V221 Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, Bloomington Course Syllabus Fall 2010

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1 V221 Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector School of Public and Environmental Affairs Indiana University, Bloomington Course Syllabus Fall 2010 Section Number: Class Time: TR 8:00 9:15 AM Instructor: Rebecca Nannery Phone: (812) (leave message) Classroom: PV 277 Office: SPEA 440-A or 452 Mailbox: SPEA 341 Secretary: Jennifer Mitchner Office Hours: By appointment Course Description: This course is designed to provide an introduction to the nonprofit and voluntary sector in the United States. Topics covered in this course include (but are not limited to) the nature and scope of the nonprofit sector; its history; theoretical perspectives on the sector; fields of activity within the sector; its relationship to the private and public sectors; and contemporary changes and challenges affecting the nonprofit sector. In-class instruction is supplemented by out-of-class service learning, allowing students to reflect upon their experiences within the context of the course material. Course Objectives: By the end of this course, students will: 1. Articulate the role and the scope of the nonprofit sector in American society; 2. Understand the historical background and theory explaining the existence of the nonprofit sector; 3. Identify and describe nonprofit organizations in various subsectors; 4. Discuss the issues facing nonprofit organizations in contemporary society; and 5. Demonstrate this knowledge through critical reflection on personal experiences with a local nonprofit. Required Texts: Ott, J. Steven. (2001). The Nature of the Nonprofit Sector. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Salamon, Lester M. (2002). The State of Nonprofit America. Washington, DC: Brookings. OnCourse: OnCourse will be used throughout the course for class announcements, assignments, and additional readings these will rarely be distributed in class or by . It is your responsibility to check OnCourse on a regular basis. If you experience difficulty accessing OnCourse, please notify the instructor immediately. Class Policies: 1. Students are expected to attend class and arrive on time. More than three (3) class absences will result in a five percent (5%) reduction of your final grade for each subsequent absence. 2. Use of electronics in class is not permitted. This includes cell phones and laptop computers. If you expect to receive an emergency phone call, please step out of the classroom to avoid disruption. 3. Beverages and food are permitted in the classroom; however, please be considerate of others around you and do not distract them with excessive noises and smells. 1

2 4. Be sure to tidy up after yourself before you leave the classroom. 5. Out-of-class assignments are to be turned in individually, unless otherwise noted. 6. Late assignments will be penalized by one letter grade (10%) per business day unless prior approval is given by the instructor in the case of extenuating circumstances. 7. is the preferred (and most reliable) method of contact with the instructor. Please do not hesitate to send an if you have a question about anything related to the course. 8. Announcements will be made at the beginning of class and, if necessary, distributed via OnCourse. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have not missed any important information. Assignments and Grading: Course grades will be assigned based on the following distribution: Participation 20% Service Learning 20% Reflection Papers 40% 20% The grading scale for the course is as follows: Score (%) Grade A A A B B B C C C D D D F Participation: Participation includes involvement in both class discussion and smaller discussion groups. Additionally, you will be given mini-assignments both in and out of class to demonstrate your mastery and completion of the reading, lecture, and team presentation material. Because your participation grade is based upon expressing your knowledge of the material covered, it is essential that you complete all assigned readings prior to the class meeting when they are due. It is your responsibility to make up any in-class work missed due to an absence. You should prepare a twopage double-spaced typed (no bullet points) summary of the readings from the day you were absent. It is due the next class meeting you attend (you may submit it by prior to class if you wish). Any absences beyond the maximum of three absences during the semester will not be eligible for make-up work. 2

