented in written format when answering questions, examining public policy and analyzing current academic perspectives. Proficiency in the material presented should be conveyed through the written assignments by including references, opinions, clarifications, outside sources, graphs, charts, or any means deemed appropriate and necessary by the student to demonstrate a superior comprehension of intergovernmental relations and public policy.

The requirements for the Policy and Research papers are as follows:

Policy Paper:

  1. A statement of the policy and the theoretical issue.
  2. The policy context and history.
  3. A description of the actors involved in implementing the policy.
  4. A description of the people affected by the policy.
  5. Any intergovernmental issues involved in implementing the policy.
  6. A conclusion of the particular intergovernmental policy implications of your analysis.

Research Paper:

There are two parts to this paper: intergovernmental relations at the federal level among various bureaus and agencies and intergovernmental relations between the federal government and state and local governments. Each area must be researched and presented, and a comparison of the issues that each faces must be included. Either a general or a specific intergovernmental relations issue can be researched, but the material presented must be comprehensive and accurate.

*****Information Regarding Both Papers*****
Each of your papers should consist of correct grammar and syntax. Proper citations and formatting is crucial. I have no preference for a particular format, but I do require that your papers follow whichever format you choose correctly and clearly. You must include a bibliography, citations and solid substantiated research. Each paper should be no more than 12 pages in length, but not less than six pages. The title page and the bibliography are not to be included in this total. You may, and I highly recommend, that you begin these papers far in advance of their due dates. Waiting until the last minute will most likely result in rushed and incomplete work. At the graduate level, your ability to write these papers with academic excellence is assumed and expected. If you’d prefer, I would be happy to approve a selected topic and/or review an outline before you begin researching and writing.

The rubrics for assessing your papers is as follows:
Clarity of Presentation:
Research Support:
Logic of Presentation:
Writing, Grammar and Formatting: 		20%
30%
20%
30%


COURSE OUTLINE:


WEEK 1:


Introduce yourself via e-mail to snelson@canyoncollege.edu. Include any political science, public policy or government courses you have taken, as well as your professional experience. Please inform me at this time if you plan to complete the course in the full eight-weeks, or if you’d prefer to work on an accelerated schedule.

Readings:
(O’Toole) Preface, Overview (pp. 1-30), Part I Introduction (pp. 33-36) and Chapters 1-7 (These are very short.)

Chapter Notes:
The overview on pages 1-30 and the introduction on pages 33-36 are the best chapter notes for this week. I couldn’t sum this topic up any better than the author already has, so please read them very carefully.

Assignment (10%): (Due by Sunday, at the end of week one.
  1. Answer Part I Review Questions 4, 5, 10, 12 and 13.


WEEK 2:


Political Aspects of Intergovernmental Relations (Part I)
And Bureaucracy and Politics

Readings:
(O’Toole) Chapters 8-11
(Meier) Chapters 1-2


Chapter Notes:
(O’Toole)
O’Toole asserts that “the structure was designed to establish opportunities for different government units representing different interests to stake out positions and exercise influence while also seeking accommodation with one another.” How that influence is distributed and exercised is the focus of Part II. O’Toole suggests that those likely to be politically important in the system are the major national government institutions: the presidency, the Congress, and the federal courts. Further, the national bureaucracy is often an especially significant participant. Public interest groups, political parties and various other specialized bodies also exert their effects on intergovernmental decisions and directions.

(Meier)
Over the years, our government has continued to grow. Many of the initial core functions of the government are now only minor aspects of modern government. As the government has grown, so too have the issues that accompany the functions and interactions of the various players. Among the issues that the bureaucracy faces is that of implementing public policy in a highly political environment. Before one can attempt to understand the political environment of the bureaucracy, it is important to familiarize oneself with the structure of the government. Figure 2-1 illustrates the separation of the three branches of the federal government and the breakdown of the Executive Departments. Within the departments, federal agencies and bureaus serve to administer the departments’ programs. The sheer number of personnel that work to execute government programs and render government services, illustrated in Table 2-1, gives an indication of the greatness of the task at hand. Complicating the picture, the agencies and bureaus vary in their levels of autonomy. Some departments exercise relatively close control over the agencies and bureaus, while other departments serve more as holding companies for bureaus and agencies that enjoy a high level of autonomy. Some units existed prior to the establishment of the department, and they operate with little departmental control. An example of this is the Public Health Service that existed prior to the establishment of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Similar in size and influence to department agencies and bureaus, there are approximately sixty independent agencies within the Federal government. Unlike the other agencies and bureaus, however, these agencies report directly to either the president or Congress. The reasons for this distinction are covered in the chapter.

