SPAANEWS
FALL 2017 / WINTER 2018
Fulfillment Through Philanthropy
A Behavioral Approach to Public Administration
Q&A with the New Dean of Rutgers SPAA
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Alumna Shaunna Murphy’s MPA degree showed her what philanthropy means
SPAA center applies psychology and experimentation to research
Dr. Charles E. Menifield shares his vision for the school
DEAN’SNOTE Let me begin by thanking everyone for welcoming me and my wife (Angela) to the university and the SPAA family. We have been very well received as we acclimate to our new home in the Hahne’s building. During my inaugural year, I hope to meet as many alumni and community partners as possible. To that end, we are planning alumni events in Newark, Trenton, and Lyndhurst with the goal of presenting the updated strategic plan to our alumni. Hence, I encourage all of our alumni to reach out to us as we plan these meetings and update our alumni database. The academic year is more than half over and we are heavily involved in a number of new endeavors that emanate from our strategic plan and faculty scholarly activities. These include reorganizing our student internship processes; creating a Division of Community Engagement; creating a plan to raise funds for student scholarships and internships; updating and reconnecting with our alumni; and reassessing our academic programs. With respect to our alumni activities, I am creating an MPA Alumni Board (10 members) and a SPAA Board (14 members). If you are an MPA alum and are interested in serving on the MPA Board (meets twice a year, 2-3 year term), please let me know. I am using the SPAA Board to serve as a fundraising mechanism.
I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight some of our activities during the academic year. Thus far, we have: • Formed collaborations with numerous programs that will allow us to expand our grant writing activities and academic programs • Expanded faculty involvement in academic endeavors (This includes Drs. Jilke and Van Ryzin starting a new journal, the Journal of Behavioral Public Administration; Dr. Riccucci winning a best book award; and Dr. McDougle being selected as a co-editor for the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs.) • Reorganized the student internship process with the goal of securing paid internships for all students In the coming weeks, we will send out information on our alumni organization (SPAAAN). Please let us know if you are interested in running for office. We need the alumni organization to be a viable entity in SPAA. Again, thank you for welcoming me and my wife to the SPAA family and please stay in touch with us. We want all of our students and alumni to remain active members of the SPAA family. I can be reached at charles.menifield@ rutgers.edu. – DEAN CHARLES E. MENIFIELD
State of New Jersey Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program Graduates Largest Class to Date with 123 Students
The CPM program, administrated by Rutgers SPAA, graduated its largest class to date on August 11 when 123 students received their certificates. The graduation ceremony marked the end of 21 courses over 10 months designed to instill the necessary skills for participants to advance within their organizations by becoming stronger leaders, more strategic thinkers, and more knowledgeable and experienced managers. Speakers included Deputy CEO of the State of New Jersey Civil Service Commission Grace Kelly, SPAA Professor (as interim dean) Gregg Van Ryzin, 2 |
RUTGERS SPAANEWS
Retired Verona Police Chief and SPAA alumnus Mitchell Stern (MPA’13; CPM), and New Jersey Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration President Patrick Brannigan. EMS Capt. Chrissy Oatman was presented with the Askew Award in recognition of her exceptional capstone project, “Facing a New Threat: A World of Shifting Paradigms.” The project outlined a system in which police officers, firefighters, and EMTs participate in joint training for active shooter and high-risk situations in order to provide a more rapid response to victims. Oatman, who works at the Cherry Hill
Fire Department, has used this system at her department for three years and expanded the training to Camden County for her capstone.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANE SHARP
EMS Capt. Chrissy Oatman
SPAA Alumna Shaunna Murphy (MPA’12) Finds Fulfillment Through Philanthropy
Since her sophomore year as an undergraduate, Murphy found her niche in philanthropy. As a student, she spent alternative spring breaks in Louisiana, assisting with revitalization efforts in areas destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. She also interned at Habitat for Humanity and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, while earning a degree in communication studies to use her communications and marketing skills toward advancing the mission of nonprofits. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Murphy worked for organizations such as United Way and Jersey Cares before deciding to complement her experience and education with a master of public administration (MPA) at SPAA. “The MPA program and the nonprofit concentration opened my eyes to all the possibilities of the nonprofit sector and really showed me what philanthropy means, and what being philanthropic means,” she said. Murphy’s understanding of philanthropy allowed her to assign greater meaning to her efforts and the ways in which she devotes herself to certain causes. In 2016, Murphy and her husband hiked 50 miles for an endurance marathon for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, an organization that assists those struggling with Parkinson’s disease and funds research to find a cure. In what she describes as a mental
PHOTO BY SEAN MURPHY
and physical victory, Murphy finished the race in 18 hours and raised more than $6,500 for a cause that holds a personal significance for her. “Hopefully, sometime in my generation, I can see that there is a cure for Parkinson’s disease,” Murphy said. “Unfortunately, it was my father who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s three years ago and I wanted to do something that was bigger than myself.” Unwilling to be stalled by personal grief, Murphy creates philanthropic outlets from family hardships. She is a committed donor to Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Cancer Support Community of Central Jersey. She began donating after losing her grandmother and greataunt to cancer in 2012. Recently, Murphy began a new position as the director of alumni relations at Blair Academy where she continues to promote the philanthropic spirit among the school’s alumni and draw upon her education at SPAA. “Philanthropy is who I am,” said Murphy, “and at the end of the day, I can’t see myself doing any other type of work.”
Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center to Open at Rutgers University–Newark with SPAA Housing One of the Directors
The Association of American Colleges and Universities selected Rutgers University–Newark to serve as one of the first Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers in America with nine additional TRHT campus centers to open nationwide. Initiated in 2016 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, TRHT is a comprehensive, national and community-based process to plan for and bring about transformational and sustainable change that addresses the historic and contemporary effects
of racism. Building on the momentum of community-university efforts aimed at re-charting the future of Newark, TRHT at RU-N will connect a broad array of partners inside and outside the university all positioned to prepare the next generation of strategic leaders and critical thinkers to both imagine and work toward racial healing. The center will focus on developing and delivering programming focused on healing and transformation that engages students, faculty, staff, and academic leadership; Newark residents,
especially youth; educational and anchor partners; and media. The TRHT center will also provide RU-N Honors Living-Learning Community scholars and student government representatives the opportunity to work side by side with the center’s leadership team to deliver programming and engage student groups. The center will be directed by appointed leadership across RU-N entities and includes Sharon Stroye, director of community engagement at Rutgers SPAA, as a co-director. FALL 2017 / WINTER 2018
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WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE ABROAD
Several SPAA students
spent their winter break
abroad in the Dominican
Republic and India on separate community-based ini-
tiatives. In the Dominican Republic, students from
SPAA, Rutgers Law School, and Rutgers Allied Health
Department worked with
Law School Professor Andy Rothman to assist nonprof-
its in providing services and utilities to residents. Over
the course of a week, they helped construct a home
and a water filter for a fam-
ily in a rural village. In India, several students traveled with Assistant Professor of Professional Practice Clayton Walton and Assistant Teaching Professor Rachel Emas for an 11-day International
Leadership Exchange in which students met with representatives from nonprofits and public organizations working for social change in Delhi, Jaipur, and Dausa. Among their lessons, students learned about women's economic
PHOTO BY RACHEL EMAS
empowerment programs from the Quality of Life Improvement Society, a nongovernmental organization that seeks to help women artisans achieve economic independence and emphasizes fair and ethical trade.
SPAA Center Uses Psychology and Experimentation to Explore Behavior in New Approach to Public Administration
What role does political affiliation play in shaping citizens’ judgments about the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)? In what ways might public servants treat citizens differently based on biases associated with race, gender, or ethnicity? These are the questions being answered by SPAA’s Center for Experimental and Behavioral Public Administration (CEBPA), a center exploring an emerging subfield known as behavioral public administration that favors a micro-level analysis of individual behavior and decision-making as it relates to public administration issues. “It’s a behavioral approach toward public administration that uses psychological insights and experimental techniques to learn about the motivations and behaviors of actors within the public sector,” said Sebastian Jilke, assistant professor and co-director of the center. Jilke and co-director Gregg Van Ryzin, professor, are a part of a group of scholars advancing this new field of study. They established the center in 2016 to improve public administration research and the operations and services of 4 |
RUTGERS SPAANEWS
public entities, with a particular focus on the greater Newark area. The center is supported by a seed grant awarded by the Rutgers University-Newark Chancellor’s Office. “In addition to supporting academic research, much of it published in the field’s top journals, the center’s goal is to work with local governments and nonprofit organizations to promote the application of behavioral insights and experimental methods in the design and delivery of vital public services,” explained Van Ryzin. In an effort to foster the continuous spread and exchange of ideas, the center sponsors seminars and workshops, hosts visiting scholars, and maintains a public mailing list. The center also maintains two online research panels – one comprised of citizens (CivicPanel) and the other comprised of public and nonprofit managers (Public Service Research Panel) – that complete surveys on various topics as part of the center’s research.
For more information on CEBPA or to join an online research panel,
visit spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/cebpa.