3 Service-Learning: For the duration of the semester, you will participate in a service-learning project at a local nonprofit. This is facilitated through the IU Office of Service-Learning. Discussion of eligible sites and sign-up will take place in class on Tuesday, September 7 th. It is your responsibility to sign up and follow through promptly in order to begin your service-learning in a timely fashion. The frequency and duration of time required will vary from organization to organization, but I expect a minimum of two (2) hours per week and ten (10) weeks volunteering at your organization. You should treat your service-learning experience as a real job by showing up on time, calling in if you cannot attend, and keeping your commitment until the end of the semester. These organizations and their clients depend upon you for service delivery. Please honor your commitment to the organization and be a good representative of the University. If you choose an organization and/or a position which requires more hours or a different distribution of hours, you should accommodate the organization and notify me of the adjustment. Your service-learning hours will be recorded and tracked by your ACE and reported to the instructor. You will receive full credit for meeting the minimum requirements of the course (2 hours per week x 10 weeks). Service-learning comprises 20% of your final grade. If you wish to complete your service-learning through a nonprofit organization that is not a partner of the IU Office of Service Learning, you will need to a proposal to the instructor for approval no later than 12:00 NOON on Thursday, September 9 th. This proposal must describe the organization, what your role will be, and how you will achieve your 20-hour requirement over the course of the semester. It must also include the name and address of the organization, and the name and contact information of the person who will be supervising you. Reflection Papers: Two (2) reflection papers throughout the semester will demonstrate your understanding of the course material and your ability to integrate this material with your thoughts on your service-learning experience. Specific guidelines for each paper will be available on OnCourse at least two weeks prior to the due date. The reflection papers will account for 40% of your final grade. You must submit a digital copy of your paper in the Assignments section of OnCourse by the time and date specified on the assignment. No other means of submission will be accepted; late papers will be penalized as stated on the first page of this syllabus. Each student is required to take the How to Recognize Plagiarism tutorial and test at After you take the tutorial, prior to taking the test, you must click on start the test for Indiana University students. This will prompt you to enter your IU network ID username and password. When you pass the test (by correctly answering all the questions), your IU username will be printed on the completion certificate. You may retake the test as many times as necessary to pass. A hard copy of this certificate must be submitted in class by Thursday, October 7 th. Your reflection paper(s) will not be accepted for grading until the certificate is submitted. Late submission penalties will apply to the paper(s). : Each student will be assigned to a team which will present on a specific subsector during Part III: Nonprofit Subsectors (Health, Education, Social Services, Arts & Culture, Housing & Community Development, International, Religious and Advocacy). The team will be responsible for defining the scope and activity of these subsectors, in addition to providing concrete examples to illustrate these to the class. Specific 3

4 guidelines for this assignment will be made available to students on OnCourse well in advance of the assignment due dates. Sign-ups for topics will occur in-class on Tuesday, September 7 th. I will require that each team member (preferably as a group) meets with me at least one week prior to your presentation to discuss the content of your presentation. The team presentation will count for 20% of your final grade in the course. Policy on Incompletes: There will be no incomplete grades except under extraordinary circumstances with the appropriate documentation, in accordance with SPEA policy. Academic Dishonesty: Academic misconduct, as defined in the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct ( and will not be tolerated in this class. This includes plagiarism and cheating, in addition to falsification of records (such as your service-learning timesheets). Academic misconduct may result in failing the course (a final grade of F), and will be reported to the Dean of Students. Each student should understand his or her rights and responsibilities under the Code. Please note that plagiarism includes not citing the appropriate sources in your assigned papers. Your papers will be scanned with anti-plagiarism software provided by Turnitin.com. **The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this syllabus at any time.** 4

