DEPAUL UNIVERSITY/SNL -- Summer Quarter 2014 NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT SYLLABUS

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1 DEPAUL UNIVERSITY/SNL -- Summer Quarter 2014 NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT SYLLABUS Class Location: Loop Campus Class Day/Time: Mondays; 5:45 p.m. (promptly) - 9:00 p.m. June 16 - August 18 (class will not meet on August 4) Instructor: Ellen J. Benjamin, Ph.D. Associate Professor Emeritus, DePaul University phone: ; FBatesitw@aol.com It is not enough to do good; it must be done well. Saint Vincent DePaul Overview: Nonprofit organizations are central to American society, performing social tasks carried out in many other countries by religious and governmental institutions. Nonprofits involve individuals in efforts to respond to community concerns, provide vehicles for communities to come together to address issues, deliver services to those in need, advance knowledge for the public good, test new ideas and solutions that reap benefits for the community, engage citizens in the democratic process, petition government regarding public policy and resource allocation, raise public awareness of important issues, and, empower human potential and uplift the human spirit. While the tradition of altruism has a long history in America, recent expansion dwarfs these past accomplishments. Notably, the burgeoning of these enterprises has been accompanied by increased scholarship and academic training in the field of nonprofit management. In 1990 there were 17 U. S. universities that offered three or more graduate courses in the management of nonprofits; by 1996 there were 76. This upsurge of interest in the study of philanthropy, voluntarism and not-for-profit activity has generated a wealth of quantitative and qualitative data, as well as enhanced attention to curriculum and training for those working in agencies. Drawing upon these materials, this course will explore the management of nonprofit organizations. Topics will range from issues of leadership to those of operational implementation. Basic concepts, research and theories on nonprofit organizational behavior will be introduced to assist students in learning principles and techniques for developing and managing financial and human resources. The contrasting roles of staff, volunteers, managers and trustees will be examined to develop an understanding of how each contributes to framing and achieving a nonprofit organization s mission. Those taking the course in order to demonstrate the H-5 competence will also examine nonprofit experiences in countries outside the U.S. and have the opportunity to particularly consider international comparisons, as well as cross and multi-cultural issues that arise when working in the nonprofit sector abroad. As described in the section on Evidence of Learning, students will have the opportunity for first hand interactions with nonprofits. This will include eight hours of required service-learning activities. Objectives: This class is designed to enhance the competence of individuals who are currently, or anticipate becoming, either a manager or volunteer within a nonprofit organizations. The purpose of this course is to help students: 1) increase knowledge of nonprofit organizations based upon an understanding of organizational behavior; 2) understand the fundamentals of managerial work within a nonprofit organization by standards of efficiency, effectiveness and relevance; and, 3) strengthen skills in identifying, diagnosing and analyzing problems; recommending plans of action; and, anticipating consequences for managerial decisions. 1

2 Course Content: The course examines three broad topics 1. What Are Non-Government Organizations? Why Do Nonprofits Exist? 2. Vision and Governance Mission Statements Leadership Board of Directors Executive Director and Staff 3. Management Principles and Practices: Translating Mission into Programs Strategic Planning Volunteers Evaluation Values and Ethics Fundraising Students will examine these topics in light of the competences for which they have registered including, for example, a focus on global and international issues relating to nonprofits. Faculty Biography: Ellen J. Benjamin is an Associate Professor Emeritus in The School for New Learning where she has taught on SNL s Chicago-area, Hong Kong and Bangkok campuses. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work from The University of Michigan and her Doctorate in Social Service Administration at The University of Chicago. For more than 35 years she has been involved in advocacy work on social causes, having served as an employee and trustee of nonprofit organizations and directed philanthropic institutions within Chicago. During the 1998/99 academic year she taught courses on nonprofit management and women s studies as a Visiting Scholar in Turkey, through the sponsorship of the U.S. State Department s Fulbright Commission. In 2003 Dr. Benjamin spent a semester abroad, again with Fulbright sponsorship, joining the social work faculty at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj, Romania. During 2008, as a Fulbright Senior Specialist, she taught classes on nonprofit governance, fundraising, social work ethics and research methodology in Ulaan Baatar at Mongolian State University of Education s Social Work Department. In 2013 the National Association of Social Workers named Dr. Benjamin Social Worker of the Year. Learning Tools: Students are not asked to purchase a textbook for this course. Readings will be available for download from: DePaul University Library e-reserves ( Password: hc205 (the password is case-sensitive, so please note that each of the first two letters are lower case) Please print copies of these materials and bring them to class to facilitate group discussions. As described in the section on Evidence of Learning, students will work directly with nonprofit organizations during this class. These organizations will become an important source of learning. Guest speakers will augment this experience. As questions arise, feel free to phone me to seek guidance and/or clarification. Please don t hesitate to ask for assistance. Please be sure to leave phone numbers where I may reach you, so I may return calls quickly. In recognition of the complicated schedules of many students, I will gladly arrange appointments in-person, or, over the phone. 2