ACCOLADES
DEAN MENIFIELD TALKS WITH NJ SENATOR RONALD RICE ON FROM TRENTON TO YOU
Over the winter break, Dean Charles Menifield appeared on From Trenton to You, a show hosted by New Jersey Senator Ronald Rice that invites community leaders at the local, state, and national levels to discuss issues and solutions in their communities. Dean Menifield shared his vision for SPAA and talked about collaboration opportunities between SPAA and the Newark community, and how the school's research and engagement initiatives translate into positive outcomes for Newark and New Jersey as a whole. He also discussed how the school can work with local and state entities to tackle challenges such as housing vacancies and aging infrastructure. In addition, he touched on the difference between politics and public administration and how SPAA's research fits into Newark's future. Watch Dean Menifield’s full interview or selected clips on SPAA’s YouTube channel: youtube.com/RUPublicAdmin.
WILLIE JOHNSON, head coach of the Rutgers University-Newark Debate Team, received Weber State University's Coach of the Year Award for his hard work and dedication at the conclusion of two debate tournaments held at the university.
The Newark City of Learning Collaborative, led by Assistant Professor of Professional Practice REGINALD LEWIS, received an Equity Trailblazer award for its efforts and success in increasing the number of Newark residents who have education or training beyond high school.
Assistant Professor JIAHUAN LU received the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action’s (ARNOVA) Nonprofit Management and Leadership editors’ prize for best scholarly paper. His article, "The Philanthropic Consequence of Government Grants to Nonprofit Organizations: A Meta-Analysis," was selected for its contribution to the field of nonprofit management, its writing quality, and the usefulness of the information for the practice of nonprofit management and leadership.
LINDSEY M C DOUGLE, assistant professor, was named editor-in-chief for the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs (JPNA). She is one of two editors-in-chief for JPNA and will hold the position alongside Bruce McDonald from NC State University's School of Public and International Affairs.
SETH MEYER, doctoral candidate, received the ARNOVA Diversity Scholars and Leaders
award for his efforts on ARNOVA's diversity panel to build diversity within the organization and the field of public administration.
MELISSA RIVERA, associate dean of finance, technology, and administration, is the prin-
cipal investigator on a $25,000 grant from the New Jersey State Council of the Arts.
The RUTGERS UNIVERSITY–NEWARK DEBATE TEAM, housed in Rutgers SPAA, won the West Point Debate Tournament and brought home the elusive West Point Saber trophy. Board of Governors Distinguished Service Professor ALAN SADOVNIK is the co-principal investigator on a $250,000 grant from the Victoria Foundation to provide "An Evaluation of the Victoria Foundation Targeted Intervention Program in Newark" for 2017-2020.
SHARON STROYE, director of community engagement, was named co-director of the
newly established Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Center at Rutgers University–Newark.
Professor GREGG VAN RYZIN was announced as co-editor for the International Public Management Journal, a quarterly publication of contemporary studies in public administration.
Doctoral student SHILPA VISWANATH was named one of the American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) 2018 Founders' Fellows. As a fellow, she presents her research on a panel during the 2018 ASPA national conference and has a year-long mentorship with a senior public administrator. FALL 2017 / WINTER 2018
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MARC HOLZER FUND FOR DOCTORAL STUDENTS ESTABLISHED
In honor of Dr. Marc Holzer’s legacy as the school’s founding dean, SPAA has established the Marc Holzer Fund for Doctoral Students. The fund was created with the encouragement of SPAA PhD alumni who credit Holzer’s mentorship and guidance with bolstering their successes in academia. This fund will provide financial support for the next generation of public administration scholars who have demonstrated an interest in public performance measurement and improvement – Dr. Holzer’s area of expertise.
To offer your support, visit support.rutgers.edu/holzerfund.
Center for Applied Appreciative Inquiry Graduates Latest Certificate Cohort
In January, the Center for Applied Appreciative Inquiry (CAAI) at Rutgers SPAA graduated its latest cohort in its Appreciative Inquiry for StrengthsBased Leadership and Innovation in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors Certificate Program. Karen Alexander, Kate Anderson, and Shirley Greene received their certificates from center directorJames Davy, distinguished practioner in residence at SPAA, following the seven-month program in which each student completed an independent project performing an appreciative inquiry for an organization of their choosing. Alexander’s project was titled “Age-Friendly Teaneck: Creating an Appreciative Community Asset Map for Vital Aging”; Anderson’s was “Enhancing Partnerships with Colorado’s Local Workforce Areas Through Appreciative Inquiry”; and Greene conducted “An Appreciative Inquiry of a Children Services Organization in New York City.” The certificate program teaches participants about conducting an appreciative inquiry – the practice of asking questions to strengthen an organization’s capacity to apprehend, anticipate, and increase potential. Appreciative Inquiry differs from traditional approaches that explore what is wrong with an organization and instead focuses on its strengths and successes in a collaborative and innovative process. The course includes an introductory two-day workshop, monthly coaching calls, an individual appreciative inquiry project, and a concluding two-day workshop. For more information, visit spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/ai-certificate.
