EDLD 577: Higher Education Policy Spring, 2010, MRH 145, Tuesdays 5:30-8:20 Instructor: Dayanne Izmirian, PhD dizmirian@sandiego.edu Office Phone: 619-260-4777, Mission Crossroads 125 Office Hours: By appointment (available daily 9-5pm) Tuesdays 4:30-5:30pm MRH 145 This course examines contemporary higher education public policy issues and provides a general introduction to the policymaking process in the United States. This process will be examined from multiple perspectives, including those from within the university as well as those from without. The course objectives include the following: • • • • •
Develop an understanding of public policy making, especially the processes of the legislative and executive branches and the relative influence of state and national governments on postsecondary education. Examine the roles of key public officials, interest groups, political parties, the media and public opinion. Become familiar with the policy issues shaping the future of American postsecondary education. Develop an understanding of the policy making process within a university, including identifying key players and their strategies for decision-making. Develop the analytical skills necessary to do policy research, and the written skills needed to report the results in an easily understandable manner.
There is only one required text for the course, The Chosen: The Hidden History of Admission and Exclusion at Harvard, Yale and Princeton, by UC Berkeley sociologist Jerome Karabel. In addition, to this text, there will be weekly readings that will be handed out by the instructor or easily accessed on-line. To assess student performance in the course, there will be several methods of evaluation. To pass this course, students will be expected to attend class regularly, complete all the required readings, and be prepared weekly to present a few key concepts of the readings. There will also be a written response paper on the text, a written policy overview and presentation. The relative weights for these evaluative components are as follows: Response Paper- The Chosen: Policy Overview Written: Policy Overview Oral Presentation: Attendance, Readings and Class Participation:
25% 25% 25% 25%
January 26:
Course Structure, Overview and Introductions
February 2
What Exactly is Policy Analysis in Higher Education?
• • •
Top 10 State Policy Issues for Higher Education in 2009, 2010 (handouts) National Cross Talk, excerpts, December 2009 The Chosen, Chapters 1-2
February 9
Higher Education Policy Landscape: Players and Their Perspectives
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American Council on Education (ACE) website: http://www.acenet.edu
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National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) website: http://www.naicu.edu
•
American Association of State Colleges and Universities website: http://www.aascu.org
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American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) website: http://www.aacc.nche.edu
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National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) website: http://www.nafeo.org
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Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) website: http://www.hacu.net
•
The Chosen, Chapters 3- 4
February 16: • •
Overview of Access and Affordability Issues in Higher Education Assigned articles The Chosen, Chapters 5- 6
February 23: • •
Assigned articles The Chosen, Chapters 7- 9
March 2: • •
Enrollment Issues and Rankings
Student Loans/ Policy Overview Assignment Discussed
Assigned articles The Chosen, Chapters 10-11
March 9:
Spring Break
March 16: • •
Assigned articles The Chosen, 12-14
March 23: • •
Veteran’s Education and Sustainability Issues
Reauthorization and the Higher Education Act
Assigned articles The Chosen 15-16
March 30: Affirmative Action in Higher Education • http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/protect/legal/topics/aff-ac-update.htm • Charting the Future of College Affirmative Action: Legal Victories, Continuing Attacks, and New Research. The Civil Rights Project, UCLA (handout) • The Chosen 17- 18 • Response to The Chosen Assignment April 6: •
Response to The Chosen Assignment Presentations Assigned Articles
April 13: ADA FERPA, HIPPA (Guest lecture, Dr. Don Kirson) • Assigned articles April 20: •
Academic integrity-ethical issues and infrastructures and the corresponding policy issues (Guest lecture, Dr. Tricia BertramGallant) Assigned Articles
April 27:
Time for Research/ Questions
May 4:
Policy Overview Presentations
May 11:
Policy Overview Presentations
Important Note to students: The instructor reserves the right to make changes / additions to the syllabus during the semester. Grade of Incomplete: The grade of Incomplete (“I”) may be recorded to indicate (1) that the requirements of a course have been substantially completed but, for a legitimate reason, a small fraction of the work remains to be completed, and, (2) that the
record of the student in the course justifies the expectation that he or she will complete the work and obtain the passing grade by the deadline. It is the student’s responsibility to explain to the instructor the reasons for non-completion of work and to request an incomplete grade prior to the posting of final grades. Students who receive a grade of incomplete must submit all missing work no later than the end of the tenth week of the next regular semester, otherwise the “I” grade will become a permanent “F.” Requests for Accommodation: Reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be made for course participants with disabilities who require specific instructional and testing modifications. Students with such requirements must identify themselves to the University of San Diego Disability Services Office (619.260.4655) before the beginning of the course. Every effort will be made to accommodate students’ needs, however, performance standards for the course will not be modified in considering specific accommodations. Academic Integrity: At USD, we take the code of academic integrity very seriously; forms of academic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or facilitating academic dishonesty, are not tolerated in the Leadership Studies program or this class. Violations of the policy may result in suspension or expulsion from the university. If you are unfamiliar with USD's policy, it is your responsibility to read and understand its elements. In summary, any assignment that you turn in for class must be written in your own words, exemplifying your own thoughts and ideas, and you must clearly identify any references you used in completing your work using the format of the APA 5th Edition Style Manual.* * This statement was adapted from a statement written by Dr. Athena Perrakis