Politics of the Bureaucratic Process (PSCI 4349) - Course Syllabus

The University of Texas at Dallas - Spring 2010

Mon-Wed-Fri: 11:30 AM – 12:20 PM; GR 2.302
Instructor: Richard Laird
RKL021000@utdallas.edu
Green Hall 2.510
Office Hours by appointment

Course Description/Objectives:
This course analyzes the role of administrative agencies in democratic policy making. It discusses
the internal, procedural determinants of policy decision making as well as the interactions between
administrative agencies and other branches of government. Topics will include the development of
the contemporary administrative state, administrative rule making, and control of administrative
processes by Congress, the president, and the Judiciary. In addition to the substantive information
on the bureaucracy, the course will focus on developing the students’ ability to synthesize,
summarize, and critically assess the reading material. Students will learn to apply analytical reading
skills with writings related to the intersection of political science and public administration.

Required Textbooks:

Meier, Kenneth J. and John Bohte. 2007. Politics and the Bureaucracy: Policy Making in the
Fourth Branch of Government; 5th Ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth.

Gormley, William T. and Steven J. Balla. 2007. Bureaucracy and Democracy: Accountability and
Performance. Washington DC: CQ Press.

Schneider, Anne L. and Helen Ingram. 1997. Policy Design for Democracy. Lawrence KS:
University of Kansas Press.

Kettl, Donald F. 2006. System under Stress: Homeland Security and American Politics. Washington
DC: CQ Press.

Kamarck, Elaine C. 2007. The End of Government… as we know it: Making Public Policy Work.
Boulder CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Additional articles will be available on e-Learning, or provided as handouts.

Class Schedule:
1. Jan. 11: Introduction to Course

2. Jan. 13: Basics of bureaucracy review

• Constitution
• Federalist Paper #51, http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdox/fed_51.html

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3. Jan. 15: Development of the bureaucracy
• Weber, Max. 1921/2003. “Bureaucracy.” In Social Theory: Roots and Branches, pgs 82-87;
Kivisto (ed.). Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing. (handout)
• Wilson, James Q. 1975. “The Rise of the Bureaucratic State.” The Public Interest 41:251-
258.

Jan. 18: MLK Jr. Day, no class

4. Jan. 20: Understanding bureaucracy

• Bickers, Kenneth N. and John T. Williams. 2001. “Bureaucracy.” In Public Policy Analysis:
A Political Economy Approach, pgs 183-201. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

5. Jan. 22: Politics and structure, cont’d

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 1-41

6. Jan. 25: Bureaucratic Power

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 42-74

7. Jan. 27: Bureaucracy and public policy

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 75-112

8: Jan. 29: Bureaucracy and public expectations

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 115-134
• Goodsell, Charles T. 1994. “What Citizens experience from bureaucracy.” In The Case for
Bureaucracy, pgs 25-47. Chatham NJ: Chatham House. (handout)

9. Feb. 1: Controlling the bureaucracy

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 135-177

10. Feb. 3: Controlling the bureaucracy, cont’d

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 179-208

11: Feb. 5: Rational choice and game theory

• Monroe, 1995, The Theory of Rational Action

12. Feb. 8: Incrementalism, non-incrementalism

• Lindblom, 1959, The Science of “Muddling Through”
• Schulman, 1975, Non-incremental policy making

13. Feb. 10: Bureaucracies as policymaking organizations

• Gormley and Balla, Chap 1

14. Feb. 12: Bureaucratic reasoning; bounded rationality

• Gormley and Balla, Chap 2

15. Feb. 15: Principle-Agent theory

• Gormley and Balla, Chap 3

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16. Feb. 17: Bureaucracy clients; interest group mobilization
• Gormley and Balla, Chap 4

17. Feb. 19: Network theory

• Gormley and Balla, Chap 5

18. Feb. 22: Bureaucracy performance and evaluation

• Gormley and Balla, Chaps 6 and 7

19. Feb. 24: Bureaucratic politics and structure

• Moe, Terry M. 1989. “The Politics of Bureaucratic Structure.” In Chubb and Peterson (eds.)
Can the Government Govern? 267-329. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.

20. Feb. 26: A Case Study of Bureaucratic politics: GM vs. California Air Resources Board
• Paper synopsis due

21. Mar. 1: Review for Midterm Exam

22. Mar. 3: Midterm exam

23. Mar. 5: Discussion of mid-term exam and class papers

(Midterm grades available)

24. Mar. 8: Pluralism; logic of collective action; case study of CFCs vs. GHGs
• Schneider and Ingram, Chaps 1 – 2
• Federalist Paper #10, http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdox/fed_10.html

25. Mar. 10: Policy design: Policy science, Public Choice, Critical theories
• Schneider and Ingram, Chap 3

26. Mar 12: Social construction of target populations

• Schneider and Ingram, Chap 5

March 15 – 19: Spring Break

27. Mar. 22: Social construction of knowledge

• Schneider and Ingram, Chap 6

28. Mar 24: The Feedback Loop in the Bureaucratic System

• Stillman, pages 255-313 (handout)

29. Mar. 26: Org theory: decision-making, biases, ethics; hierarchy

• Robbins, Foundations of Group Behavior, pgs 101-118 (handout)
• Jacques, In Praise of Hierarchy, pgs 127-133