3 Competencies: This course may be taken for two competences, in which case it will be a four credit course. You may select from the competences listed below: H-5: Can analyze issues and problems from a global perspective. H-1-X: To be collaboratively written by student and instructor relating to Communities and Societies. H-2-X: To be collaboratively written by student and instructor relating to Institutions and Organizations. H-3-X: To be collaboratively written by student and instructor relating to Individual Development. F-X: To be collaboratively written by student and instructor. (Students wishing to register for an FX competence must have permission from their Faculty Mentor and Professional Advisor.) Evidence of Learning: Each student is expected to complete all work assigned during this class, demonstrating a commitment to standards of excellence, thoroughness and timeliness. This course is offered as a seminar. It is premised on the concept that nonprofits can learn from, and support, one another. This same pedagogy will be integrated into the classroom itself, with students encouraged to support one another s exploration of the class topics. Together we will examine abstract theories, as well as concrete strategies. Everyone will be expected to participate in conversations about the material covered, raising questions and contributing to critiques of the information presented in lectures and texts. In addition to reading assigned materials each week and having short assignments based upon this material, students will prepare one paper per competence for which they have registered. This work will help students to demonstrate their grasp of the course material, and, their ability to analyze and apply the ideas discussed in class. All students will write one paper resulting from eight hours of volunteer work carried out with a nonprofit during the quarter. To fulfill this service-learning requirement students will have the opportunity to work with a nonprofit organization of their selection. Students will write a paper reflecting upon this experience. Those students registered for two competences will write a second paper resulting from an interview with a nonprofit Executive Director. In consultation with the instructor, each student will select an organization to research for this paper based upon the competence they are demonstrating. To enhance students ability to compare and contrast organizations, this paper must focus on a nonprofit that is different from the one where volunteer work is carried out. Each student will make a presentation to the full class about their findings. 3

