MPA Newsletter. Alumni Notes and Quotes Alumni Reflections Reasons to Throw a Party Interview with Mark Helms MPA Alumni. Comps are Coming!!

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1 MPA Newsletter Volume 4 Issue 1 November 2007 Q. Why did you decide to switch careers from engineering to public administration? A. In 1969 I was working as an engineer in the Thermal & Hydraulics Engineering section of Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in Pittsburgh, PA having graduated MIT with a masters degree and a research thesis titled Transient Pool Boiling of Nitrogen Due to a Square-Wave Heat Flux. Research & development engineering was not particularly challenging so I was thinking of pursuing a management degree and career. One day I read a brief announcement in Mechanical Engineering magazine about NASA funding doctoral fellowships in public administration for systems engineers as part of president Johnson s war on poverty. The University of Pittsburgh was one of the participating universities. Public administration sounded like management so I applied. I didn t hear anything for several months. Then one Thursday in September I received a phone call from a professor saying that they would like to offer me a full fellowship but that I had to let them know by Monday. By the end of the month I was a full-time student in the doctoral program of Pitt s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. I remember opening my first book with public administration in the title finding it dry and boring and wondering What the hell did I get myself into? Q. Who was involved in setting up the MPA program? A. Some of the key people in 1975 were Prof. Paul Magnelia (chair of the Dept. of Political Science), Prof. Richard Mendes, Prof. Fred Kottke (chair of the Dept. of Economics), Prof. Bill Crist (Economics), Prof. Ken Entin, Prof. John Wold, and Prof. Curtis Grant (Vice President for Academic Affairs). In 1976, we were joined by Prof. Bill Neeley. (See bottom for pictures) Q. Why did you/they want to do it in the first place? Ripples in the Gene Pool (see pictures below) Lee Ryan Miller and Beth Amity Au Baby Girl Brenna Esmèe Au Miller - 6/8/07 Brandon and Corrie Cody Baby Girl Kayla Michelle 10/18/07 A. It was primarily seen as a way to increase enrollment at California State College, Stanislaus. Q. What kind of problems did you run into and how were they worked out? A. In 1975, the MPA program only consisted of 30 units of 3000 and 4000 level courses in political science and economics. NASPAA was a weak collegial body and not yet an accrediting agency so there were no curriculum models. One day Crist, Mendes and I were discussing the program over appropriate liquid refreshment. Catalog copy was due within a few days, so we decided to invent course numbers, titles, and descriptions for eight graduate-level courses including Administration in Public Affairs, Quantitative Analysis, Public Finance and Fiscal Policy, Public Policy Analysis, and Administrative Law. There were no proposal or review procedures and once it appeared in print, it was, of course, official. More courses, increasing unit requirements, and accreditation came later. Q. What do you do with your spare time? A. My wife, Mary, and I raised three kids grownups now with four grandchildren at last count. We were bicyclists and active backpackers for many years. Then youth soccer came along. All the kids were active soccer players and I became a coach and head of Turlock Youth Soccer Association. I worked as a high school soccer referee for fifteen years. (And with the low pay scale for assistant and associate professors at the time, we needed the extra income.) Our granddaughter Jasmine (14), who we re raising, is an Olympic development soccer player. We re often on the road to games all over northern California. After promotion to full professor I decided to try my hand at writing a public administration quantitative methods text in a way that I thought the subject should be taught. This turned out to be a six-year hobby. And it was followed by other writing projects. Statistical Analysis for Public Administration came out in A rewritten second edition will appear in November Governing California was a three-year project first appearing in 2003, followed by a second edition in 2007, and a third edition underway for Alumni Notes and Quotes Alumni Reflections Reasons to Throw a Party Interview with Mark Helms MPA Alumni Inside This Edition: Breaking News: Comps are Coming!! Dr. Paul Shinn will be leaving us at the end If you did not get the of Spring 2007, and the search for his replacement has already begun. information get hold of Laura Congratulations and Best of Luck in All Your Endeavors What s Going On Ideas Needed Moving on up New Baby Photos Quotes and more quotes

