ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018
The School of Public Administration (SPA) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) offers award-winning, nationally-ranked programs on campus and online. Whether it is preparing the next generation of pilots, emergency managers, public and nonprofit professionals, or honing the skills of public managers--preparing students for public service careers is what we do. This is a highlight of our many accomplishments during the 2017-2018 academic year. Enjoy!
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WELCOME
Hello and welcome to our School of Public Administration! We are going through an exciting period of change; Dr. DeeDee Bennett has taken over the Emergency Services programs following the retirement of Dr. Patrick O’Neil, Dr. Carol Ebdon has agreed to serve as MPA Program Chair and I became School Director following the retirement of Dr. Ethel Williams. The collective experience and leadership from our retired colleagues will be missed. That said, I am excited about this opportunity to help shape the future of our School with the best set of faculty and staff that I’ve experienced during my career! Future decisions will be based on how best to retain the School’s strong academic reputation and efforts to engage our communities at the local, state, national and international levels. We have much to be proud of. Here’s to another exciting and fulfilling year in the School of Public Administration! Craig Maher, PhD Director, School of Public Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha
Here’s an overview of all the great work of the School from this year: • The Aviation Institute will be launching the Unmanned Aircraft Systems concentration and adding Dr. Victor Huang to help oversee the new concentration. The Institute is also expecting record numbers of majors again this year as the demand for professional pilots continues to spur interest in aviation training. • NASA Space Grant and EPSCoR were awarded over $1.5 million and Michaela Lucas, Associate Director, was elected to the Board of Directors of Women in Aviation International • The Emergency Services program continues to impress – one of the Program’s recent graduates, Hameidah Alsafwani is employed in the Omaha Mayor’s Office and was admitted into our MPA Program, and Drs. DeeDee Bennett and Hans Louis-Charles recently returned from a conference in the Virgin Islands where they took several EM students; • The MPA retained its high rankings as a program (28th) and within its concentrations, particularly public budgeting and finance (6th), Nonprofit Management (11th), Local Government Management (15th); • In Professional Programs, Ellen was nominated as President-Elect of the National CPM Consortium, and will serve as President in 2019 and Dr. Williams received the Distinguished Service Award for her many contributions to the Program • The PhD Program graduated three students and all will be teaching at universities this fall, including Bowling Green State University (Dr. Abhishek Bhati), the University of Alabama (Dr. Sungho Park) and Wichita State University (Dr. Junghack Kim); • The Master of Urban Studies Program graduated one of its largest classes in May and, in partnership with the Nebraska City Managers Association (NCMA), planned the 2nd annual UNO alumni reception in San Antonio.
SPA FACULTY PROFESSORS Robert Blair, Master of Science in Urban Studies Program Chair Yu-Che Chen, Director of the Global Digital Governance Lab Carol Ebdon, Master of Public Administration Program Chair, Regents/Foundation Professor, NAPA Fellow Angela Eikenberry, PhD Program Chair, David C. Scott Diamond Alumni Professor of Public Affairs Mary Hamilton, Senior Executive in Residence Craig Maher, Director of the School of Public Administration Gary Marshall, Public Administration Theory Christine Reed, Faculty Fellow NU Daugherty Water for Food Institute Scott Tarry, Director of the Aviation Institute and NASA Space Grant
ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS A. Bryce Hoflund, Health Care Policy and Food Policy Jooho Lee, Associate Director of the Global Digital Governance Lab
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS Jodi Benenson, Policy and Nonprofit Management DeeDee Bennett, Director of the Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program Tara Bryan, Nonprofit Management Christopher Goodman, Local Public Finance and Urban Policy Chenyu “Victor” Huang, Aviation Institute Hans Louis-Charles, Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program Rebecca Lutte, Aviation Institute
INSTRUCTIONAL FACULTY Lowell “Skip” Bailey, Aviation Institute Tyler Davis, Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program Joe Mancuso, Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program Ellen Freeman-Wakefield, Professional Programs Scott Vlasek, Aviation Institute Eduardo Zendejas, Tribal Management and Emergency Services Jordan Zendejas, Tribal Management and Emergency Services
NEW SCHOOL LEADERSHIP New leaders within the School of Public Administration include Drs. Craig Maher, Angela Eikenberry, Scott Tarry, DeeDee Bennett, and Carol Ebdon.
With the new academic year, the School of Public Administration experienced many changes with exciting opportunities. The first large leadership change kicked off with the retirement of Dr. Ethel Hill Williams in April 2018. Dr. Craig Maher, professor in SPA, and former MPA Chair, took on the role of Director of the School of Public Administration in July of 2018. Another major change in the School was the retirement of the former Emergency Management Program Director, Dr. Pat O’Neil. Dr. DeeDee Bennett took on the role of Director of the newly-named Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program in the fall of 2018.
Dr. Carol Ebdon moved into the role of Chair of the Master of Public Administration Program, along with Dr. Angela Eikenberry assuming the role of Chair of the PhD in Public Administration Program. Dr. Robert Blair remains Chair of the Master of Science in Urban Studies Program, while Dr. Scott Tarry continues his leadership as the Director of both the Aviation Institute and the NASA Nebraska Space Grant Consortium.
A LEADER FROM THE BEGINNING Throughout her career, Ethel relentlessly focused on lifting others up, putting her deep faith into action and mentoring young people. Serving on many boards and councils where she was a strong advocate for people in need, Ethel has received many awards and recognition for her commitment to social equity and cultural competency. More importantly, Ethel inspired all of her students to pursue their dreams while giving back to their communities. Ethel is the Reynolds Professor of Public Affairs and Director of the School of Public Administration at UNO. She has more than three decades of experience in the field of public administration with particular expertise in the area of human resource management. Her research interests include social equity, health disparities as a policy issue, and workforce planning with an emphasis on succession planning. In addition to her teaching and research she has served, and continues to serve, on numerous professional and public boards and commissions.
