A PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT MPA PROGRAM SPRING 2009 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TRANSPORTATION IN ACTION: TO THE MPA PROGRAM

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1 A PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT MPA PROGRAM SPRING 2009 MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Preparing Innovative Leaders for the Public Sector INSIDE Vol. 3, No. 2 MPA News Dear Reader Robyn Maguire and VT Freedom to Marry Alumni Update CarShare Vermont s Annie Bourdon ( 08) Student Perspective Community Connection..5 Student Projects in Transportation Meet Diana Colangelo Internship Briefs Faculty Profile Jane Kolodinsky Master of Public Administration Community Development and Applied Economics Dept. 103 Morrill Hall Burlington, VT mpa@uvm.edu Tele: MPA Master of Public Administration at UVM Beyond The Green TRANSPORTATION IN ACTION: TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH CENTER ADDS NEW DIMENSION TO THE MPA PROGRAM In 2006, the Transportation Research Center (TRC) opened its doors at the University of Vermont and opened opportunities to MPA students as well. At the most basic level, the TRC offers students the chance to fund their way through their MPA by conducting research at the TRC. However, the benefits of working at the TRC extend far beyond a paycheck. MPA students who are involved with the TRC are incorporated into interdisciplinary teams that are at the cutting edge of transportation research. Students either work with a faculty member at UVM that is associated with the TRC, as a TRC Graduate Scholar Research Assistantship, or as a student in PA 295 Critical Issues in Transportation in the 21st Century taught by TRC Director Lisa Aultman-Hall and TRC Research Director Richard Watts. WHY A TRC AT UVM The Transportation Research Center s mission is to conduct innovative interdisciplinary research, education and outreach programs that advance sustainable transportation systems. Prior to the TRC at UVM, transportation researchers were spread throughout the university and interacted through the Transportation Systems Research Group. Now, with the establishment of the TRC, transportation researchers in diverse Lisa Aultman-Hall (left) is Director of the Transportation Research Center and Richard Watts (right) is Research Director of the TRC. fields like engineering, natural resources, and public administration are now empowered with the resources and direction to together examine transportation-related questions vital to the environment, energy use, and communities. To tackle these research hurdles, the TRC has initiated five signature research projects that range from modeling transportation alternatives to seasonal impacts on mobility. There are also a large number of individual research projects with funding from a wide range of donors that are being conducted directly at the TRC or in academic departments throughout the university. THE PA SIDE OF TRANSPORTATION There s more to transportation than road materials, bridge construction, and route modeling. Transportation is one of the central public functions Continued on page 2... Photo: Courtesy of the TRC

2 2 MPA NEWS Colleagues and Friends, Welcome to the spring 2009 edition of Beyond the Green, the biannual newsletter of the UVM Master of Public Administration Program. On these pages you will find a pretty broad survey of the range of activities that our faculty, students, alumni, and staff have been undertaking: from deepening our understanding of transportation policy challenges (the Transportation Research Center), to the creation of innovative alternative transportation systems (VT CarShare), to the role that one of our current students, Robyn Maguire, has played in advancing the first legislatively sanctioned gay marriage law in the United States. You will also find Jane Kolodinsky, the chair of the Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE) department, highlighted in our faculty spotlight. These features are supplemented with our usual offerings: student internship experiences and faculty accomplishments. Needless to say, there is a lot going on! It has been a few months now since I came back from sabbatical, having taken advantage of this strange luxury afforded to academics. Aside from working on a book, reading a lot of other people s books, and obsessing over the recent presidential election, I played the role of soccer dad, schlepping my three kids to soccer, dance, and music classes and running them to dentists appointments, play dates, etc. Although my plate was full, I was able to relax a bit knowing that the MPA Program was in great hands. I want to take this space to extend our deepest thanks to Dr. Glenn McRae who admirably stepped into the director role