Contributions
DIRECTOR'S CORNER
Happy Holidays! 
Late last month, the PPA faculty unanimously elected Professor Ted Lascher as PPA Department Chair. His three year term will begin April 2000. Ted will continue to teach in the PPA program, but is stepping down from his role as faculty advisor to the Executive Fellows Program in order to assume the administrative responsibilities of department chair. We hope you will all wish Ted well as he transitions into his new role in our department.
Our December Communicator is bursting with job announcements in the Career Opportunities section, including some very interesting ones at the State Capitol. You can also find several student jobs and internships listed on the next page.
Looking for some interesting reading during your long winter break? You might try Bidding for Business, the new book on the efficacy of economic development incentives in metropolitan areas by PPA Professor Rob Wassmer and economics professor John Anderson of the University of Nebraska. This study for the Upjohn Institute was one of several cutting-edge examples of scholarly research that won Rob Wassmer the CSUS 2000-2001 Presidents' Award for Research and Scholarly Activity this year. Our department is justifiably proud of Rob for winning this annual coveted campus award. Congratulations, Rob!
No matter how far along you are in the program, now is a good time to start thinking about thesis/project topics and thesis/project advisors. You will need to complete an advancement to candidacy form prior to enrolling in your culminating experience class.
Second year PPA students looking for electives next semester might wish to consider PPA 296F, Health Policy & Administration, on Monday nights. With star quality guest health policy practitioners like former mayor and assemblyman Phil Isenberg, former California Director of Health Kim Bleshe, and Steve Thompson, the Director of the California Medical Association, the class promises to be lively and an authoritative treatment of health policy and administration - both nationally and in the Golden State.
CASPER telephone registration for classified graduate students is December 8th and December 11th. Here are some more dates I would like you to keep in mind for December. See pages 2 and 3 of the printed 2000-2001 Class Schedule for a more detailed calendar.
November 29-December 20 - CASPER for Spring 2001 semester
December 8 - Last day of instruction, last day to add/drop with the Dean's approval
December 9-15 - Finals Week
December 15 - Deadline to file thesis or project for Fall 2000 graduation
December 15- College of SSIS Winter Commencement (3:30 PM at Arco Arena)
Work hard on your semester projects/exams and then enjoy the holidays!
Bob Waste
PPA Department Chair 
We welcome your contributions to the Communicator! Contact the Director, Bob Waste, or the Department Secretary, Suzi Byrd, (916) 278-6557, in the PPA Department Office.