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30: Mar. 29: Org theory and bureaucracy
• Brehm, Bureaucracy and the Politics of Everyday Life

31. Mar. 31: Street-level bureaucrats and managers

• Lipsky, pages 3-25

32. Apr. 2: The assumption of the Fixed Pie

• Bazerman, et al, “Their Gain is our Loss”

33. Apr. 5: Policy making pitfalls – class exercise

34. Apr. 7: Rise of Homeland Security

• Kettl, Chaps 1 - 2

35. Apr. 9: Federal bureaucracy responds

• Kettl, Chap 3

36. Apr. 12: State/local struggles; Political costs

• Kettl, Chaps 4 - 5

37. Apr. 14: Politics of Homeland Security

• Kettl, Chaps 6 - 7

38 Apr. 16: Reforming the bureaucracy

• Meier and Bohte, pgs 209-228

39. Apr. 19: Revolution in government; matching ends to means

• Kamarck, pgs 1-24

40. Apr. 21: Democratic accountability; the Bureaucratic instinct

• Kamarck, pgs 25-59

41. Apr. 23: No class

42. Apr. 26: Reinventing the public sector

• Kamarck, pgs 61-95

43. Apr. 28: Government by network

• Kamarck, pgs 99-123

44. Apr 30: Government by market; Leadership

• Kamarck, pgs 127-145

45. May 3: Review for Final Exam. Class papers due.

Final Exam: 11:00a.m. Monday, May 11; or it will be due on that day.

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Grades:
Class participation, readings, presentations, misc. assignments: 30%
Class paper (including preliminary synopsis): 25%
Final exam: 25%
Midterm exam: 20%

Class participation and presentations:

Students will be assigned as class facilitators throughout the course, presenting the readings to the
rest of the class. Students should prepare presentation/discussion for approx. 15 minutes of the class
they are assigned. Each student will provide a handout with a summary or bullet points (of no more
than one page) to the other students. These presentations and role as discussion leader, and class
participation in general will provide the largest portion for evaluating the students’ performance in
the course.

Class paper:
Students will be required to complete a 10-12 paper (not including references) that addresses a
particularly agency (other than Homeland Security) and policy issue in the bureaucracy. The paper
will be double-spaced, 12 point font, with one-inch margins. Pick an interesting issue or policy
problem and the specific agency that deals with it. Describe how the agency interacts with Congress
in the implementation of the laws concerning this issue, or how the agency’s rule-making function
affects the issue. What is the agency’s relationship to the President with respect to this issue? You
might include the historical evolution of the agency, or how the agency has transitioned from the
Bush administration to the Obama administration with respect to this issue. Apply the specific
theories discussed in class while analyzing the agency and issue. References for the paper should be
less from news reports, and more from class textbooks and peer-review journals or articles. A half-
page synopsis of the paper is due on February 26.

Exams:
The mid-term exam will be held in class, and will consist of the material covered during the first
half of the course. It could potentially contain multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, short answer, or
short essay questions. The final exam will be a take home exam in which the student will possibly
address two questions on the bureaucracy, and will use material discussed in class to analyze and
respond to the questions. The final exam will be approximately 6-8 pages in length (double-spaced,
12 point font, one-inch margins), and will allow the student to demonstrate their knowledge of the
material on the bureaucracy, its functions, and inter-relation with other political institutions and the
public.

Attendance, Preparation, and Participation

Students are expected to attend all classes. As mentioned, class participation is a major portion of
the grade, and a record of attendance will be maintained for the semester. All students should
prepare adequately for class discussions by reading the necessary material before class.
Participation in the planned discussions is useful for demonstrating such preparation.

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Make-up Exams & Grade Appeals
Make-up exams will be rarely granted, only if prior arrangements have been made with the
professor or in case of extreme emergency (proven through documentation). Anyone missing the
midterm exam for any unexcused reason may choose to take a zero or replace that zero with the
grade from the final exam. Any student who wishes to challenge a grade on any written assignment
in the course may challenge the grade by writing a memo specifying the grade you think you
deserve and the logic supporting your request. Address that memo to me, and include the original
assignment and evaluation. Appeals must be made within one week of receiving the graded
assignment.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations
for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and
each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student
conduct and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the
UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and
Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and
in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean
of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391). A student at the university neither loses the rights nor
escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local
laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are
subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or
off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because
the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the
student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual
honor in his or her scholastic work. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements,
acts or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the
submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic
dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying
academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings. Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and
from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will occasionally use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism.

Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues
concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university
encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email
address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a

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UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the
identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD
furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses.
These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures
must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any
class. In other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to
ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class
once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of
the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. In attempting to resolve any student grievance
regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of
the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor,
administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the
matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent
with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response
provided by the respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the
grievance is not resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to
the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an
Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the
academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties. Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are
available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the
semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must
be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the
required work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the
specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities
equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the
Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6: 30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:
The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

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Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to
remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for
students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a
research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled
students with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college
or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility
assistance. It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to
verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special
accommodation should contact the professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for
the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are
exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated. The student is
encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam
or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length
of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes
any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment. If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for
the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations,
either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the
institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into account the
legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the
chief executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.