and held the fort down. He not only held it down, but initiated a Wednesday forum series for students that provided important information and networking opportunities for them. Glenn took this on just as he was taking on new challenges associated with his role as the Executive Director at the Intervale. Folks like Glenn make this program special. We look forward to many more years of collaboration with him. Taking time away from teaching and administrating gave me time to reflect on where we ve been as a program and where we still need to go. We have made great strides, but still have more mountains to climb. I look forward to continuing this journey with our distinguished faculty, students, staff, and alumni. In the meantime, enjoy the stories, accomplishments and the people highlighted here. We have much to be grateful for. -Christopher Koliba UVM MPA Director Robyn Maguire, field director for Vermont Freedom to Marry also student in MPA program Robyn Maguire, center, works the room at Visibility Day on February 6, 2009 as Representative Mark Larson and Senator John Campbell, right, prepare their remarks. On February 6, 2009 Representatives Larson and Zuckerman introduced a bill which proposed the right to marry to all Vermonters. After an intense two months of public debatein the Statehouse, newspapers, and communities throughout Vermont- that bill was made law in a narrow veto override on April 7, This makes Vermont the first state to grant the freedom to marry to same-sex couples Lisa Aultman-Hall (right) works with students in the graduate-level course PA 295 Critical Issues in Transportation she co-teaches with Richard Watts each fall. FIND OUT MORE Photo: Courtesy of the TRC through elected representatives and without a court order. Robyn Maguire handled the coordination of efforts as the field director for the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force which culminated more than a decade of efforts with the passage of S.115. Robyn, who was once active in the Massachusetts Freedom to Marry Coalition is currently pursuing her MPA at UVM. TRC, cont. managed through policy and public works at every governmental level. It is also subject to individual choice. In recent years, transportation s contribution to green house gas emissions and global energy supplies has come under increasing scrutiny. A focus area of the TRC is examining strategies to reduce transportation energy use including switching transportation fuels and changing behavior. We need to re-think our mobility systems and strategies because a world running on hybrid cars is still a world running on gasoline, explains TRC Research Director Richard Watts. Information about the TRC and applications for graduate assistantships can be found at Photo: Anna Masozera

3 Q & A with Annie Bourdon MPA: WHAT IMPACT DO YOU HOPE CAR SHARING HAS ON COMMUNITIES IN VERMONT? Bourdon: If we follow in the footsteps of other communities where car-sharing is successful, we hope to see fewer cars on the road (studies show that each shared car replaces 7 to 20 privately owned vehicles), increased use of transit and other alternatives, better air quality, smarter land use (e.g. community space in lieu of parking), conserved energy and resources, and happier, healthy people! We also see an opportunity to offer increased mobility for low-income individuals and families who cannot afford to own a car. MPA: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ASPECTS OF WHAT YOU DO FOR CARSHARE? Bourdon: As executive director of a start-up car-sharing organization, I m balancing running a 24/7 business with delivering a service that truly benefits our community. This means leveraging our mission to guide our business decisions and measure our success, rather than our bottom line alone. It s not unique, but necessary. I m also realizing the importance and strength in partnerships. I believe CarShare Vermont s willingness and ability to collaborate will take us a long way. We re able to accomplish more for our mission and community by working with other like-minded organizations. This, of course, creates efficiencies and opens the door for more opportunities. OUR MISSION CarShare Vermont is launched MPA grad is founder and executive director In 2002, a committee in Burlington was exploring the possibility of car-sharing in Vermont s largest city. They placed a call to the successful City CarShare in San Francisco and, as luck would have it, Annie Bourdon answered the phone. Annie, a Vermonter then residing in San Francisco, had been involved with City CarShare from its inception and launch in When Annie moved back to Vermont in 2006, she joined the car-sharing committee and volunteered to lead preparing a business plan, organizing, and conducting outreach. After volunteering for over a