2 P.2 Alumni Notes and Quotes Moving on Up Ashley Hall-Kennedy I recently got a job, a big step for me, considering that I have been a stay at home mom for a while. It is very nice to be out in the world with adults! I am working for Waste Management in Oakland. I am the Sr. Administrative Assistant to the Legal Department in our Western Market Area. This is my first real job out of college so I am extremely happy and so are my parents! I can finally afford to move out! Detective Matt Medina is no longer a detective. As of today, he has been promoted to Sergeant. This is a well deserved promotion. It is great to see an MPA graduate and close friend move up the ranks! Patrick Brooke is now serving the City of Modesto, his previous and current employer, as "Interim Assistant to the City Manager". He is still also serving in the capacity as a "GIS Analyst". 2 days per week in GIS; 3 day per week in the City Manager's Office. Congratulations! You have restored the integrity of our collection system at least for the time being. This was Sabine Verelst s first praise from her boss Mike Miller just 2 months into her new position. Since July 2007, Sabine has been working as Project Manager for the Solid Waste & Recycling Program of the City of Stockton. Her job is to monitor compliance with the State s mandated 50% recycling requirement (AB 939), and to ensure that appropriate policies and procedures are in place. Since this is a newly created position, it is a great opportunity to put her MPA education to work and develop sound standards and strategies that will greatly improve the recycling efforts of the city. I already had to struggle with lawyers from major homebuilders who were out of compliance and continue to work with local construction and demolition contractors who are not used to having anyone watch over what they are doing. The bottom line is that contractors, homebuilders and even home owners are responsible for the waste they produce, and we need to make every effort to divert at least 50% from our landfills. In the near future, the state may even raise this standard up to 75%, and I will make sure the City of Stockton is getting ready for this. For information about the City of Stockton Recycling efforts, contact Sabine Verelst at (209) I believe in justice and truth without which there would be no basis for human hope. Dalai Lama Terry Quadros Writing Grants I wrote a grant to the Administration Office of the Courts (AOC) on behalf of Superior Court of California, County of Solano, which would allow me to research Orders After Hearing for Self-Represented Litigants. We were granted $10, 000, which will pay for a portion of my salary and travel expenses as I visit various courts throughout California. Just as a side note, Self-Represented Litigants is the topic of my thesis. I will be visiting courts this summer to determine which ones provide Orders After Hearing to Self-Represented Litigants in the area of Family Law. Now this topic is very controversial as many believe that the judicial system is over-stepping its mission and goals by providing these legal documents to litigants. Many lawyers, judicial officers, and court administrators believe that it is the responsibility of an attorney to draft and file these documents (Orders After Hearing) or at the very least the self-represented litigant should be doing this on their own. However, there are just as many justice partners who believe that something drastic needs to be done in order to eliminate the impact that self-represented litigants are having on limited judicial resources, with resources being time, labor, and money. These advocates state that the self-represented litigant population is rapidly growing and will not be going away, so they should receive help from the courts. Anyway, in a nut shell: I wrote a grant for the court, we were awarded $10K, the award will pay for a portion of my salary and travel expenses as I visit courts. I will draft a report, which will be presented to the AOC and be made available for the 58 County Superior Courts to access. The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood. Martin Luther King Jr. David Van Dyken (2006) recently got a promotion to Senior Transportation Planner at Caltrans Headquarters in Sacramento, he is now Office Chief for the System Operations branch in the Division of Traffic Operations. In addition, I also recently bought a house in Sacramento (an old house, but it's new to me). "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. -Thomas Paine

3 P. 3 LeeAnn M. Borman Reflects on Her MPA Degree Alumni Reflections April, I hope this finds you well. Uncertain if you remember me, but you were my advisor for my MPA from I know you must have had thousands of students seeking your advice by now, but wanted to let you know that (after coming to the Washington DCarea in Fall 1998 as a presidential management intern) I've reached the top of the GS-scale in the Department of Defense with my beliefs and ethics intact. I wasn't sure it was possible given the political winds, but life has a funny way of working out when you least expect it. Moreover, I've been fortunate to work with dedicated public servants and mentors that truly want to improve our institutions despite the bureaucratic tendencies that exist in organizations like DoD. I realize I owe a significant portion of my success to the fine education and practical preparation I received from you, Dr. Giventer, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Hendricks and Dr. Entin. I've