Those areas of government that are intended to operate in a more efficient, businesslike manner are generally assigned to government corporations. Depending on their function, government corporations can be either an independent agency or within one of the fourteen departments.

In addition to understanding the structure of the bureaucracy, it’s important to understand who the players are and what the various functions are. Meier explains, in Chapter 2, that how someone becomes a bureau chef, for example, varies. Additionally, he explains that the particular functions of the agency or bureau can serve to determine the necessary level of autonomy.

Various bureaus exist to assist either the president or Congress. Bureaus such as the Office of Management and Budget, The National Security Council and the White House Office assist the president with policymaking activities. Although the size of the president’s political bureaucracy is difficult to determine, approximately 1,650 people exclusive of the CIA and the foreign assistance program are listed in the federal budget.

Similarly, the congressional bureaucracy is comprised of various bureaus to assist with the myriad policy and nonpolicy functions of Congress. From the personal assistants for each member of Congress to bureaus such as the General Accounting Office, the congressional bureaucracy consists of about 18,000 people.

Figure 2-3 illustrates the federal employment growth trends since 1940. With approximately 2.5 million federal employees executing the day-to-day activities of our national government, intergovernmental relations is certainly a topic that is gaining popularity and concern. And although the size of the federal bureaucracy receives frequent criticism, the fact is that employment levels have grown very little since 1980, and have even experienced a decline of nearly a-half-a-million people in recent years. Nevertheless, issues continue to arise as various units of government attempt to fulfill their responsibilities, while competing for resources and, often, power.

Assignment (10%): (Due by Sunday, at the end of week two.)
  1. Choose and answer four questions from O’Toole’s Part II Review Questions that are relevant to Chapters 8-11. Answer all questions thoroughly, and use page references when necessary.
  2. Summarize and analyze Meier’s chapters 1 and 2 in no less than two pages each.


WEEK 3:


Political Aspects of Intergovernmental Relations (Part II)
And Bureaucratic Power and It’s Causes and Bureaucracy and Public Policy

Readings:
(O’Toole) Chapters 12-15
(Meier) Chapters 3-4

Chapter Notes:

(O’Toole)
Chapters 12-15 conclude Part II, Political Aspects of Intergovernmental Relations. The Preemption Beast illustrates how various governments are affected by their laws being preempted by other higher laws. The U.S. Constitution makes it clear that an act of Congress takes precedence over state law. However, many attempts by various industries to have state laws regarding such issues as liability and safety preempted have fallen upon seemingly deaf ears. On the other hand, some industries have succeeded in persuading Congress to respond favorably to their requests by preempting state laws. In an increasingly expanding national and global market, industries argue that consistent law is a must to ensure efficiency, which, in turn, benefits the consumers by allowing increased technological advances and competitiveness and lower costs for the customer. Similarly, chapters 13-15 describe the various situations that foster, if not require, intergovernmental relations.

(Meier)
Meier further describes the bureaucratic structure and its various components in chapters 3 and 4. How and why bureaus achieve and retain power is covered in chapter 3, while policy implementation is outlined in chapter 4. Again, this information is extremely useful when attempting to understand the myriad activities, complexities and issues of our various levels and components of government.

Assignment (10%): (Due by Sunday of Week Three)
  1. Choose and answer four questions from O’Toole’s Part II Review Questions that are relevant to Chapters 12-15. Answer all questions thoroughly, and use page references when necessary.
  2. Summarize and analyze Meier’s chapters 3 and 4. Each chapter should be at least two pages in length.


