COMMUNICATOR

August 26, 1998
The Communicator is the official program newsletter serving the students of the Graduate Programs in Public Policy and Administration and International Affairs at California State University, Sacramento.

Please note: this is an archived newsletter. The links and other information are NOT current.

Director's Corner

Faculty

Alumni

Announcements

Career Opportunities

Student Jobs

Scholarships,
Grants, Fellowships...

Dates to Remember

Past Newsletters

DIRECTOR'S CORNER

I would like to take this chance to welcome back continuing PPA and IA students and new students in both programs.We have a number of exciting developments in both programs. In PPA we are welcoming Professor Michael Semler aboard to teach the PPA 200 course. Michael is a UC Santa Barbara Ph.D. who has taught a number of years for the University of San Francisco, and worked for the City of San Francisco and the Assembly Office of Research. IA students can look forward to the opportunity to take IA 212 (Foreign Policy) with Professor Maria Sampanis. Maria is a graduate of both the CSUS IA program and the Ph.D. program in political science at UCLA. I urge you to take an opportunity to seek out Michael and Maria in their office (3029 in the Business Administration building which was recently renamed
"Tahoe Hall"). I know that you will find both of these new instructors to be really exciting additions to the IA and PPA program faculty.

Best wishes for a highly educational (and fun-filled) year,

Bob Waste
IA And PPA Director

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FACULTY

Nancy Shulock (PPA) wrote an article that was published in the Spring 1998 issue of " Planning for Higher Education" that is relevant to PPA 240. It describes the evolution of strategic planning here at CSUS. And related to that , the revised CSUS Strategic Plan (generated by a planning process that Nancy coordinates) will be published this month.

Peter Detwiler (PPA) just finished teaching a graduate course called "Land Use Policy" during the summer session for the Univeristy of Southern California's Sacramento Center.

Ted Lascher's (PPA) book on the politics of automobile insurance reform has been accepted for publication by Georgetown University Press, and should be in print next spring. Also, his syllabus for PPA 210 has been accepted for inclusion in an American Political Science Association collection of public policy course syllabi.

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ALUMNI

Here is the link to the CSUS Alumni Association website http://www.csus.edu/alum/.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

PPA 240 HAS BEEN REDESIGNED FOR THE WEB
PPA 240 has been redesigned by Nancy Shulock (PPA) to included some web course components, and has its full syllabus and related resource material on the web. Students will be doing a group project using Conferencing on the Web technology and will also be using that technology to allow three class sessions to be held on the web, rather than on campus. Student will need to get SacLink accounts for this course, ever if they have other home or office e-mail accounts, to use the conferencing system. The second half of the first class meeting will be held at the Computer Center where staff will help students get their SacLink accounts and walk them through use of the technology. So it is very important that students not miss the first class session.
For the PPA 240 Syllabus go to: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/shulockn/PPA240/Syllabus.htm

FALL 1998 REFUND REGULATIONS
In Fall 1998 CSUS will resume adherence to Title V refund regulations, which require that the student submit a specific refund application by the published refund deadline (September 14 for Fall 1998) for courses that he/she dropped by the deadline. For the last few semesters, CSUS had been collecting the student's signature on an omnibus fee statement, and refunding fees to anyone who dropped on time. CSUS can't do that anymore, so effective Fall 1998, there is NO SUCH THING as an "automatic refund". All students who withdraw from all classes or drop to the lower fee category *must* submit a refund application to the Registrar's Office by September 14. This won't affect very many students in any given semester, but the effect is critical for anyone who misses the deadline and loses hundreds of dollars in fees. Students should go to page 11 of the Class Schedule for refund procedures.

Free books!!
Several of our PPA faculty cleaned out their offices this summer. As a result, there is a stack of free books outside of Bus 3038. Please stop by and help yourselves!!

Those of you who would like to be on the PPA/IA ListProc contact the department office at (916) 278-6557 or suzi_byrd@csus.edu.

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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Nothing this time, but stay tuned!!