met many smart individuals from worldclass institutions during my time here, and found that my education has served me well. I never thought I'd make it this long in DoD or on the East Coast, but I have and wanted to express my gratitude for equipping me with the skills I needed to survive in the federal government. Please pass my best regards and thanks to the other faculty members that still remain at CSUS as they should also know that their efforts shaped my perspective (and durability) immeasurably. On a personal note, I hope you have been able to enjoy the summer before courses resume in September. Best, LeeAnn M. Borman Visiting Fellow, CSIS International Security Program Kurtis Clark, class of 2000 Larry, Just a note to catch up. I was looking at the CSU Stanislaus website and saw your name. Glad to see that you are still involved in the MPA program. I graduated in 2000 and have been the Director of the Alliance Small Business Development Center since fall '03. My time in the MPA program was a very positive part of my life and I am grateful to all the support and guidance you gave to me. Though I still have nightmares about the Statistics class! Kurtis Clark, class of 2000 A big company offered $50 for each money-saving idea submitted by its employees. First prize went to the employee who suggested the award be cut to $25. That Final Question Last Year at the MPA Dinner I asked this question of graduating MPA Students: Final Question This morning I overheard two students talking, one of them said, If I had known then what I know now this whole thing would have been so much easier. I would like you to tell me just what it is that you wish you had known then. I would not have done anything different, I started out with a 5 year plan and I accomplished this with my 5 year plan. Plan out the semesters better. Talk to Dr. April more about class scheduling Turlock vs. Stockton so that all my classes could have been in Turlock. That Quant was not the hair-pulling hard, never pass unless you always study, class. 1) Due to the nature of the work in Public Administration, mirroring and applying collaborative efforts in the classroom setting will make studying easier, more efficient, and more satisfying. For example, working through homework together will show where the whole class may still not be understanding some concepts--gives one more confidence is asking the Professors for clarification. In the same token, holding group discussions also show one's standing, especially if not up to par with the group. But then again, individual strengths can be shared to strengthen the whole group. 2) There are unwritten rules and expectations that are held; and the most important one is that every single member must carry their own weight. 3) Every class requires different studying strategies and group dynamics. For example, ethics is a very individual studying process, except for the finals and comps; versus Quant which takes individual reading and prework on homework, but solidifies the concepts by meeting an hour prior to every class for discussions; versus Personnel and Org Theory, which may need shared reading assignments... Luckily, the students in the classes I attended are very collaborative; and we formed our groups by the 2nd qtr...if we'd only known from Day 1. - Concepcion This question will again be put to everyone at the graduation dinner in the spring, so start thinking of the answer now. " The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice. " --George Eliot

4 P. 4 Interview with Mark Helms Each year the MPA recognizes an outstanding graduating student, considering classroom achievement, professional conduct, and service to the program and community. The outstanding graduate in 2007 was Mark Helms, Deputy Chief for the Stockton Police Department. He agreed to sit down with professor Paul Shinn to talk about life before, during, and since the MPA program. PS: What made you interested in getting an MPA at Stanislaus? MH: When I was deciding to pursue a master's degree, I looked at several other schools that offered both traditional and contemporary programs that are conducive to working adults. I'd hoped to stay clear of distance learning and internet classes for a lot of reasons, and I'm glad I did. I first learned of the CSU-Stan MPA many years ago from a few former bosses (Dennis Smallie and Mike Belcher) at the police department. Several other City of Stockton employees from different departments are Stanislaus MPA alums, too. The school and its MPA degree are well regarded in Stockton government, and that certainly helped influence my decision. Though it involved more work than some of the alternative programs, CSU Stanislaus won out for a variety of reasons. The most notable points are the close proximity of the Stockton campus to my office and home, the traditional classroom format, and - most important - the MPA program's strong reputation. The bottom line is, I wanted a real degree from a real university. Stanislaus was the best fit. PS: How did the program compare to your expectations (not so much as the quality of the education, but were classes, professors, colleagues what you expected)? What