year, Annie became CarShare Vermont s Executive Director in June 2008, after graduating from the MPA program. Annie and her active board of directors officially launched CarShare Vermont seven months later on December 15. I think that CarShare Vermont is helping to raise awareness about the transportation sector, and how it impacts our lives, the Two Subaru Impreza Hatchbacks, Dewey and Pearl are permanently parked outside Morrill Hall. MORRILL HALL POD ALUMNI UPDATE environment, and community. We re excited to be a part of a greater movement for creating social change, and we hope to make it easy for as many people as possible to join us, says Bourdon. CarShare Vermont has eight cars located throughout Burlington, two of which are located just outside Morrill Hall. CarShare Vermont is hoping to expand their fleet with four additional vehicles later this year, including a truck. They also hope to have 500 members by the end of the year. People who join CarShare Vermont can do so individually, as a family, or as a business or organization. CarShare Vermont will be looking to expand beyond Burlington sometime in 2010 with expansion into Winooski. They also plan to work more closely with employers in encouraging their employees to drive less. The Master of Public Administration at the University of Vermont is a professional interdisciplinary degree that prepares public leaders by combining the theoretical and practical foundations of Public Administration with the democratic traditions of Vermont communities. Photo: Anna Masozera Annie Bourdon ( 08) is interviewed by a local news station at the launch of CarShare Vermont in December ANNIE BOURDON ( 08) Photo: Anna Masozera 3

4 Meet Diana Colangelo, MPA Research Assistant Diana Colangelo is new to Burlington, but that hasn t stopped her from getting involved in the community at large. After meeting the director of the Community and Economic Development Office (CEDO) through PA 326 Community Economic Development, Diana volunteered to help with the economic summit held in Burlington on Feb 13th, Building a Vision for Our Community s Economic Future. I gained a lot from the experience. I had the chance to see a community visioning strategy, rather than just learning about it in the classroom, said Colangelo. Colangelo has been working as a research assistant with Assistant Professor Asim Zia. She has just completed a 75-page paper synthesizing student reports of over 85 peer-reviewed articles about public participation from PA 301 Fundamentals of Public Administration. Colangelo is currently defining her own vision for her career. I m really interested in issues where human needs and environmental needs intersect. I ll see where the rest of my time in the program takes me, she adds. DIANA COLANGELO ( 10) Fall 2009 MPA Courses PA 295 CRITICAL ISSUES IN TRANSPORTATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY Lisa Aultman-Hall and Richard Watts PA 305 PUBLIC BUDGETING AND PUBLIC FINANCE Richard Cate PA 391 THESIS RESEARCH PA 395 PEACE CORPS SERVICE ANALYSIS PA 295 SL COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH (SL = SERVICE- LEARNING) Hendrika Maltby PA 301 FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Chris Koliba PA 306 SL INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC POLICY (SL = SERVICE-LEARNING) Asim Zia PA 325 HEALTH CARE POLICY Meg O Donnell and Steve Kappel PA 380 MPA INTERNSHIP PA 395 HOUSING POLICY Maura Versluys PA 397 READINGS AND RESEARCH GRAD 397 COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS STUDENT PERSPECTIVE Students in Action: Student Internship Briefs Sawyer Joecks- Village of Essex Junction Municipal Offices 4 From left, MPA student Sawyer Joecks, VT Congressman Peter Welch, and Village of Essex Junction Manager David Crawford. Joecks and Crawford met with Congressman Welch to discuss the stimulus bill immediately after a public event at a grocery store. SAWYER JOECKS ( 10) Photo: Provided The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has been a very unique event for those in many sectors of the economy, but has been especially interesting within the realm of local government. My internship with the municipal offices on Essex Junction requires me to assist department heads with various projects doing research, report-writing, attending meetings, and ghost writing correspondence. The bulk of my work has been with the Village Manager and Development Director in joining the frenzy of government and non-government entities working towards securing Recovery Act funds for their needs. The internship has been very valuable in appreciating all of the work that goes into making a community operate smoothly, and being an integral part of a historic Act that aims to rebuild our communities, and jump-start the American economy.