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STUDENT JOBS

CALIFORNIA MENTAL HEALTH PLANNING COUNCIL
1600 9^TH STREET, ROOM 100, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
(916) 654-3585 FAX (916) 654-2739
OFF-CAMPUS JOB OPPORTUNITY
Agency Name: California Mental Health Planning Council-State Government
Hours per week: 20 hours per week
Pay/Compensation: $746 to $1,115 per month depending on # of units completed
Closing Date: September 7, 1998
Job Description:
The California Mental Health Planning Council has oversight responsibility for the State's public mental health system. This position will provide valuable experience in developing public policy for the State's mental health system.
Under the supervision of the Executive Officer of the Planning Council, the Graduate Student Assistant will provide staff support to the Planning Council's Children and Youth Committee and System Accountability Committee. The Children and Youth Committee develops policy related to the mental health service system for children with serious emotional disturbances. The System Accountability Committee oversees the State's efforts to implement performance outcome measures for the public mental health system.
Duties will include developing agendas for meetings; arranging for presenters; preparing analyses of issues before the committees; attending committee meetings; preparing minutes of the proceedings; and performing follow-up tasks after the meetings, such as preparing correspondence and draft reports. General duties will include researching mental health policy issues, following up on requests form Planning Council members, and helping to maintain the Planning Council's Web Page on the Internet.
Qualifications:
Candidates must have good organizational skills, analytical ability, and writing skills. Candidates must possess initiative and a willingness to assume responsibility. Candidates must also be good with people and able to work in a team. Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel is desirable. Knowledge of mental health system would be advantageous but is not required.
How to Apply:
Contact Ann Arneill-Py, Executive Officer, California Mental Health Planning Council, at (916) 654-3585. The position begins October 1, 1998 and will continue indefinitely.
To learn more about the Planning Council visit:
http://www.dmh.cahwnet.gov/mhpc/mhpc.html
To obtain a state, either call, or download it from:
http://www.spb.ca.gov/jobsgen/app.htm

PCL INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE--FALL 1998

The Planning and Conservation League is a non-profit statewide alliance of citizens and conservation organizations. Located in Sacramento, PCL is the oldest environmental lobbying group in California. Since 1965, PCL has been an active and effective participant in every major environmental effort in the state. PCL has also been successful in preventing the passage of a variety of destructive bills that would have diminished the quality of life in California. The PCL Foundation, PCL's sister organization, carries out research and education projects designed to develop new public policy ideas and help grassroots groups, work effectively. The PCL Foundation also offers technical assistance directly to grassroots environmental groups. Specific internship possibilities for the 1998-1999 academic year include the following:

1. Campaign Internship- Research and advocacy for PCL's Proposition 7, an air quality initiative that will be on the statewide November ballot.

2. Legislative Internship- Assistance on preparation of environmental bills, focusing on researching and developing key legislative issues and campaigns for the upcoming legislative session.

3. Policy Research Internships- Land use issues, including preservation of agricultural land, State of California environmental budget issues, Environmental License Plate Fund, Endangered species, non-point source water pollution & others.

4. Outreach internship- Identifying grassroots groups active in anti-sprawl work and preparing a series of technical assistance workshops.

5. Outreach Internship- Carrying out a survey of Central Valley grassroots groups.

6. Educational Internship- Assisting in setting up PCL's annual Legislative Issues Symposium.

7. Educational internship- Gathering and distributing non-partisan environmental information to members of the California Legislature.

8. Organizational Internship- Consolidation of all PCL's legislative and research files, and library materials, coding and analysis of a recent PCL survey to its membership.

9. Marketing Internship- Corporate outreach, major donor prospecting, foundation prospecting and preparation of an annual appeal.

Students interested in a PCL internship should contact us directly. Good research and writing skills are key. Strong candidates will be asked to send a letter of inquiry,resume, and a 3-4-page writing sample to:

Marc de la Vergne
The Planning and Conservation League
926 J Street #612
Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 444-8726, Ext. 7
Fax: (916) 448-1789
E-mail: mdelavergne@pcl.org
Web: www.pcl.org

Go to the CSUS Foundation web site for a listing of Employment Opportunities on and off campus.

Go to the Community College Foundation job listing web site for student employment opportunities off campus.

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SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS...

The Financial Aid Office here at CSUS has some great information for those seeking scholarships. Just go to http://www.csus.edu/faid/finschlr.html for more information.

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DATES TO REMEMBER

We welcome your contributions to the Communicator! Make announcements, share your good news, reflect on your academic and professional achievements, or submit an article. Contact the Director, Bob Waste, or the Department Secretary, Suzi Byrd, (916) 278-6557, in the PPA/IA Department Office.