Dr. Ethel Hill Williams, former director of the School of Public Administration.
A warm smile, a great laugh, and an impeccable career in public service, the School of Public Administration is losing a piece of our hearts come summer. After a long and distinguished career as an educator, researcher and mentor to her students and colleagues, Dr. Ethel Hill Williams, director of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) School of Public Administration, is retiring this year.
In April 2018, Dr. Ethel Williams was the recipient of the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award at the ASPA- NE Conference and Public Service Awards Luncheon. Ethel has received many other notable recognitions for her extraordinary service, including: • Chancellor’s Medal for Outstanding Service at UNO • President of the Network of School of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) • Women’s Center for Advancement’s Tribute to Women Award • Outstanding Alumna Award from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public & International Affairs • Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) Her unwavering dedication to the School of Public Administration, the University of Nebraska Omaha, and the community will be sorely missed.
AVIATION INSTITUTE Scholarship recipient Madchen (Maddy) Petry stands next to a plane at Advanced Air at the Council Bluffs Airport.
UNO is home to one of the nation’s best-kept secrets in the sky: its Aviation Institute. Since its inception in 1990, the Institute has soared to great heights, offering students flight instruction and education in the many facets of aviation such as air traffic control, airport management, ground operations and security. How far can you soar with a degree in aviation? The faculty, students and graduates of the Aviation Institute will tell you—the sky’s not even the limit.
Aviation Student Earns Top National Scholarship Maddy Petry, a University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) aviation student, recently earned a top national scholarship provided by Alpha Eta Rho (AHP) International and sponsored by Mesa Airlines. Annually, the National AHP Office awards scholarships to outstanding members that show leadership, academic achievement and professionalism in aviation. The top two scholarship winners are awarded $2,000 each sponsored by Mesa Airlines. Petry was one of the two 2018 Mesa Airlines Scholarship winners.
Petry is currently the Upsilon Nu Omicron Chapter President and is majoring in Professional Flight. She works two jobs and is active in volunteering. She is currently working on achieving her Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) rating. Alpha Eta Rho, International Aviation Fraternity, is a professional collegiate fraternity founded in 1929 to bring together students having a common interest in the field of aviation. AHP is the oldest aviation organization on college campuses today. Currently, AHP has over 35,000 alumni and over 2,000 active members in 45+ chapters on college campuses.
Alumna and Professor, Lutte Earns Aviation Honor An assistant professor in UNO’s Aviation Institute was recently nationally recognized for her effort in educating the next generation of aviation professionals. Rebecca Lutte, Ph.D., was awarded the V.L. Laursen Award for Outstanding Contributions to Aerospace Education at the 70th Annual University Aviation Association. The conference took place from Sep. 13-15 in Riverside, California. The V.L. Laursen Award is named in honor of TWA Captain Vern L. Laursen, who worked for TWA from 1951 until his retirement in 1989. A highly respected member of the airline industry, Laursen is recognized for his contributions in the areas of flight training, equipment, and procedures, as well as his technical and administrative abilities for evaluating flight simulator and visual system applications.
Dr. Chenyu “Victor” Huang, UNO Aviation Institute
The University Aviation Association is a coalition of higher education institutions, high schools, corporate entities, and individual faculty, staff, students and other professionals that contribute to the improvement of aviation education.
Huang joins UNO from Purdue University where he served as a post-doctoral research fellow after earning his M.S. in Aviation and Aerospace Management and Ph.D. in Technology. He also holds an M.S. in Air Traffic Planning and Management and a B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
The UNO Aviation Institute was formed in 1990 and, since, has prepared students for careers as pilots, airline managers, airport administrators, and more. In 2012, the UNO Aviation Institute was honored with the Loening Trophy by the National Intercollegiate Flying Association as the nation’s top aviation program.
New Faculty Member Has Aviation Institute Buzzing about Drones -Dr. Scott Tarry, UNO Aviation Institute
The Aviation Institute is pleased to welcome our newest faculty member, Chenyu “Victor” Huang, Ph.D.
Huang will lead the Aviation Institute’s new concentration in Unmanned Aircraft Systems, which offers undergraduate students an interdisciplinary curriculum to prepare them for careers in this rapidly growing industry. He has already begun to develop a UAS Lab which will share space for the time being with one of the Institute’s flight training simulators on the lower level of the CPACS Building. The lab will provide students the opportunity for experiential learning in the development and maintenance of drones as well as sensors and other critical components. The lab will also provide opportunities for outreach and engagement. Huang is already busy meeting colleagues across campus who are interested in using drones in their research and welcomes inquiries about how the UAS Lab can be resource in those efforts. He can be reached at chenyuhuang@unomaha.edu.
Dr. Rebecca Lutte, UNO Aviation Institute
in a row to take the Flight, Ground, and SAFECON Championship events is a true testament to the dedication of the students on this team.” Leading the way individually for the Flying Mavs was captain and senior Tate Beller, who placed first among all contestants for the second consecutive year with 71 points and first among all pilots with 56 points. Collectively, Beller placed first or second in four competitions: Computer Accuracy, Navigation, Short Field Landing and Simulated Comprehensive Aircraft Navigation.