5 Course Schedule: Date Topics Assignments & Required Readings (DUE WHERE LISTED) 8/31 (T) Introduction Introduction to the Course; Discussion of class policies Part I: The Nature of the Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector 9/2 What is the Nonprofit Sector? Ott, Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector (Part 1, pp. 1-9/7 (T) Service-learning sign-ups Group presentation sign-ups 9/9 Values and Societal Roles of the Nonprofit Sector 9/14 (T) Scope and Composition of the Nonprofit Sector 5 8) Ott, What Is the Nonprofit Sector and Why Do We Have It? (Chapter 13, pp ) Salamon, The Resilient Sector: The State of Nonprofit America (excerpt) (Chapter 1, pp only) Ott, The Nonprofit Sector s Distinctive Values and Contributions to Society (Part II, pp ) Ott, The Impact of the Voluntary Sector on Society (Chapter 7, pp ) Ott, Overview: The State of the Independent Sector (Chapter 1, pp. 9-22) 9/16 How to Start a Nonprofit Organization Establishing a Nonprofit Organization Tutorial 9/17 (F) MINI-PAPER DUE ON ONCOURSE by 5:00 PM Part II: History & Theoretical Perspectives 9/21 (T) History of the Nonprofit Sector Ott, Historical Evolution of the Nonprofit Sector (Part 3, pp ) Ott, A History of the Discipline (Chapter 8, pp ) 9/23 Economic Theories Ott, Economic and Political Theories of the Nonprofit Sector (Part 6, pp ) Ott, Government Failure Theory (Chapter 15, pp ) Ott, Contract Failure Theory (Chapter 16, pp ) Ott, And Lettuce Is Nonanimal: Toward a Positive Economics of Voluntary Action (Chapter 17, pp ) 9/28 (T) Political Theories Ott, Political Theories of Nonprofit Organizations (Chapter 18, pp ) 9/30 Social & Community Theories Ott, Social and Community Theories of the Nonprofit Sector (Part 7, pp ) Ott, Nonprofit Organizations and Community (Chapter 21, pp ) 10/5 (T) Organization Theories Ott, Organization Theories of the Nonprofit Sector (Part 8, pp ) Ott, The Sociology of Nonprofit Organizations and Sectors (Chapter 23, pp ) Ott, Nonprofit Organizations in an Age of Uncertainty (Chapter 25, pp ) 10/7 Giving Theories Ott, Giving Theories of the Nonprofit Sector (Part 9, pp ) Ott, What Is Altruism? (Chapter 26, pp )

6 Ott, The Call of Service: Satisfactions (Chapter 29, pp ) How to Recognize Plagiarism tutorial due in class Part III: Nonprofit Subsectors 10/12 (T) Health Salamon, Health (Chapter 2, pp ) 10/14 Education Salamon, Education and Training (Chapter 3, pp ) 10/15 (F) FIRST REFLECTION PAPER DUE ON ONCOURSE by 5:00 PM 10/19 (T) Social Services Salamon, Social Services (Chapter 4, pp ) 10/21 Arts & Culture Salamon, Arts and Culture (Chapter 5, pp ) 10/26 (T) Housing & Community Development Salamon, Housing and Community Development (Chapter 6, pp ) 10/28 Infrastructure Organizations Salamon, Infrastructure Organizations (Chapter 10, pp ) 11/2 (T) Foundations Addressing the Foundation Payout Debate (OnCourse) 11/4 International Salamon, International Assistance (Chapter 7, pp ) 11/9 (T) Religious Salamon, Religious Congregations (Chapter 8, pp ) 11/11 Advocacy Salamon, Civic Participation & Advocacy (Chapter 9, pp ) Part IV: Inter-sectoral Relationships & Contemporary Issues 11/16 (T) Nonprofits & the Public Sector I Ott, The Blending and Blurring of the Sectors (Part 10, 11/18 Nonprofits & the Public Sector II pp ) Ott, Third Party Government (Chapter 30, pp ) Salamon, Devolution, Marketization, and the Changing Shape of Government-Nonprofit Relations (Chapter 14, pp ) Ott, Voluntary Agencies and the Contract Culture: Dream or Nightmare? (Chapter 31, pp ) 11/23 (T) Public Trust & Accountability Salamon, Accountability and Public Trust (Chapter 15, pp ) 11/25 NO CLASS THANKSGIVING BREAK 11/30 (T) Nonprofits & the Private Sector Ott, The Blending and Blurring of the Sectors (Part 10, pp ) Ott, The Future of the Nonprofit Sector: Its Entwining with Private Enterprise and Government (Chapter 34, pp ) Salamon, Commercialization, Social Ventures, and For- Profit Competition (Chapter 13, pp ) 6

7 12/2 Challenges Facing the Nonprofit Sector I Ott, Challenges Facing the Nonprofit Sector (Part 11, 12/7 (T) Challenges Facing the Nonprofit Sector II pp ) Ott, Nonprofits at the Brink: Lean Budgets, Growing Needs, and the Fate of Nonprofits (Chapter 35, pp ) Ott, The Current Crisis (Chapter 36, ) 12/9 Reflection/Wrap-Up 12/16 TURN IN FINAL REFLECTION PAPER by 10:00 AM Upload a digital copy of your paper to OnCourse under the Assignments tab 7