5 From Theory to Transportation- TRC provides MPA student opportunities The Transportation Research Center (TRC) at the University of Vermont has provided unique opportunities for MPA students to get involved with policy research in the multifaceted sector of transportation. Currently, Jen Kenyan spends some of her time engaged with work at the TRC. Kenyan, who will graduate with her MPA this coming May, began working with the TRC as a graduate JEN KENYAN ( 09) Sarah Crooks- Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, VT fellow at the Snelling Center for Government. Her research, sponsored by the TRC, focused on how states and nations are preparing themselves for a post-gas tax world, maintaining and growing transportation infrastructure, and defining what the lessons are for Vermont. In 2008, Jen was selected, along with 19 other graduate students throughout the United States, by the ENO Transportation Foundation to attend the ENO Leadership Development Conference held in Washington, DC last May where she engaged in policy discussion and debate with federal and state transportation agencies and organizations. Jen is now working on another project with TRC, again through the Snelling Center for Government, to examine how social networks in rural communities facilitate less dependence on driving and increased mobility, specifically among seniors. This research, funded by the AARP, will include case studies in Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire. Working with the Transportation Research Center has offered me a defined area of study that I did not have before, considers Jen. My theory-based classes are great, and I ve been fortunate to be able to apply those theories to a particular sector. She also finds herself choosing course paper topics in the field of transportation given her new understanding of how it all works. Although transportation isn t necessarily the area she s targeting for a future career, she knows the experience is invaluable. The more work that I ve done makes me realize that you can t separate different sectors. They are all interconnected, she says. MPA student Rob Purcell is also working on projects at the TRC as will many more students will in the coming years. It is likely that students who participate in transportation policy research conducted at the TRC will find themselves well-positioned for jobs in any sector. Students interested in applying to be a Graduate Scholar Research Assistant can find information and applications at earchassistantships.html&sm=grad_ submenu.html. COMMUNITY CONNECTION Internships- an integral part of the MPA Program at the University of Vermont As an intern at the Museum this spring, I have been able to experience the everyday achievements of a mid-sized nonprofit organization with a strong culture and a strong mission. I have been able to gain an understanding of the formal and informal structures, positive and negative implications of outside forces like the economy on the everyday activities of the museum, and have witnessed how an organization makes decisions as a whole and for the benefit of the community. Working directly with the Director of Marketing and Communications, I have been given license to share my opinions and meet and form relationships with other staff, including the Executive Director. I intend to complete a second internship with the Museum this summer, focusing more attention on the long-term goals of the Museum and the changing environment that the Museum is currently learning to adapt to, through applying MPA themes such as strategic planning, board member relations, hierarchical structures, and the dichotomy between bureaucracy and business practices. This summer will bring a new traveling exhibition, the season opening of the Museum s popular science park, and camp sessions, who SARAH CROOKS ( 10) wouldn t love applying MPA learning objectives in such an education-focused and kidfriendly environment? 5 Photo: Provided

6 Richard Johnson, III Edits New Book NOTE: Book signing will be held on April 28, in the Henderson Cafe, Davis Student Center from 2:00 to 4:30. On April 1, 2009 Birkdale Publishers released The Queer Community: Continuing the Struggle for Social Justice, edited by Richard G. Johnson, III. Each of the fourteen chapters tells a different story of the queer community s ongoing struggle for social justice. The publisher promotes this book for courses in queer studies, and courses in political science and sociology that deal with sexual orientation, empowerment, and discrimination. Johnson serves is assistant professor in the Education Department at the University of Vermont and is a part of the MPA program. Also, as