Public Policy and Administration

Becoming a PPA Donor

• Fall 2012 Happenings
• Our Needs
• Our Wish List
• How to Give

A Message from our Chair, Rob Wassmer.

As a group of public administration, public policy, and urban land development practitioners, you are all aware the realities of the current California economy, the State‘s structural deficit, and the impact it has had on higher education funding in the California State University System. There is no need to belabor the details.

Fall 2012 Happenings

I am proud to say that, the PPA Department at Sacramento State is still offering the same, high quality, public sector master’s programs for the working professional that you experienced. Though our fall 2012 entering class is expected to be on the low side in regard to historic numbers, the thoroughness by which we screen for highly qualified applicants has remained in place. Also, the rigor of the program, and the level of quality at which it is delivered, will continue.

I am especially pleased that we are in the middle of a Program Review Process that has involved much faculty, alumni, and student reflection on our program’s learning objectives and the pedagogy employed to achieve them. This process will wrap up in the fall with visits from both internal and external reviewers, and I am certain that the positive tweaks to our program that will result will help to further insure the value of your Sacramento State Master’s in Public Policy and Administration degree.

Our Needs

The not so good news is that the realities I opened this missive with have placed an increasing strain on our PPA Department’s ability to fund the discretionary activities that enhance the quality of applicants we get, the experiences of master’s students while they are here, and how the value of your degree is perceived in the larger community.

Thus, with the support of PPA Faculty and the Sacramento State Development Office, I have decided to make a concentrated effort to raise additional money in support of necessary activities that public dollars can no longer support.

These include such things as:

• advertising to recruit larger numbers of qualified applicants
• professional membership dues in APPAM and NASPPA
• designing and printing an up-to-date PPA tri-fold brochure
• refreshments for student gatherings (like our annual pizza picnic)
• support for some of GASPPA’s (Graduate Association of Students of Public Policy and Administration) activities

Our Wish List

Beyond the above necessities, we would ideally like to convene an alumni committee to brainstorm larger expenditures to enhance our PPA Program.

That wish list might include:

• NASPPA full accreditation
• funding a practitioner-in-residence to teach an elective (perhaps Working with Legislatures)
• student scholarships and/or student allowances for travel to conferences

How to Give

You can donate two ways.

• Donate on-line.
  Take a moment to visit the University's Development page.
  Sign up to give, being sure to indicate in the comment field that the gift is for the Public Policy and Administration program.
• Donate by mail.
  Checks can be made out to the University Foundation at Sacramento State (please indicate the gift is for the PPA program) and sent to: 

University Foundation
California State University, Sacramento
Sacramento Hall 118
6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95819-6030 

Thank you to our current donors and to those contemplating giving to our Public Policy and Administration program.

We greatly appreciate your generosity and support!