Flying Mavs Place First Regionally for Second-Consecutive Year -Charley Steed, University Communications
For the second year in a row, UNO’s competitive flight team, the Flying Mavs, took home first place at the Region VI National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference (SAFECON) competition. This year’s event was hosted by Kansas State University Polytechnic, based in Salina, Kansas, from Saturday, Oct. 13, through Wednesday, Oct. 17. With a total of 225 points, UNO outpaced the next highest finishers, Kansas State Polytechnic (150) and Oklahoma State University (135), by a significant margin. UNO also dominated, winning both the Flight Events Championship and Ground Events Championship. As the first-place team, the Flying Mavs have earned a spot at the national SAFECON competition where, previously, they placed eighth among all university teams in the country - the team’s highest finish in history. This will mark the 10th consecutive year UNO has made it to the national SAFECON contest. “I am so proud of this team,” said Scott Vlasek, lecturer for the Aviation Institute and faculty advisor for the Flying Mavs. “They faced some adversary at the start of the year and came though very strong. For the second year
Also from UNO, Leighton Kaluza earned third place overall with 33 points; Brendan Simmons tied for fifth with 32 points; and Nicholas Scholz joined Nick Newstrom to earn an 11th-place tie. Altogether, UNO placed five students in the top 15. Additional highlights include: UNO earned five first-place finishes and included at least one student in the top five across eight of 10 contests, including several contests with multiple Flying Mavs in the top three spots. In addition to Beller, UNO had three other Flying Mavs earn first-place finishes with Simmons earning first in the Ground Trainer category and Ian Kinslow joining Scholz in earning first in the team-focused Message Drop category. Scholz also joined Beller in first place for Navigation. In the Message Drop category, the Flying Mavs claimed first, second, third, fifth and sixth place. In addition to Beller and Scholz earning first in Navigation, Kaluza and Kinslow placed second with Simmons and Joel Heap earning fifth. Following Beller as “Top Pilot” for the competition was Kaluza, who earned fourth, and Simmons, who tied for fifth.
Flying Mavs Earn Top 10 Finish Nationally The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Flying Mavericks earned the highest team finish in program history as they placed eighth at the 2018 National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) SAFECON competition, which took place Monday, April 30, through Saturday, May 5, at Indiana State Univeristy. The eighth-place finish by the Flying Mavs puts them in a class above institutions like Oklahoma State University, Auburn University, Purdue University and the United States Air Force Academy. The NIFA SAFECON is held annually, pitting the top collegiate aviation programs in the country against each other in a series of compeitions testing their skills in the air and on the ground. The Flying Mavs earned the right to compete nationally after placing second in their region last October. At the 2018 NIFA SAFECON, UNO placed eighth both in
the SAFECON Championship and in a vote by the judges. The finish included a fifth place finish in the “Flight Events” category and ninth in the “Ground Events” category. Among the students, UNO earned 12 Top-20 finishes among all categories. Additionally, two students earning top-10 finishes among the entire field of their peers, with Philip Wier earning second in the “Men’s Achievement Award” category and Tate Beller being selected sixth in the “Regional Top Pilot” category.
NASA NEBRASKA SPACE GRANT AND EPSCOR
Whether studying the cosmos at Creighton, constructing robots at UNO, advancing elementary science education at College of Saint Mary, designing rockets at UNL, building aquaponics facilities at UNK, or creating new electronics classes at Western Nebraska Community College, NASA Nebraska Space Grant is helping students and researchers move Nebraska deeper into the 21st Century.
Notable Moments from 2017-2018
• Michaela Lucas, Associate Director, was elected to the Board of Directors of Women in Aviation International • Awarded $760,000 for NASA Space Grant for 2018-2019 • Awarded $750,000 for NASA EPSCoR Research Award for Modular Robotic Suits as an Exercise System for Maintenance of Muscle Strength of Astronauts during Long-Term Space Missions (Raj Dasgupta, UNO IS&T, Science Investigator) • Awarded $125,000 in Research Infrastructure Development funds from NASA EPSCoR • Scott Tarry serves on the Board of Directors of the National Space Grant Alliance • Crystallography experiment scheduled for launch to International Space Station in 2018 (Gloria Borgstahl, UNMC Buffett Cancer Center, Science Investigator)
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AND DISASTER SCIENCE The Bachelor of Emergency Management and Disaster Science from UNO is interdisciplinary in nature with core coursework focusing on emergency services and management. The program is intended to academically prepare students for employment in the public sector at the local, state, or federal level of government, in numerous agencies, while performing emergency planning, mitigation, response, recovery, and prevention. With a degree in Emergency Management and Disaster Science, students are equipped to plan and respond with the best.
New Name, Same Great Program -Nicki Allen, Emergency Management and Disaster Science
We are very excited to announce that Emergency Services Program is now the Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program. Why change the name? Well there are a few reasons behind the switch. The new name Emergency Management and Disaster Science will more accurately describe the program’s aim of providing students the knowledge and education to develop skills in preventing, planning and preparing for, responding to, and recovering from large scale natural or man-made disasters and public events that require inter-agency and/or inter-jurisdictional involvement. The new name also reflects the program’s core classes that students are required to take. The Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program focuses on providing students with an education that encompasses the broad array of knowledge and experience necessary to conduct emergency management utilizing interagency cooperation, coordination, communication, policies and procedures, labor relations, and fiscal matters. Emergency Management is also expanding in the field. There are many private, public, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to emergency management. Also, more businesses are realizing the benefits of partnering with companies and organizations that are geared towards planning and preparing for disasters.
Emergency Management Faculty Secure $150,000 Grant The Critical Infrastructure and Sustainable Livelihoods for Experiential Reconnaissance Research (CLERR) project will build on existing research collaboration between Emergency Management scholars Drs. DeeDee Bennett and Hans Louis-Charles from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and colleagues from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Total funds awarded equal $150,000. The vision of the CLERR project is to research the disaster recovery efforts in the U.S. territories in the Caribbean following the 2017 hurricane season related to physical infrastructure and social vulnerability to enhance sustainability and mitigate future risk. The lessons learned from these large scale, long term recovery efforts can provide vital lessons learned for Nebraska, and our society-at-large. Disaster studies have historically been connected to the systems theory, focused on how disasters impact the built, human, and natural environments. Scholarship in this field relies on several disciplines including sociology, construction engineering, public administration, geography, and economics. The educational and scholarly backgrounds of CLERR investigators enables an in-depth holistic examination of disaster recovery sustainable redevelopment efforts. With the NU Collaboration Initiative grant, the CLERR team will begin our initial research inquiry, develop a service learning activity, expand our collaborative partnerships and submit proposals for two externally funded projects.
