The purpose of 1st year Core is to identify and explore the fundamentals of governing and administering for the public good. In Winter quarter we will examine the knowledge and skills needed to practice democratic public administration. We will increase our understanding of the historical, political, structural, and social challenges (and opportunities) of doing administration ethically and equitably within public and nonprofit organizations. We will explore the democratic processes with a focus on the roles and relationships of administrators across sectors. Important themes of the quarter include ethical management and leadership, sense-making of organizational phenomena, and equity-centered decision-making. We will increase our understanding of the political, social, cultural, and economic contexts of public administration. Our goal is to gain an understanding of how practitioners can apply theories of public administration through praxis. We will analyze the roles and responsibilities of public administrators and their institutions at all sectors of governing. In Spring quarter, we examine the policy and fiscal foundations of doing public service.
This course meets weekly on Thursday evenings and one Saturday.