ALUMNINEWS MERIL ANTONY (MPA'17; PhD Student) received an
Outstanding Abstract Honorable Mention for presenting “Digital Activism: Characteristics Influencing the Likelihood of Success of Digital Activism Campaigns" at the Public Policy Research Symposium at Northwestern University.
RAJADE BERRY-JAMES (PhD'99) received the Social Justice
Curriculum Award from the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) for her MPA capstone course that has students work together on realworld issues, including the Flint water crisis, the Dakota Access Pipeline standoff, North Carolina's House Bill 2, and the Black Lives Matter movement.
MILDRED CRUMP (MPA'09), president of the Newark City Council, was inducted into the Rutgers African-American Alumni Alliance (RAAA) Hall of Fame. 6 |
RUTGERS SPAANEWS
JOHN PALATUCCI (MPA'16) won the 2017 Pi Alpha Alpha
Master's Student Manuscript Award for his capstone titled "Mental Health Expenditures and Juvenile Violent Crime: A Policy Analysis with Panel Data," which determined that when states increased spending to address mental health, juvenile crime rates decreased.
JERMAINE WRIGHT (PhD'17) was named interim associate dean of special programs in the Central Office of Student Affairs at The City University of New York (CUNY).
Have news to share? We welcome SPAA alumni news about career, professional, and educational accomplishments. For more alumni information and to share updates, visit spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/alumni.
Making SPAA a Primary Resource for Community and Public Engagement in Newark and Beyond
CHARLES E. MENIFIELD, THE NEW DEAN OF RUTGERS SPAA, OFFERS HIS VISION FOR THE FUTURE
What attracted you to Rutgers SPAA? I was most attracted to SPAA because of the faculty and the quality of the students produced; SPAA is replete with well-seasoned faculty and scholars on the rise. The placement of PhD students reflects the strong training that they received from our internationally respected faculty.
What are your top priorities for your first year? What do you consider your highest priority as dean? All institutions should forge ahead with a well-thoughtout strategic plan. Since my arrival, I have spent countless hours talking to the staff, faculty, students, and alumni with the goal of getting input on a strategic plan that will focus on public engagement, student recruitment and scholarships, and faculty support and development. If I had to prioritize these items, I would place student recruitment as number one. We need to constantly evaluate our courses, certificates, degrees and processes in order to ensure that we are offering and delivering the best programs. Given the public service component of our mission, I also believe we need an entity to support our public engagement activities. I would like to establish a Division of Public Engagement by the end of the academic year with a clear vision and goal to facilitate and expand our public engagement activities in every respect as they relate to students, faculty and the community at large. We also need to reconnect and stay connected with our alumni and those who embrace the work that we do. I believe that our alumni are looking for a reason to be involved with the school and its activities. Hence, we will formally engage them in devising the strategic plan and get their ideas on key areas that we should focus our attention and resources. What do you see as Rutgers SPAA’s biggest challenge within the next five years? I believe that competition for students and declining revenues from governmental entities will be the biggest challenges for all public universities over the next five years. Therefore, we have to constantly reexamine our programs and processes to maximize our opportunities, while continuing to attract the best faculty and provide them with the best resources in order to be successful.
Fill in the blank: When my time as dean is over, I will have considered my deanship successful if _____________. I will have considered my deanship successful if we move up in the rankings; the Division of Public Engagement is viewed as a valuable resource to the university and the local governments in New Jersey; our students continue to be placed in highly visible public service organizations and universities; we continue to see an increase in the student population in every modality; our faculty continues to expand its diversity and inclusion efforts; the number of active alumni members grows; the number and amount of student scholarships grow; and the school is named.
PHOTO BY ANTHONY ALVAREZ
"In five years, we will move up in rankings; be seen as the number one school of public affairs and administration that prepares students for public engagement; have the most engaged alumni among all programs at Rutgers; and be seen by every local government in New Jersey as the best location to not only find quality employees, but to send their employees for additional training."
– CHARLES E. MENIFIELD FALL 2017 / WINTER 2018
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ing y! t r a po up ing D s for s Giv u yo tger k n u a Th on R AA SP
givingday.rutgers.edu RUTGERS SPAANEWS is published by the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA), Rutgers University–Newark. Story ideas and news are welcome and should be sent to spaa.comm@newark.rutgers.edu. For more news, visit spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/newsroom.
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