WEEK 4:


Readings:
None

Chapter Notes:
None

Assignment (15%): (Due by Sunday of Week Four)
Policy Paper



WEEK 5:


Fiscal Aspects of Intergovernmental Relations
And Bureaucracy and the Public’s Expectations

Readings:
(O’Toole) Chapters 16, 17 and 19
(Meier) Chapter 5

Chapter Notes:


(O’Toole)
Chapters 16, 17 and 19 are the chapters regarding fiscal aspects of intergovernmental relations that I believed to be most relevant to this course from Part III.

(Meier)
Chapter 5 deals completely with the public’s expectations of bureaucracy. Meier chooses to focus totally on two standards: responsiveness to public needs and competence in the performance of tasks.

Assignment (10%): (Due by Sunday of Week Five)
  1. Summarize and analyze O’Toole’s Chapters 16, 17 and 19 with each summary being no less than one page in length.
  2. Write your opinions about Chapter 5 in a paper that is about one page in length.


WEEK 6:


Administrative Aspects of Intergovernmental Relations
And Controlling the Bureaucracy: External Checks by Political Institutions
and Controlling Bureaucracy: Ethics and Participation
Readings:
(O’Toole) Chapters 23-28
(Meier) Chapters 6-7

Chapter Notes:


(O’Toole)
The articles in Part IV illustrate the links among political, fiscal and administrative aspects of intergovernmental relations in the American system. The task of converting a national policy idea into specific actions while incorporating state and local objectives is not an easy one. At the national level, administrators may be deeply involved in deciding which government units are to receive how much aid, as well as in developing program regulations, mediating and negotiating with state and local agencies, reviewing plans and operations of other levels of government, and coordinating intergovernmental programs handled by various federal agencies. At other levels, intergovernmental administration includes such activities as drafting plans (and seeking support for them within the community, the government, and higher levels of administration), negotiating with other governments, managing programs (which can involve designing, staffing, and evaluating complex efforts), dealing with program beneficiaries and their representatives, and attempting to coordinate state and local programs with one another and with other state and local activities.

With various perspectives addressed throughout Part IV, these chapters show the importance of administrative themes in the intergovernmental system, the serious issues decision makers must confront as they try to make improvements, and the multiple causes that must be considered if effective change is to be made.

(Meier)
What can be done to control the bureaucracy? For years this question has been posed by both the American people and the government itself. When addressing issues regarding intergovernmental relations, this is an area of concern. After all, who will be responsible for the oversight of the bureaucracy? Another governmental unit! Well, then, who will be responsible for overseeing the overseeing unit of government? Yet another unit of government! So, the saga goes. Some have even referred to it as the fox watching the henhouse. Nevertheless, it’s important to understand that checks and balances were accounted for in the drafting of our Constitution, by the creation of the three departments. With the framers of our Constitution not being able to foresee the extent of growth that our government would experience, it’s no wonder the current system is questioned.

Fearing that overhead democracy isn’t an effective check on administrative power, critics advocate other methods of oversight. Meier covers the two most popular alternative approaches: establishing ethics for administrators and allowing individual citizens to determine directly what administrative policy will be.

Assignment (10%): (Due by Sunday of Week Six)
  1. Thoroughly answer seven of the 13 review questions for O’Toole, Part IV.
  2. Write your opinion regarding each of the various proposals covered in Meier’s chapters 6 and 7 for controlling bureaucracy.


WEEK 7:


The Future of the Intergovernmental System
And Reforming the Bureaucracy
Readings:
(O’Toole) Chapters 29-33
(Meier) Chapter 8

Chapter Notes:
You will be responsible for outlining these chapters as part of your weekly assignment.

Assignment (15%): (Due by Sunday of Week Seven)
  1. Outline O’Toole’s chapters 29-33, with each outline being no more than one page in length.
  2. Outline Meier’s Chapter 8, in no more than one page length.
  3. Write an essay regarding the future of the intergovernmental system based on all of the material presented by O’Toole. Be sure to base your thoughts on both your own opinions and the previous and current material presented by O’Toole. This paper should be no less than 3-4 pages in length.
  4. Write an essay regarding reforming the bureaucracy, based on both your own opinions and the information presented by Meier. This paper should be no less than 3-4 pages in length.


WEEK 8:


Readings:
None

Chapter Notes:
None

Assignment (20%): (Due by Sunday of Week Eight)
Research Paper