4 Assessment: Grade for the first competence for which students are registered will be based upon the following: Class Participation, including evidence of having read assigned materials 25% of grade Fulfillment of Service-Learning Requirement and Paper on this Experience 50% of grade Successful completion of written assignments pertaining to Nonprofit Management 25% of grade Grade for the second competence for which students are registered will be based upon the following: Class Participation, including evidence of having read assigned materials 25% of grade Paper Interviewing a Nonprofit Executive Director and Presentation 50% of grade Successful completion of written assignments pertaining to Nonprofit Management 25% of grade Students may request to take this class for a Pass/Fail grade but must make this request by the second week in the quarter. Otherwise it will be assumed that students are seeking a letter grade for the course. Please note that failure to complete the course requirements within the quarter will not automatically result in the opportunity to receive an I grade. Incompletes must be requested in writing prior to the final class and will be granted only in instances when unusual personal circumstances have interfered with the completion of required assignments. A formal request will involve completion and signing of a form specifying the deadline and academic requirements for receiving a passing grade. Failure to meet this criteria within the agreed upon time frame will result in a grade change to F. Each session will cover vital information needed to meet course objectives and contain a range of learning activities to assist students in successfully completing the SNL B.A. program. In addition, the benefits from interacting with classmates are built into the design of the course and its objectives. Therefore, attendance and participation are essential. Absences will result in missed educational experiences that cannot be recaptured simply by reading another student s notes. Individuals who miss more than one session may be asked to drop the course. If a student does miss a class, s/he must take responsibility for contacting another student to get notes and keep up with assignments. Students will be asked to assess their own learning in this class and comprehension of the topics covered, as well as achievement of personal goals and the quality of contributions to the class as a whole. These comments will be incorporated into the development of a final course assessment by your instructor. Academic Integrity Policy: This class will be conducted in accordance with the University s guidelines on academic integrity ( Please remember that plagiarism is unethical behavior and will result in appropriate penalties if disclosed, possibly including dismissal from the university. Plagiarism, for those who may be unclear, includes but is not limited to the following: The direct copying of any source, such as written and verbal material, computer files, audio disks, video programs or musical scores, whether published or unpublished, in whole or in part, without proper acknowledgement that it is someone else s work. Copying of any source, in whole or in part, with only minor changes in working or syntax even if acknowledged. Submitting as one s own work a report, examination paper, computer file, lab report or other assignment which has been prepared by someone else. This includes research papers purchased from any other person or agency. The paraphrasing of another s work or ideas without proper acknowledgement. As a matter of courtesy to others and self-respect for your own work, be sure that you both credit ideas generated by others and engage in the challenging educational task of developing your own independent thinking on the subjects explored in this course. 4

5 Disability Accommodations: Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential. Reasonable accommodations will be provided on an individualized and flexible basis for students with disabilities. The Office of Students with Disabilities determines appropriate accommodations through consultation with students. For certain learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders, the Productive Learning Strategies Program (PLuS) determines the appropriate accommodations. These offices may be reached at (phone), or, (TTY). The Chronic Illness Initiative provides access to higher education for students disabled by a chronic illness. Students who struggle with illnesses that unpredictably increase and decrease in severity, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or illnesses requiring frequent hospitalizations such as cancer or heart disease, may have found it difficult, if not impossible, to meet the requirements of a conventional college program. At the School for New Learning, staff and faculty are compassionate and committed to helping CII students achieve their educational goals. For more information, contact CII (CII@depaul.edu). Course Registration and Withdrawal: According to the policies of DePaul University All students must be registered and listed on the class roster by the beginning of the second week of the term. If this poses a problem for you, please contact the SNL Advising Center (snladvising@depaul.edu) or the Office of Financial Aid (finaid1@depaul.edu; ) as appropriate. Students who need to withdraw from the course must do so by the end of the second week of the quarter. After that point, 100% of tuition is charged. It is possible to withdraw from a course or competence through the end of the seventh week of the quarter, but there is no tuition refund after the end of the second week. In certain circumstances (e.g., illness, family members death, natural disasters) a late withdrawal may result in refunded tuition. These circumstances must be documented and presented to the university through the SNL Exceptions Committee (snlexceptions@depaul.edu). In no case, however, will such a refund be allowed more than once during a student s career at DePaul. The Writing Center: Consider visiting the Writing Center to discuss your assignments for this course. You may schedule appointments (30 or 50 minutes) on an as-needed or weekly basis, scheduling up to three hours worth of appointments per week. Online services include Feedback-by- and IM conferencing (with or without a webcam). All writing center services are free. Writing Center tutors are specially selected and trained graduate and undergraduate students who can help you at almost any stage of your writing. They will not do your work for you, but they can help you focus and develop your ideas, review your drafts, and polish your writing. They can answer questions about grammar, mechanics, different kinds of writing styles, and documentation formats. They also can answer questions and provide feedback online, through IM/webcam chats and . While the tutors won t necessarily be familiar with every class or subject, they are able to provide valuable help from the perspective of an interested and careful reader as well as a serious and experienced student-writer. Schedule your appointments with enough time to think about and use the feedback you ll receive. Bring your assignment handout and other relevant materials to your appointments. To schedule appointments go to: Or call one of their offices: Loop ( ) or Lincoln Park ( ) For more information, visit: Documents/14sum Nonprofit Management\syllabus 1/18/14 5