SURGE Reconnaissance Mission to the U.S. Virgin Islands -Lyndsey Rice, Emergency Management and Disaster Science
The Minority Scholars from Under-Represented Groups in Engineering and the Social Sciences (SURGE) Capacity in Disasters students as well as their team leaders, including Drs. DeeDee Bennett and Hans Louis-Charles from UNO’s Emergency Management and Disaster Science Program, recently went on a reconnaissance mission to the U.S. Virgin Islands. The mission served as a way to provide real-world, tangible experience of the impacts of a disaster. Islands visited included St. Thomas and St. John. Students and the team leaders explored the effects of the 2017 Hurricane Season to the natural, built, and human environments. Scholars learned from community leaders and on-site partners about the ongoing recovery efforts. Upon arrival in St. Thomas they met with on-site partners and visited the end of the Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Workshop, where they met with Mr. Jack Heide, community planner for FEMA Region II. Some of the major challenges mentioned were with the power grid, debris, healthcare, coordination, and communication. The next couple days the trip was full of activities focused on giving back to the community in St. Thomas. Scholars and team leaders participated in marine debris clean-up, and data collection support for mangrove restoration. They also had an impromptu site visit to damaged homes. Drs. Bennett and Louis-Charles were invited to a University of Virgin Islands Hurricane Preparedness meeting. They heard from the President of the University and the Director of Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency. Lastly, they were invited to the St. Thomas Recovery Team meeting, RESTRT, where the “RE” is for rethink, rebuild, reinvent, recover, and resiliency. Efforts continue for the scholars with sights set on next year. Recommendations include: • Revisit the U.S. Virginia Islands next year for the next round of SURGE. • Work on a collaborative project together with University of Virgin Islands partners (faculty and students). • Explore ways to collectively impact minority scholars in STEM fields in U.S. Virgin Islands. • Continue service-learning opportunities for future SURGE missions. SURGE participants are excited to continue communication with the Islands Cooperative Extension Service and hope to collaborate in the near future.
Student’s Passion: Helping When Disasters Strike -Sam Petto, University Communications
Helping with the Hurricane Harvey relief effort is only the latest in a long list of experiences that have inspired Karen Franco to pursue an Emergency Management and Disaster Science degree at UNO.
When a tornado tore through Joplin, Missouri in 2011, Karen Franco felt called to go.
At each site, she reluctantly pulled herself away to head back home. As a self-employed hairstylist, she had to pay the bills. But the itch to help remained.
“It brought tears to my eyes that there were so many people missing and just seeing the lives affected, I wanted to go so bad,” Franco said. “It was just something that burned.”
“I knew it fit and I knew I had to make it a bigger part of my life,” Franco said. She decided it was time for a career change.
She made calls and hit road blocks. The Red Cross said they needed trained volunteers. The Salvation Army told her to send food and money. United Way pointed her back to The Red Cross, and no one was answering the phone at Joplin’s Chamber of Commerce.
In 2016, Franco graduated from Metropolitan Community College and enrolled at UNO as an Emergency Management student. Franco, 51, says thinking back to the communities she has helped inspires her to “keep plugging away.”
The feeling grew stronger. Franco knew she had to go. Her daughter was away with a friend for the week, her son already grown and out of the house. She dropped off her dog at her parents’ house, loaded up her two-seater Miata, and drove through the night to Joplin.
“I know I’m a little late in the game, but I’m really driven by what I’ve already experienced in my life and I want a bigger piece of it.”
It was her first experience helping a community respond to a crisis, but it wouldn’t be the last. She soon found herself in tornado-struck Moore, Oklahoma, volunteering with Operation Blessing, a group she had connected with in Joplin. A year later, the same calling sent her to Pilger, Nebraska, where twin tornadoes had touched down. “I’m a fixer,” Franco said. “I want to help everybody.”
Beyond inspiration, the experience is an advantage in the classroom. Franco can connect lessons on emergency response to people she knows and projects she worked on. Each concept covered in class, Franco says, has real-world application. Her most recent trip to help with Hurricane Harvey relief reinforced that.
From late August into the first two weeks of September 2017, Franco worked a minimum of 12-hour days, helping the Red Cross however she was needed. She served food, covered supplies with tarps, and delivered equipment. Just like her work in other devastated communities, she was reminded of the strength of the survivors and the people there to help. “If you ever think you’ve got it bad in your life, and you go into these things and you see what these people are up against, you count your blessings and I think you come home a much fuller, more well-developed person,” Franco said. “When you get in there, you understand why it means so much.” And it’s that understanding, Franco says, that keeps her motivated to earn her degree and start a career where she can spend every day doing what she’s passionate about: listening to and helping those who need it most.
Graduate Profile: Hameidah Alsafwani -Jessica Yrkoski, University Communications
Hameidah Alsafwani was born in Oklahoma, raised in Saudi Arabia, but is committed to giving back to the state of Nebraska. Alsafwani, who speaks fluent English and Arabic while also currently learning Spanish, will graduate this May with a bachelor of science in emergency management, a field she found her passion in after switching majors nearly three years into her college career. After the change, Alsafwani, became fully engaged in campus leadership, including serving as Student Body Vice President this past academic year. Additionally, she has served as a mediator for UNO’s “Sustained Dialogue” group and was heavily involved with UNO’s International Programs office. This spring she interned with Douglas County Emergency Management, helping assist in their weather siren test in March. After graduation she plans to pursue a Master in Public Administration at UNO with the goal of eventually working in international emergency management.
Emergency Management and Disaster Science student, Hameidah Alsafwani, during graduation in May 2018.
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PUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE
#11 NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT #15 CITY AND URBAN POLICY
#25 PUBLIC MANAGEMENT LEARN MORE: SPA.UNOMAHA.EDU
MASTER OF PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION A master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Nebraska at Omaha is more than just a professional degree. It’s a gateway to transforming society through a career in public service. It’s a chance to develop your own intellectual identity. It’s a way to gain exposure to people who are already guiding communities, operating nonprofit agencies or helping others in emergency services.
