In This Issue:

• Welcome to ASPA's New Website!
• Public Administration Perspectives on the Future of Higher Education
• Webinars and BookTalks on the Horizon
• PAR Editor Search Continues; Proposals Due September 30
• 2017 Annual Conference Proposals Due September 23
• ASPA President Honored with Distinguished Faculty Award
• ASPA Programming in the News
• Rutgers Webinars Begin in September
• Government Workforce Conference this September
• SEIGOV Call for Papers Competition
• Community and Economic Development Survey in the Field, Section Building Interest
• Disabilities Section in Development
• Student and New Professionals Section in Development
• PAR Update
• New on PA TIMES Online
• New on the ASPA Blog
• Career Resources

Welcome to ASPA's New Website!



Same address, completely new experience! ASPA's new website, www.aspanet.org, has launched and initial reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Including great new graphics and imagery, an events portal and enhanced features for Chapters, Sections, students and new professionals, this new online communications channel offers ASPA members and others in the discipline a tremendous new resource.

Just a few of ASPA staff's favorite features include:

• The new e-learning portal, providing access to all webinars, BookTalks, student series and archives (members only!) of previously held programming.
• Fun videos from ASPA members Janice Lachance, Anita Johnson and Angela Kline, talking about what they love about ASPA membership.
• A new online member directory (members only!) to help members find each other and connect online.
• A new Student and New Professionals section with helpful resources perfect for this special demographic of ASPA membership.
• A new editable profile page that is easy to manage and easy to edit.

ASPA will be scheduling webinars in September to showcase the new website's features. Look for more details about those events shortly. In the meantime, take yourself on a tour and explore everything this online resource has to offer!

Questions/comments/feedback? Let us know!

Public Administration Perspectives on the Future of Higher Education

Colleges and universities are judged not only by their fiscal stability but also by their ability to fulfill social value objectives—namely: educating young minds, producing valuable research and serving their communities. The world of higher education, like most other spheres, has recently entered into a complex era of change, dominated by public opinion polling, consumer groups' influence, social media, the 24-hour news cycle and emerging technologies.

Join Arizona State University, the American Society for Public Administration and Public Administration Review on Oct. 4, 2016, at the National Press Club for an afternoon of panels examining this issue:

• The first panel will feature scholars offering their research-based perspectives on this issue, as presented in an upcoming Public Administration Review symposium on this subject.
• The second panel discussion will feature public administrators and college presidents with public administration and public policy backgrounds offering first-hand, executive perspectives on these challenges and their significance to higher education.

Some of the topics both panels will discuss include:

• Measuring performance
• Ensuring emergent models’ success
• Empowering critical human capital
• Shaping change amidst rigid institutions and traditions
• Managing publicness and public value
• Connecting resources to public value outcomes

This event will be followed by a networking reception highlighting the Public Administration Review symposium.

Register online here and contact us with questions.

Webinars and BookTalks on the Horizon

ASPA's professional development webinars are ongoing throughout the year. Averaging 85 attendees per webinar and free to ASPA members, these e-learning opportunities provide you with valuable insights and information at your fingertips. Here's a quick look at upcoming opportunities. Make sure you register today for sessions that interest you and visit our website to review further details about all upcoming webinars and BookTalks.


BookTalk: Escaping Jurassic Government
Thursday, September 15, 2016, 1 p.m. ET
Presenter:
Don Kettl, University of Maryland

Ask Americans today and they will tell you our government has hit a wall of low performance and high distrust, with huge implications for governance in the country. Instead of a focus on government effectiveness, the movement that spawned the idea of government for the people has become known for creating a big government disconnected from citizens. Don Kettl finds that both political parties have contributed to the decline of the Progressive ideal of a commitment to competence.




Collaborators as "Frenemies"
Thursday, September 15, 2:30 p.m. ET
Presenters:
Rakesh Mohan, Office of Performance Evaluations in Idaho and CAP Board Member
Donald Moynihan, University of Wisconsin Madison
Jonathan Walters, Author

As Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene wrote in Governing magazine, "Historically, there's been an unfortunate and unproductive divide between people who have the same goal of getting government to make more informed and data-driven decisions". The two groups? Those who are tasked with measuring performance and program evaluators. Though state employees who focus exclusively on performance measurement hold a variety of posts and utilize their skills differently, program evaluators follow a far more rigorous regimen and adhere to specific standards. How can the two groups work best together and why is there a clear line drawn between them in many circles? This webinar, in partnership with the Center for Accountability and Performance, will look at this issue.

PAR Editor Search Continues; Proposals Due September 30

ASPA's search for an Editor in Chief of Public Administration Review (PAR), its flagship professional journal, has continued throughout the summer. The Editor in Chief is one of ASPA's most visible public figures and ASPA is looking to the next editor to continue the strides made in the past several years.

In recent weeks, ASPA hosted two webinars providing more information about the process and practical aspects of managing PAR on a daily basis. You can find those recordings on our website.