was the biggest surprise? MH: I'd say the biggest surprise was the workload. I knew it would require a lot of time outside of class, but it was a lot more than I'd anticipated. Trying to balance that with a demanding job and a family with young children is quite challenging. There just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. Luckily there were a few key people in my life who helped keep me on track during the few times I seriously considered walking away. As for the professors, only one was disappointing. That's not bad for a 42-unit graduate program. For the most part, the others not only knew their subject matter well, but (more importantly) were good classroom teachers, too. I also met some good people and made a few great friends along the way. That was a key part of being successful in this program. PS: Got a favorite funny story or memory? MH: There were several light moments, but here's the one of those "you had to be there" occasions: We were in the computer lab while Dr. Giventer was lecturing during his Quant class. He was moving through the lesson quickly while we students followed along by computer. I struggled with quant and I'm not good with computers, so trying to blend the two together didn't sit well with me. I couldn't keep pace with the lecture, and I became frustrated - really frustrated - because I was falling so far behind. Apparently this was obvious by the look on my face and the foreign words I mumbled to myself. Seated next to me was Mary Gamboa. She saw this, pulled out her cell phone, and snapped a photo of me in all my glory. It was a frightening image, yet quite funny to those who have seen it. Mary laughed so much, she was almost in tears. To make matters worse, she repeated herself in the classes to follow. It seems whenever I had a rough moment in class that led me to meltdown mode, she'd sneak a photo. I think she's saved quite a collection on that phone. PS: What from the MPA program helped most (if anything) on the job anything you read, heard from instructors, discussed with peers, etc. that has had good real world applications for you? MH: Probably the most helpful aspect of the MPA was my promotion to Deputy Chief of Police in I was only half way through the program at the time, but it was huge for me. Aside from that, I've also been able to apply some of the curriculum to my work. For example, Quantitative Analysis has helped me understand and know how to challenge the statistical applications I see at work (sometime I drive my bosses and colleagues crazy), and the Public Finance courses have enhanced my understanding of the way government affects the economy (even though I collectively struggled with all those classes). Just being familiar with the terminology of economics and finance has helped in my work. The introductory PADM 5000 course was important too, because it taught me more about the foundation of American government than I'd ever learned before. I suppose you've got to be an MPA to fully appreciate all that. I definitely feel more comfortable around elected officials and executives from other city departments than I did before I began the course work. In sum, I believe the MPA has given me much more than I would have gotten from an MA in a major like Criminal Justice. PS: What advice would you give a new MPA student for successfully negotiating the program? MH: For new students, be sure you know what you're getting into. Get organized, and budget your time well so you can stay ahead of the deadlines. Gather support from your family, and get involved with a study group of fellow students who are smart and will do their share of the many group projects you'll have. Those folks will help you keep it fun, too. When you get frustrated, stay tough and hang in there. It'll be well worth it when you show up for commencement. PS: What are you doing with all that extra time since you graduated? MH: All of the sudden, I had extra time on my hands. Basically, and most importantly, I've been making up to my family for my absence. Class time and homework (and my bad moods) took a toll on them, so it's nice to be more involved in a lot of the small things I used to miss. Also, a lot of projects around our home had stacked up, so I'm still trying to catch up on those. It's nice to have a little more TV and leisure time, too, (more )

5 Pg. 5 without having to worry about when the next paper or project is due. Life is good! PS: What about your real life? MH: I was born and raised in Stockton. My law enforcement career began with the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department in 1984, and I became a Police Officer with the Stockton Police Department in As for college, I took classes at Delta College after high school but didn't accomplish much until after I started my career. I finished my AA in 1990, and then a BA at St. Mary's College in My wife, Debbie, is teacher, so you can imagine her perspective on education. She earned her MA at CSU Fullerton. Obviously she's had quite an influence on my education. It amazes me how supportive she was while I chipped away at the MPA. We have three sons, ages 15, 11, and 8, who keep us quite busy. We've