CPACS Graduate Programs Ranked Highly by U.S. News and World Report -Charley Steed, University Communications
In their 2019 “Best Graduate Schools Rankings,” U.S. News and World Report identified UNO’s College of Public Affairs and Community Service as the home to five top-25 programs, four of which are in the top 15 in their field. All five programs are also the only ones of their type ranked by U.S. News and World Report in Nebraska or Iowa. “Our high rankings in several areas of public affairs over several years shows both the quality and reliability of our programs,” CPACS Dean John Bartle said. “We are national leaders in these and other areas, and have been for a long time. Students are assured of a top-notch education, and our community partners and all Nebraskans benefit directly or indirectly from our applied research and community service.” Overall, UNO’s School of Public Administration was ranked No. 28, putting it in the top 10 percent of all public affairs programs in the country, and ahead of similar programs at Rutgers University, Cornell University and Johns Hopkins University. Within the School of Public Administration, four specialty areas were ranked highly by U.S. News and World Report, including Finance and Budgeting (No. 6), Nonprofit Management (No. 11), Local Government Management (No. 15) and Public Management Administration (No. 25).
Drs. Yu-Che Chen and Jooho Lee of the Global Digital Governance Lab.
SPA Professors Score Piggy Bank Award -School of Public Administration
The School of Public Administration and the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) were recipients of the Largest Award Amount, also known as the “Piggy Bank Award.” The Nebraska Department of Transportation provided the five year, $5.8 million grant of which UNO received $2.4 million, the largest award amount at UNO. The University of Nebraska Kearney received $5.8 million. Drs. Yu-Che Chen, Joohoo Lee, and Robert Blair of the UNO School of Public Administration alongside Dr. Josie Gatti Schafer, CPAR Director and Jerry Deichert also from CPAR, worked on the Transit Project. The project, which is connected to the grant, aims to provide innovative and safe transit services to people in need, especially in rural areas. “The overarching goal of this project is to provide safe and quality transit services to Nebraska communities,” Chen said. “Moreover, we aim to lead in generating the best knowledge for transit technology service for both scholar and practitioner communities.”
First-Ever Paul Posner Pracademic Award Presented to SPA’s Dr. Carol Ebdon -University Communications
Paul Posner Pracademic Award Winner, Dr. Carol Ebdon of the UNO School of Public Administration.
The Association for Budgeting and Financial Management has awarded Dr. Carol Ebdon the 2018 Paul Posner Pracademic Award, honoring her lifetime achievement in the field. Ebdon is a Regents/Foundation Professor within the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) where she also serves as the MPA Program Chair. In 2004, Ebdon left UNO to work as the Finance Director for the City of Omaha before returning back to UNO in 2009. The Paul Posner Pracademic Award is presented to honor lifetime achievement for significant contributions to the field of budgeting and financial management as both a practitioner and an academic. The award is not given out annually, but when an exemplary candidate is nominated and ultimately approved by the Paul Posner Pracademic Award Committee. Ebdon is the inaugural recipient of the award.
“I’ve been fortunate in my career to have the opportunity to move back and forth between academia and local government service,” Ebdon said. “Making direct connections between theory and practice is very useful in an applied field like public administration. My experience as a public administrator has informed my teaching and research, and vice versa.” “This award is a tremendous honor. It is named in honor of Paul Posner who was an exemplary role model as an executive at the U.S. General Accountability Office for several decades as well as a highly-respected scholar.” Ebdon was honored at the awards luncheon at the Association’s annual conference in Denver on Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.
AGENTS OF CHANGE MPA Grads Become ‘Movers and Shakers’ Leading Cities in Nebraska
That’s because Sprock, since 2012, has taken online classes to get his Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree at UNO.
-Greg Kozol, UNO Magazine
“There’s good quality information,” says Sprock, whose undergraduate degree was in biology. “For someone who stepped into this position without formal training, the budgeting and organizational theory classes have been very helpful.”
On a clear day, Jeff Sprock (below) can see Laramie Peak from the golf course in Mitchell, Nebraska. Sprock was hired to serve as city administrator in Mitchell, a community so far west that he could throw a rock in Nebraska and it might land in Wyoming. Omaha … isn’t so close. But Nebraska’s biggest city looms just as large as the 10,000-foot mountain towering in the other direction.
Go West, UNO Grads
UNO’s reach extends far across Nebraska through its MPA program. From Omaha’s suburbs to distant communities in the state’s panhandle, MPA graduates bring professional management to city government across the state. UNO’s MPA graduates work as city managers or city administrators in at least 16 communities in Nebraska. That’s nearly a third of the estimated 50 Nebraska communities that employ a city manager or administrator. Another 20 of UNO’s MPA graduates have municipal jobs in other states, including 10 in Iowa. These graduates don’t always grab headlines, but they make an impact in rural communities, says Robert Blair, professor of public administration and director of UNO’s Urban Studies
Program. “The city manager and administrator is one of the key movers and shakers,” Blair says. “They are deeply involved in economic development and community betterment. They are making these smaller communities more viable.” The program often attracts mid-career professionals looking to make a career change or upgrade. About 200 active students are in the program, with some finishing in two years and others taking longer as they balance career, family and educational obligations. Craig Maher, a professor and director of UNO’s School of Public Administration, says most students have one thing in common. “The biggest attraction is this idea of wanting to be an agent of change. There is a strong commitment to serving the public.”