Please visit our website to review the Request for Proposals (RFP) and other details about the search process. You also may download the RFP here to view it as a PDF.

Proposals are due no later than Friday, Sept. 30, to ASPA Chief of Program Operations Lisa Sidletsky. Contact her at 202-585-4312 with questions.

2017 Annual Conference Proposals Due September 23

ASPA's 2017 Annual Conference proposal submission process is open and all proposals are due Sept. 23! Join us this March in showcasing state-of-the-art practices used in modern public and nonprofit administration, while exploring new approaches and opportunities for continued innovation.

The 2017 Annual Conference will take place March 17-21 in Atlanta, focusing on the theme, "Saluting the Public Service: A Bold and Noble Profession." Through 11 program tracks, ASPA's 2017 Annual Conference provides practitioners and academics with the opportunity to showcase our excellence, learn from our failures and devote collective intellectual capital to addressing contemporary challenges—all while honoring public servants' dedication and commitment around the world. Tracks include:

• Budgeting, Financial Management and Procurement
• Comparative Public Administration
• Environmental Sustainability, Climate Change and Technology
• Ethics, Integrity and Law
• Gender Studies and LGBTQ Issues and Policies
• Human Resources, Leadership and Public Management
• Nonprofits, Civic Engagement and Advocacy
• Policy Analysis, Implementation and Evaluation
• Public Administration Theory
• Public Safety and Emergency Management
• Social Equity, Diversity and Immigration and At-Risk Communities

Need more information? View full track descriptions here and view our Presenters' Guidelines here to find more details that will help you shape the perfect proposal. Conference details including hotel information, a registration form and other resources will be announced in the coming weeks.

Remember: the deadline for all proposals is September 23! Start planning yours now!

ASPA President Honored with Distinguished Faculty Award

ASPA President Susan Gooden was selected as a recipient of the 2016 Distinguished Faculty Award at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the campus’ most prestigious honor for teaching faculty. She received the award on Aug. 23, 2016.

The award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves and the university through their commitment to excellence, service, teaching and scholarship.

Gooden's nomination referenced extensive meritorious service through unique contributions, activities and leadership that have provided long-standing impact on VCU and beyond. Having joined VCU in 2004, Gooden is the former executive director of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute and is also a faculty affiliate at Duke University’s Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality and a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Gooden was among seven faculty members who were honored during the 34th Annual Opening Faculty Address and Convocation. VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., and Gail Hackett, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs, presided over the ceremony.

ASPA Programming in the News

The 2016 International Young Scholars Workshop, which took place in Cape Town, South Africa, last month, received interest from WanderingEducators.com, a blog catering to a global community of educators sharing travel experiences. You can find the article, written by ASPA staff and Student Representative Angela Kline, online here. Please feel free to circulate this coverage to your communications networks!

Want to add an event? Email Melissa Jun with the details!

Rutgers Webinars Begin in September

The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), Rutgers University-Newark, is providing monthly webinars of Global Dialogues on Anti-Corruption. Globally distinguished scholars and experts are invited to share their knowledge and expertise based on their in-depth studies or extraordinary experience in anti-corruption field. The webinars are open to the public for free. Click here for more details.

Government Workforce Conference this September

The Government Workforce: Learning Innovations Conference is designed to share human capital and workforce learning best practices, with an emphasis on their practical application and implementation across government agencies. This innovative "un-conference" model will showcase collaboration and innovation in the learning environment and highlight the strategies agencies use to deliver on their mission goals. Click here for more details.

SEIGOV Call for Papers Competition

Students in public affairs and public policy graduate programs are invited to submit their research papers authored in 2015 or 2016 on any public and administrative ethics topic, including corruption, integrity, social equity, corporate responsibility and politics. Faculty members may also nominate student paper(s) for submission. The winning submission will be awarded a prize of $250 and the author will receive a certificate of recognition from SEIGOV at ASPA's 2017 Annual Conference in Atlanta, and will be announced in SEIGOV media publications. The Section will also provide financial support for the winner to attend ASPA’s Annual Conference, March 17 -21, 2017. Click here for more details.

Community and Economic Development Survey in the Field, Section Building Interest

Community development is often broadly defined as the bettering of a community's social, political and economic assets. Community—and economic—development is also a key government function, especially at the local level. To facilitate discussion within public administration, a number of members are looking to form a Community and Economic Development Section within ASPA. ASPA members are invited to participate in an online study examining how community development is both practiced and taught in the public affairs field, while also gauging interest in developing this dedicated Section. Click here for more details.

Disabilities Section in Development

A number of ASPA members are interested in forming a Section to study disabilities and public policy. As is the case with all new Sections, at least 80 members must indicate they support such a Section being formed before next steps can be taken. If you think this Section could be useful to ASPA membership, please fill out this survey to show your support. Support does not indicate you will be a member of the Section when it is formed. Membership will be solicited at a later time. Click here for more information.

Student and New Professionals Section in Development

ASPA's Student and New Professionals are exploring starting their own Section to provide even more programming for this discipline sub-set. Show your support by filling out their survey. As is the case with all new Sections, at least 80 members must indicate they support such a Section being formed before next steps can be taken.