been conditioning them about college since they were toddlers; so hopefully doing it backwards like Dad won't be an option. Rhetoric is a poor substitute for action, and we have trusted only to rhetoric. If we are really to be a great nation, we must not merely talk; we must act big. --Theodore Roosevelt American Society of Public Administrator s Mission ASPA is the leading public service organization that: Advances the art, science, teaching, and practice of public and non-profit administration. Promotes the value of joining and elevating the public service profession. Builds bridges among all who pursue public purposes. Provides networking and professional development opportunities to those committed to public service values. Achieves innovative solutions to the challenges of governance. ASPA's Code of Ethics 1. Serve the Public Interest 2. Respect the Constitution and the Law 3. Demonstrate Personal Integrity 4. Promote Ethical Organizations 5. Strive for Professional Excellence Go to the ASPA website to read the expanded and detailed more specific Code of Ethics: hics.cfm "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. -Thomas Paine A Reason to Celebrate Santiago Uviña and Karla Riveria had a civil ceremony on October 13, 2007 and their religious ceremony is scheduled for December 29, Our religious ceremony will be held in El Arenal, Jalisco, Mexico where Karla s family is from. (We are leaving to Mexico right after the Fall semester on December 12) -Our courtship began at CSU Stanislaus as Undergrads in 2003 and we graduated together in Karla received her Bachelor s Degree in Psychology and Economics and I received my Bachelor s Degree in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Ethnic Studies. -We began the MPA program together in Huong Le has recently tied the knot with her fiancée of 5 years, Jason Armstrong. We married on September 15 th at Calvary Baptist Church in Modesto. We took a honeymoon road-trip to Monterey, Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, and the Grand Canyon. It was loads of fun. We saw the lights of Vegas, the wildlife and canyons of the Grand Canyon, and so much more. It was nice. We re now living in Turlock and on the search for our first home. James (now 32) and I (Pam Zuniga, now 28) exchanged marriage vows on October 7, 2007 in front of 170 guests. The ceremony was held at the Poppy Ridge Golf Course in Livermore, CA and the reception was followed at the Hilton Hotel in Pleasanton, CA. We went for a week in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for our honeymoon. My married name is now Pamela Baizas.

6 P. 6 Reasons to Throw a Party Debra Scott (MPA '05) recently became a volunteer gathering signatures for a ballot initiative in November The topic: Humane treatment of farm animals, specifically pregnant pigs, veal calves and egg-laying hens in the state of California. The deadline for gathering 650,000 signatures is next February. For more details, see the website below for contact information on where you can sign the petition (or better yet -- volunteer yourself to gather signatures!): Hope you all have a happy and safe holiday Who are these refined looking folks? Can you guess? Can you guess the date? This is (from left to right) Bill Neeley, Paul Schwartz, Judith Erickson, Richard Baraia, Kurt Lindsey and Larry Giventer. The magical year? The manager of a large office noticed a new man one day and told him to come into his office. "What is your name?" was the first thing the manager asked him. "John," the new guy replied. The manager scowled, "Look, I don't know what kind of a namby-pamby place you worked at before, but I don't call anyone by their first name. It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown in authority. I refer to my employees by their last name only - Smith, Jones, Baker - that's all. I am to be referred to only as Mr. Robertson. Now that we got that straight, what is your last name?" The new guy sighed and said, "Darling. My name is John Darling." "Okay, John, the next thing I want to tell you is..."

7 P.7 Proud Parents: Lee & Beth Miller Lee, Beth and Brenna Miller Miss Brenna Esmèe Au Miller 1:13pm June 8, lbs., 12 oz., 18.5 in. Gardeners and a Pea Pod My wife, Corrie, and I (Brandon Cody) welcome into this world our first child on October 18, 2007 at 7:38 PM. Our daughter's name is Kayla Michelle Cody and was, at the time of her birth (which was two weeks early), 6 pounds 8 and a half ounces and was 19 inches long. (Picture will be in the next news letter) Laura s Favorite words of wisdom: The difference between genius and stupidity? Genius has limits. -Albert Einstein All great questions must be raised by great voices, and the greatest voice is the voice of the people - speaking out - in prose, or painting or poetry or music; speaking out - in homes and halls, streets and farms, courts and cafes - let that voice speak and the stillness you hear will be the gratitude of mankind. -Robert F. Kennedy " Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit. " -Mohandas Gandhi The Next Newsletter Will Be Spring 2008 Semester What New Things Are Happening in Your Life? Drop Us a Line and Let Us Know.