Public Servants
The MPA program includes coursework in budgeting, finance, public policy and human resources. It sounds like the outline for an MBA program, but the MPA student puts those skills to work in a government or nonprofit setting rather than the corporate world. Maher says a growing number of students are interested in careers with nonprofit organizations, but many MPA graduates still take roles in municipal leadership. Some MPA graduates, like Bellevue City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli (left), served in the nation’s armed forces before turning to government work. Mangiamelli was drafted in 1967 and served in Vietnam. He received his MPA from UNO in 1991. “When I did get my degree, I was offered a number of positions in the private sector that really tempted me,” he says. “I was so ingrained in public service. The rewards for that far outweigh the wage.” Over the years, Mangiamelli rose through the administrative ranks of Omaha’s municipal government and also took a position as city administrator in Columbus. He described a sense of pride in bringing tangible improvements, like a new fire station or library, to a city’s residents. “All these projects are very exciting,” he says.
Phil Green (above), assistant city administrator in Blair, was involved in ministry before getting his MPA from UNO. He and other MPA graduates don’t share the skepticism about government that often bubbles to the surface in today’s political environment. “Local government is the level of government I like best,” he says. “You still deal primarily with local citizens. They don’t hesitate to stop you in the grocery store. I appreciate that.”
Public Props
UNO’s program remains popular for multiple reasons. U.S. News and Word report ranks UNO’s MPA program 25th best in the nation. The program scores as high as sixth in the teaching of public budgeting and finance. UNO offers the only accredited MPA program in Nebraska or Iowa, making it a popular choice for aspiring city managers throughout the region. About 60 percent of UNO’s MPA graduates come from the Omaha area. “Some of the best candidates for these jobs are men and women who grew up in small communities,” Blair says. “I tell people it’s a wonderful career. You’ve got to work in a smaller community. That’s the way it is.” Other benefits of the MPA program are harder to quantify, but just as meaningful for those who earn the degree. Faculty members make an effort to get out of the classroom and provide professional development through organizations like the Nebraska City/County Management Association. “We are out in the field,” Maher says. “Especially for midcareer students, they are going to call you out if you are just lecturing theory.” Blair even went to Norway as part of UNO’s sister university relationship with Adger University. He found that Norway’s city managers are able to work with a large city council, some with 30 members.
“Norway is a lot like Nebraska,” he says. “It’s a relatively small country with two or three large urban areas.” Chris Anderson (left), city administrator of Central City near Grand Island, says contact with faculty remains a benefit of the program long after coursework is completed. He received an MPA from UNO after getting his bachelor’s degree in political science at UNL. “It’s not like you graduate and they send you off and you never hear from them again,” he says. Anderson believes it’s important to tap into the expertise of both faculty and active city managers because the job demands such a broad range of knowledge. “They say jack-of-all-trades and master of none,” he says. “You can be working on a personnel issue at one moment and talking about wastewater treatment the next.” At one point, Anderson was named a vice president of the International City/County Management Association. At the time, the president of that organization was from Montreal. “In many professions, one of the most important elements is networking and being involved in a number of different organizations,” Anderson says. Current MPA students also benefit from a scholarship program awarded through the University of Nebraska Foundation. The Nebraska City/County Management Association puts money into the fund, which pays around $1,500 for two or three students a year. Blair received the scholarship when he was a student. More recently, Sprock found that the scholarship boosted his goal of using the MPA to improve his community. “I come from a long line of public servants,” he says. “It’s always been part of my culture. I feel like I need to give back.”
A Boost for Nebraska
City managers and administrators face challenges, some of which don’t get covered in the MPA program. Blair says UNO’s faculty teaches technical skills — things like management, budgeting and finance. These are essential to running a complex municipal government. That’s only part of the job. The rest, sometimes, comes through experience. “The other skills are soft skills,” Blair says. “People skills and political skills.” Green says UNO prepared him for the job, but the program can’t teach everything. The position is so diverse, with administrators overseeing everything from economic development and labor relations to public works and utilities infrastructure. “You can teach good philosophy and talk about policy formulation,” he says. “Then you sit down at your desk and say, ‘I’m going to need to buy a dump truck. How do I do that?’” Many city managers and administrators say the job requires thick skin, especially in a smaller community when unpopular decisions are made, or at least recommended to the city council. Green, however, says he wouldn’t give it up for anything. He says he’s always had a fascination with cities and looks forward to helping Blair deal with its pressing issues, such as finding affordable housing and developing a use for the former Dana College campus. “When I have a chance to visit really big cities, you see all of the cars and all of the buzz,” he says. “It’s amazing to think that we are all individuals and yet we all live in this beehive of activity. “It is our task to have the infrastructure in place for people to pursue their desires, passions and goals,” he says. Anderson says UNO’s MPA programs is essential to helping local government meet the needs of citizens in cities and towns across the state. “There are a lot of city managers in the state who have relied on the training they get from UNO and make a huge difference in their communities,” he says. “The truth is, we’re not going to draw qualified MPA graduates from distant states to come here. So having an effective, efficient local government in Nebraska is highly reliant on the students UNO is able to put out.”
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN
URBAN STUDIES The Master of Science in Urban Studies (MSUS) is the degree for individuals desiring to make a difference in urban areas. This professional degree trains leaders to critically analyze urban problems and to engage residents in the creation of innovative solutions to conditions in the human community, built environment and natural systems. The Master of Science in Urban Studies Program (MSUS) has been busy working toward the following: • Seven new students enrolled in 2017-2018 • One of the largest classes for the Urban Studies classes is graduating this May, with eight students • Urban Studies students provided evaluation to 10 area community based-organizations
What, No Mayor? -Greg Kozol, UNO Magazine
A local government with a city manager or administrator is different from the system used in Omaha, Grand Island, Lincoln and other big cities where an elected mayor functions as the chief executive. UNO Professor Robert Blair (pictured) says a city manager is hired to bring technical and managerial expertise to municipal government. “They take their marching orders from elected officials,” he says.