president of the UVM chapter of Phi Alpha Alpha, Johnson inducts new members into the honor society. This book follows on the heels of his first book (with Kenneth Oldfield) - Resilience: Queer Professors from the Working Class (SUNY Press, 2008). FACULTY PROFILE SPOTLIGHT ON: Jane Kolodinsky CDAE Chair Those who know and work with the Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE) Department Chair Jane Kolodinsky recognize the energy she brings to her work. They also know her to be capable of juggling the multiple aspects of her job while maintaining a standard of excellence in the research, education, and outreach that CDAE actively pursues. Kolodinsky has chaired CDAE since 2002 and has led the process of bringing faculty from many disciplines (public administration, entrepreneurship, community development, ecological economics, and agricultural economics) together into one cohesive group whose strengths are in its transdisciplinary collaboration. Kolodinsky was an instrumental part of the team that breathed new life into the MPA program when it moved into the College of Agriculture and Life Science in CDAE is at the forefront of a transdisciplinary revolution in higher education. Our approach that uses a variety of methods appropriate to solving a research problem at hand means we need to continue to bring together colleagues from a variety of disciplines. The next generation of community development specialists will be leaps and bounds ahead of where CDAE started! - Jane Kolodinsky Many people ask why the Master of Public Administration Program is within 6 Photo: Todd Pritchard JANE KOLODINSKY CDAE, but the reasoning lies in the interdisciplinary nature of what CDAE has become. Kolodinsky explains that public administration is about leading and managing public institutions and these institutions represent the citizens living in our communities. There isn t a more important link for our public servants to have than with their constituents, she continues. Kolodinsky teaches the core course, PA 303 Research Methods each spring. By the end of the course, students understand the power of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in the analysis of a problem and formation of policy. Although some students bemoan a course heavy on quantitative skills, the course enables MPA grads to interpret program evaluations, compare strategies, and therefore become informed policy makers. The topic of the course fits well Continued on page 7... MPA Faculty DORIS ANDERSON ( 04) FRANK BRYAN RICHARD CATE JOSHUA FARLEY GARY FLOMENHOFT RICHARD JOHNSON, III STEVE KAPPEL ( 03) CHRISTOPHER KOLIBA JANE KOLODINSKY ROBERT LAWSON NED MCMAHON GLENN MCRAE MEG O DONNELL THOMAS PATTERSON RHONDA PHILLIPS FREDERICK SCHMIDT JANE VAN BUREN MAURA COLLINS VERSLUYS ( 08) CATHERINE FINLEY WOODRUFF ( 07) Read more about these faculty members and practitioner lecturers at

7 Kolodinsky, cont. with Kolodinsky s analytical mind and at the heart of her own interests in the field of applied economics. Kolodinsky is an applied economist. She applies economic principles like supply and demand, consumer behavior, and marketing to conduct research that informs consumer policies and serves the public interest. For example, Kolodinsky s research into how consumers interpret the labels containing the word Vermont led to changes in consumer fraud rules which now prohibit the use of a company name containing the word Vermont to advertise or market a food product made outside of Vermont or containing non- Vermont primary ingredients, unless the product label clearly discloses the outof-state connection. As Co-Director for the Center for Rural Studies she also works with community organizations to improve the regional food system, evaluate programs, and build online resources for the general public and municipalities. She has recently expanded her research pursuits into the realm of transportation with the opening of the Transportation Research Center (TRC) at UVM and is currently leading the TRC s signature project 4A Seasonal and Built Environment Impacts of Mobility. Awards, Honors, and Presentations Frank Bryan received an honorary doctorate from Marlboro College in 2008 and gave their graduation address. Richard Johnson, III, is President- Elect for Vermont Public Television Community Council Chris Koliba was appointed to the Vermont Education Transformation Policy Commission, Vermont Department of Education as well as made an Editorial Board Member of the State and Local Government Review. Chris Koliba presented Performance Measurement in Congestion Management Networks: Linking Policy Strategies and Network Structures along with Erica Campbell at the 2009 annual meeting for