PAR Update


Speak Your Mind
"Speak Your Mind" is a PAR webpage feature that allows you to offer insights about big questions in public administration. The responses serve as a community forum for discussion of specific editorial contributions, and the format provides a platform for exchange of different ideas about how we think of public administration as a professional and scholarly enterprise.

Building Global Public Administration Knowledge
In his latest editorial, James L. Perry (Indiana University, Bloomington; Editor in Chief of Public Administration Review) discusses the state of global public administration knowledge and the process toward advancing it. He posits that middle range theories might work best as a foundation for global public administration knowledge and describes five strategies toward building this knowledge. They include (1) comparative topical focus; (2) database and measurement development; (3) cross-national collaborations; (4) research synthesis and meta-analyses to aggregate and assess empirical research; and (5) greater emphasis on history and culture. Link to Speak Your Mind

Editorial
Public Administration Needs to Become a Player in the Ratings and Rankings Business
James L. Perry (Indiana University, Bloomington; Editor in Chief of Public Administration Review). Link to PAR Early View

Perspective
Restructuring the National Weather Service
Louis W. Uccellini (National Weather Service) discusses how the weather is changing, along with weather forecasting. We now produce more accurate forecasts with greater lead times than ever before, especially for extreme events. But, as we have seen, the value of these improved forecasts can only be realized through the ability to connect these forecasts and related warnings to decision makers throughout government as well as the general public. Link to PAR Early View

Theory to Practice
Hal G. Rainey, Editor
Discovering Collaborative Advantage: The Contributions of Goal Categories and Visual Strategy Mapping
Collaboration can make sense when there is some sort of "collaborative advantage" to be gained, meaning organizations can achieve something together that they cannot easily achieve by themselves. However, the literature is essentially silent on how to identify collaborative advantage. John M. Bryson (University of Minnesota), Fran Ackermann (Curtin University, Australia) and Colin Eden (University of Strathclyde, Scotland) address this shortcoming in the theory of collaborative advantage for public purposes by proposing a set of goal categories that may be used to help articulate collaborative advantage and introducing the use of visual strategy mapping as part of a facilitated group process to figure out what the collaborative advantage might be. Collaborative advantage, as it is normally understood, consists of shared core goals. Collaborative advantage for public purposes should take into account public values beyond shared core goals. Link to PAR Early View

Public Administration and the Disciplines
Rosemary O'Leary, Editor
Behavioral Public Administration: Combining Insights from Public Administration and Psychology
Behavioral public administration is the analysis of public administration from the micro-level perspective of individual behavior and attitudes by drawing on insights from psychology on the behavior of individuals and groups. Stephan Grimmelikhuijsen (Utrecht University, The Netherlands), Sebastian Jilke (Rutgers University–Newark), Asmus Leth Olsen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) and Lars Tummers (Utrecht University, The Netherlands) discuss how scholars in public administration currently draw on theories and methods from psychology and related fields and point to research in public administration that could benefit from further integration. An analysis of public administration topics through a psychological lens can be useful to confirm, add nuance to or extend classical public administration theories. As such, behavioral public administration complements traditional public administration. Furthermore, it could be a two-way street for psychologists who want to test the external validity of their theories in a political-administrative setting. Finally, four principles are proposed to narrow the gap between public administration and psychology. Link to PAR Early View

Research Article
Reputation and Accountability Relationships: Managing Accountability Expectations through Reputation
Accountability is said to be about the management of expectations. Empirical studies reveal considerable variation in organizational interest, intensity, and investment in accountability relationships. Less is known, however, about what explains these observed variations. Drawing on accountability and reputation-concerned literatures, Madalina Busuioc (University of Exeter, United Kingdom) and Martin Lodge (London School of Economics, United Kingdom) argue that a reputation-based perspective on accountability offers an underlying logic that explains how account-giving actors and account-holding forums actually manage these expectations and how organizations make sense of and prioritize among accountability responsibilities. Reputational considerations act as a filtering mechanism of external demands and help account for variations in degrees of interest in, and intensity of, accountability. The resulting accountability outcomes are coproduced by the reputational investment of both account-giver and account-holder, resulting in distinct accountability constellations and outcomes. Link to PAR Early View

New on PA Times Online

New on the ASPA Blog


Looking for interesting commentary on news events and contemporary issues? Check out the ASPA Blog, which features a collection of authors writing on everyday life from the eyes of a public manager, student or young professional.

Featured recently on the Blog:

Has the Time Come to Eliminate Annual Employee Reviews

The Titan of Industry

Career Resources


Find your next career opportunity at publicservicecareers.org. This online job board is the perfect resource for making a career change or landing your first job in the public sector. It lists dozens of positions in academia, government and the nonprofit sector. Below are examples of current listings.

Assistant Professor, Goldman School of Public Policy – University of California, Berkeley

Vice President of Public Policy – Family Policy Alliance, Colorado Springs, CO