An elected city council often hires a city manager- or administrator-type to act as a chief administrative officer, although powers and responsibilities vary by community. A city manager can handle budgeting, carry out policies and make recommendations to the council. The elected leaders often maintain control of broader policymaking objectives. Different variations of a city manager or administrator type of government are used in many mid- to small-sized communities throughout the state. The manager or administrator form of government grew to about 55 percent usage in the early 21st century, according to the International City/County Management Association. Despite the growth trend, tensions still exist between elected officials, appointed managers and the public. “Every time they have a council meeting, their job is on the line,” Blair says. “I knew a guy who says he wouldn’t hire a city manager who hasn’t been fired once. It meant you took a stand.”
PHD IN PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION We foster a culture of openness where the process of knowledge creation among students is a common enterprise. As our students move through the PhD program, they have opportunities to teach and to work hand-in-hand with faculty. When they graduate, they are prepared to understand and help solve public problems.
Structure of the Program
The doctoral program curriculum is comprised of academic course work, field exams, a dissertation proposal and finally, the doctoral dissertation. By the numbers--there are four core seminars, three advanced research courses, four specialization courses, and a formal teaching workshop, plus field exams and dissertation work.
Specializations
The faculty offer six areas of specialization. Doctoral students choose two courses (6 hours) in each of two areas, for a total of 12 credit hours. The area of specialization includes a seminar or proseminar and second course drawn from the graduate curriculum of Public Administration or a related academic unit in the university system. The six specialization areas are: • Information & Technology Management • Nonprofit Management • Public Administration Theory • Public Budgeting & Finance • Public Policy • Urban Management
Impressive Program, Stellar Students
Excellent Placements
Along with the many demands of earning a PhD in Public Administration, students work on cutting-edge research in the field, volunteer their time in professional organizations, and advance the work of the field. • We welcomed nine (9) new doctoral students into the 2017 cohort, and five (5) in 2018 • Research was shared at 23 national and international conferences • Students also had 15 peer reviewed articles, four (4) book chapters, and four (4) other publications • Students participated in several professional organizations and served as reviewers for academic journals
Public Administration PhD Program Graduates include practitioners, leaders, and faculty locally and abroad. Placements include the following institutions: • • • • • • •
California State University, Fullerton Florida International University James Madison University Rutgers University Sun Yat Sen University (People’s Republic of China) Tennessee State University University at Albany - SUNY
The PhD Program is committed to holding monthly research and professional development brownbag sessions with faculty and students to enrich the learning experience.
PhD Program by the Numbers
35 active PhD students $17,000 in travel funding was provided to students through Graduate Studies and the School of Public Administration
23 conferences attended $55,000 in research funding provided through the Graduate Research and Creative Activity Award (GRACA)
23 publications with PhD students as single- or co-author
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS Nebraska Certified Public Manager® Program
The Nebraska Certified Public Manager® (CPM) program offered by the School of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is a nationallyaccredited, comprehensive management, development program. It is specifically designed for current and aspiring managers in federal, state, local government and nonprofit organizations.
Nebraska Municipal Clerk Institute and Academy
The Nebraska Municipal Clerk Institute and Academy is an annual continuing education professional training and development program held in Nebraska during March of each year for municipal clerks in Nebraska. This training program is one of a few accredited programs in the country. The program was initiated in 1976 by the Department of Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, in conjunction with the League of Nebraska Municipalities and the Nebraska Municipal Clerks’ Association.
Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Certificate
The first-ever offering of the Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership launched in September 2018. The program will help you hone your managerial and leadership skills as a nonprofit professional.
2017-2018 Achievements
The School of Public Administration’s Professional Programs continue making waves at the local, national, and international levels.
Nebraska Certified Public Manager® Program
• Eight students graduated from the CPM Program in December 2017 • Dr. Ethel Williams received the Distinguished Service Award for her many contributions to the Program • The 2018 CPM cohort began in January, with another eight students enrolled • Currently working on self-study for reaccreditation through the National CPM Consortium • Ellen will serve as President of the National CPM Consortium in 2019
Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy • Over 200 participants attended the Clerks Institute and Academy this year in Grand Island • There are currently 102 Certified and Master Municipal Clerks in the State of Nebraska • Nebraska is the largest Institute and Academy in the nation • Eight Clerks from Omaha attended the IIMC Conference in Norfolk this year
Ellen FreemanWakefield Named International Institute Director of the Year -Megan Nelson, School of Public Administration
Ellen Freeman-Wakefield, Director of Professional Programs in the School of Public Administration, was the recepient of the Institute Director Award of Excellence in 2018.
No other staff member at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) has received an award like this. In fact, no one in the state has received this distinguished honor. In May, UNO’s School of Public Administration Professional Programs Director, Ellen Freeman-Wakefield, received the highest honor possible—Institute Director of the Year. The award was presented at the Annual International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) Conference in Norfolk, Virginia. Known for her professionalism, knowledge of public and nonprofit organizations, and work with numerous local and state-level boards, Freeman-Wakefield was a logical fit for the award. Ellen’s role as Director of Professional Programs for the School of Public Administration requires her to wear many hats. Her duties include leading the charge for the statewide Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy. Each year, the Nebraska Municipal Clerks meet from across the state to attend continuing education professional seminars. She also serves as the director of the nationally-accredited Nebraska Certified Public Manager® (CPM) Program, a management development program for aspiring managers in
local, state, federal and nonprofit organizations. Ellen continues to expand the reach of professional programs beyond the walls of campus with initiatives focused on Emerging Nonprofit Leadership through a certificate offering. To top things off, she also teaches for both the undergrad and graduate programs within the School of Public Administration. Her nominators write, “The Nebraska Clerks are truly indebted to Ellen for her leadership, organization and guidance she brings to the Institute, Academy, meetings and events. We are extremely proud to have Ellen Freeman-Wakefield as our Institute Director and we believe she is a tremendous asset to the organization and Municipal Clerks from around the world. There is no one more deserving of this award of excellence than Ellen Freeman-Wakefield,” RaNae Edwards, Grand Island City Clerk. From her contributions in the classroom to her international reach, Ellen Freeman-Wakefield is making innumerable impressions on each and every individual she meets. She is an irreplaceable member of the School of Public Administration, a tremendous asset to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a lifelong advocate for public service and education.