the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) held in Miami, Florida March Qin Zhou presented the poster Divorce and Remarriage in China: Trends, Regional Disparities and Implications at the 2009 UVM Student Research Conference on April 16. Asim Zia presented Implementation Dilemmas of International Climate Policy: Revisiting the Problem of Fair Allocation of Green House Gas Emission Allowances in a Post-Kyoto Governance Regime at the 2009 ASPA meeting held in Miami, Florida March Recent Publications NOTEWORTHY Baker, D., Koliba, K., Kolodinsky, J., Liang, K., McMahon, E., Patterson, T., and Q. Wang Moving toward a transdisciplinary approach in the land grant system. North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture Journal In press. Bryan, Frank gave the following invited presentations: Everything You Need to Know About Vermont in 30 Minutes or Less at the Twin Farms Summer Lecture Series in Barnard, Vermont. The Impossible Presidency for the Greater Boston UVM Alumni Association, Boston, Massachusetts, September, The Future of Town Meeting in Vermont at the Grafton Institute, Grafton, Vermont, March Collective Law-Making in the New England Town Meeting: A Note on Procedural Requirements at the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico in January Bryan, F Hill s country. The University Bookman 46(3). Bryan, F. In Press. Politics in New England: The Princeton Review of American Politics. Johnson, III, R. (ed) The Queer Community: Continuing The Struggle For Social Justice. Birkdale Publishers. 276 pages. Johnson, III, R., Reyes, C., and Smith, S Repositioning the culture of power: advocating for systemic change in public affairs education. Journal of Public Affairs Education. 15(1): Kolodinsky, J. and Reynolds, T Segmentation of overweight Americans and opportunities for social marketing. International Journal of Behavior, Nutrition, and Physical Activity 6(13). Koliba, C. and Gajda, R Communities of Practice as an Empirical Construct: Implications for Theory and Practice. International Journal of Public Administration 32: Gajda, R. and Koliba, C Evaluating and Improving the Quality of Teacher Collaboration: A Field-Tested Framework for School Leaders. NASSP Bulletin 92(2): Koliba, C Downsizing Democracy? PA Times 31(2): 3. Koliba, C. and Mills, R Best unpublished work on Accountability and Ethics. Johnson Institute for Shared Responsibility. University of Pittsburgh. For the paper: Accountability within Governance Networks: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina. 7

8 Master of Public Administration Community Development and Applied Economics Department 103 Morrill Hall Burlington, VT Tele: Web: Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #143 Burlington, VT This newsletter was printed on recycled paper. Summer 2009 MPA Courses PA 307 ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS Curtis Ventriss/ May 28- June 6 PA 395 ENERGY POLICY Gary Flomenhoft/ May 18- June 5 PA 395 ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT Richard Johnson, III/ June 15- July 2 COURSE INFO: PA 395 WOMEN, POWER, AND LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONS Jane Van Buren/ June PA 395 COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE Christopher Koliba Claire Ginger Michael Gurdon July 13-17, Commencement 2009 MPA GRADUATE RECEPTION Maple Ballroom, Davis Center After the UVM Hooding Ceremony May 16, 2008; 3:30-5:00 PM CDAE and MPA graduate students (from left- David Propen, Jeff Frank, Cassandra Gekas, and Meghan Butler) discuss student research at UVM s Student Research Conference on April 16, Photo: Anna Masozera Pictures and details will be included in the special commencement edition of the CDAE departmental newsletter. Look for it posted at mid- May. VERMONT COMMON ASSETS TRUST MPA Lecturer Gary Flomenhoft demonstrates his point by showing a check in the of 1, to Every Vermont Citizen based on dividends from Vermont s common assets. Photo: David Propen On April 17th, Gary Flomenhoft testified at the Vermont Statehouse about the potential of a common assets trust to generate new public revenue for Vermont based on its common assets. Eleven MPA students studied the possibility of collecting economic rent on Vermont s common natural and social assets including the air, groundwater, surface water, minerals, internet, broadcast spectrum, forests, fish and wildlife, financial markets, monetary system, land, and wind. They calculated that if these Vermont assets were rented instead of given away to mostly out-of-state corporations, the state could generate $1.2 billion for a permanent fund paying dividends to Vermonters. Find all the latest MPA news and events at 8