Global Roots, Local Ties: China Collaboration
-Megan Van Gelder, School of Public Administration
This summer, some of our faculty traveled to China to begin establishing connections with two universities. Drs. John Bartle, Yu-Che Chen, Carol Ebdon, and Craig Maher as well as Drs. Amanda and Jieru Bai from the Grace Abbott School of Social Work visited two cities in the month of July. Collaborations with Zhengzhou University and South China Agricultural University were explored that could potentially lead to faculty exchanges and student enrollments (their students coming to attend UNO). In addition, our faculty met with faculty and administrators from Huazhong University of Science and Technology to sign an extension of an existing agreement, which promotes research and faculty exchanges between UNO and Huazhong. Zhengzhou University has over 70,000 students enrolled. It is a university growing in size and status. Their College of Public Administration is similar to our CPACS, as they also have departments of Social Work, Administration, Human Resources Management, Public Affairs Management, and Philosophy. South China Agricultural University has a College of Public Management with the following departments: Public Affairs Management, Social Work, Public Administration, Sociology, Land Resource and Management, and Department of Labor and Social Security.
Our dean of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS), Dr. John Bartle, describes China and his experiences when visiting the universities: “China is a great country, and there are many great things. What always impresses me is the scale. Zhengzhou, for example, is a city of over 10 million people that few Americans have ever heard of. Their university would be the biggest in the US, and it is just one of many of that size. The generosity of the hosts is very kind and touching, and the history of the culture is fascinating. We look forward to learning more about these universities and welcome the faculty and students who come to UNO!�
Now Offering: Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership -Megan Nelson, School of Public Administration
Understanding yourself is just one of many elements to kick start the process of becoming a leader in the nonprofit realm. What happens next is often left up to chance. Don’t take that risk. Take your career to new heights with the new Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Certificate! From a course lineup focused on leading people and managing diversity, to creating an ethical environment, these courses are just what you need to fine-tune your leadership skills. The full scope of certificate course offerings includes this powerhouse of content: • Emerging Leadership and the Role of the Nonprofit Manager • Understanding Yourself and Your Leadership Style • Leading People, Managing Diversity • Leading Teams: Together Everyone Achieves More • Leading through Better Communication: Stop! Think! Communicate! • Creating an Ethical Environment To sweeten the deal, the same faculty who teach these topics in the nationally recognized Nebraska Certified Public Manager® Program will teach each of the Emerging Nonprofit Leadership courses. These highlyqualified individuals are either UNO faculty who teach in the MPA Program, and professional public or nonprofit leaders and managers who are recognized experts in the areas they teach. Whether you are an aspiring supervisor in a public or nonprofit agency, or you just want to refine your already-in-practice managerial skills, the Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership is designed just for you. The program will help you hone your managerial and leadership skills. The Certificate in Emerging Nonprofit Leadership will help you develop competencies in the following areas: • Understand your role as a manager • Increase your self-awareness • Build relationships and communicate effectively • Manage diverse work groups • Manage change in yourself and your organization
Piggy Bank Award -School of Public Administration
The School of Public Administration and the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) were recipients of the Largest Award Amount, also known as the “Piggy Bank Award.” The Nebraska Department of Transportation provided the five year, $5.8 million grant of which UNO received $2.4 million, the largest award amount at UNO. Drs. Yu-Che Chen, Joohoo Lee, and Robert Blair of the UNO School of Public Administration alongside Dr. Josie Gatti Schafer, CPAR Director and Jerry Deichert also from CPAR, worked on the Transit Project. The project, which is connected to the grant, aims to provide innovative and safe transit services to people in need, especially in rural areas. “The overarching goal of this project is to provide safe and quality transit services to Nebraska communities,” Chen said. “Moreover, we aim to lead in generating the best knowledge for transit technology service for both scholar and practitioner communities.”
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
IMPACT Community Impact, Volunteerism, Leadership • Out of 342 graduates of our MPA, CPM, and Ph.D. programs, we know that at least 183 are leading and managing in public, nonprofit, or other organizations across the State. • The annual Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy trains people in at least 173 cities, towns, or villages across the State (data from 2017). • A total of 2,775 internship hours were completed in PA courses this year alone. • We estimate that over the past two years, our faculty, instructors, and staff have volunteered for at least 44 local, state, regional or tribal, or national boards, committees, or similar. • The time they volunteered was more than 2,625 hours; valued conservatively at over $58,000.
At least 183 of our MPA, CPM and Ph.D. program graduates are leading and managing public, nonprofit, or other organizations across the state.
Grants
• Over the past two years, faculty and staff have received or helped to secure funded grants or contracts amounting to $9,431,908, supporting 69 FTE graduate assistants and staff.
Social Media and Website Reach • The SPA website had over 20,000 views this academic year. • SPA digital publications on ISSUU had 8,406 total reads and 31,075 impressions. • Total SPA Facebook page likes: 1,062; and Twitter Followers: 586.
At least 173 cities, towns, or villages across Nebraska are represnted during the annual Nebraska Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy.
THE FUTURE IS URBAN
Urban areas are centers of employment, diversity and progress.
57%
The Omaha metropolitan area will reach
1 million in population by
81%
lives in urban areas
2023
lives in urban areas
55%
of the U.S.
People of color make up
of the state of Nebraska
of the world
lives in urban areas
this will grow to 68% in 2050
36%
of the workforce nationally
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
A SUSTAINABLE DEGREE FOR THE FUTURE.
Nationally-ranked degree programs with award-winning faculty---the School of Public Administration is a powerhouse of innovators, academics, and social entrepreneurs with an unforgettable reputation.
DEGREE OFFERINGS
»M aster of Public Administration »M aster of Science in Urban Studies » P hD in Public Administration »G raduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management »G raduate Certificate in Public Management
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