Learn the latest public administration news in today's edition of The Bridge!
February 23, 2022

   
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Ransomware Attacks Are Up. #ASPA2022 Can Train You to Avoid Them!

According to cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, ransomware attacks and other cyber crimes have seen a marked increase since 2020, as reported last week by NextGov. The report provides data on the alarming cybersecurity landscape taking shape, noting an 82 percent increase in data leaks in 2021 over 2020.

What does any of this mean? Do you need to worry about ransomware attacks? Where can you turn to learn more?

We have the answer! On Monday, March 21 at 3:15 p.m., ASPA's Annual Conference will feature a war games demonstration where staff from the Florida Center for Cybersecurity take us through a special training session: "Cyber Storm Warnings." This two-hour workshop will set you up to know what cyber attacks are and how you can prevent them on behalf of your organization.

Public agencies are beset by cyber attacks—everything from the theft of personally identifiable information to the disruption of uninterruptible public services—and it has reached pandemic proportions. The good news: The vast majority of those attacks involve social engineering—a fancy way of saying someone’s being duped and, as such, these attacks are mostly preventable with the right policies and training. That is the objective of this session.

Monday afternoon, March 21, join us we "play" local government administrators in "Cyber Storm Warnings," a cybersecurity "war game" developed by the Florida Center for Cybersecurity. These war games simulate a variety of cyber attacks on a mythical Florida city and ask participants to respond. Attacks are non-technical in nature—the session is NOT for IT experts, but for public administrators in general—and the purpose is to make participants aware of the kinds of cyber attacks they may face and how they might mitigate them with the right "cyber-secure" culture.

Plan now to join us for the conference and make the most of this special event. One-day registration is available for those who only want to join us for Monday's program, including this training workshop.

Remember: The 2022 Annual Conference is an in-person event; hybrid or virtual options are not available for our plenary, semi-plenary and concurrent sessions. Vaccinations are required; send your proof of vaccination to [email protected] and we will look forward to seeing you in Jacksonville!





Use the following links to view the 2022 Annual Conference Events Code of Conduct, health and safety policies and liability waiver.


2022 Annual Conference Donald C. Stone Lecturer Announced

As we finalize our plenary schedule for the 2022 Annual Conference, we are pleased that Carissa Slotterback, dean of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh, will provide the 2022 Donald C. Stone Lecture! Established in 1995, the Stone Lecture is one of the ASPA Annual Conference's most celebrated sessions, honoring the legacy of our Society’s charter member and past president, who served as the nation’s deputy budget director and played an integral role in developing the Marshall Plan. We are so pleased to have Carissa's contributions to this legacy as part of this year's conference.

Slotterback's research has focused on stakeholder and public engagement and decisionmaking related to environmental and land use policy and planning. She has a particular interest in how stakeholders perceive impacts and use information in making decisions, focusing on impact assessment and collaborative decisionmaking approaches.

Prior to joining the University of Pittsburgh in late 2020, Slotterback served as a faculty member and program director in urban and regional planning, as well as associate dean, in the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She has led a number of initiatives focused on interdisciplinary and engaged research and education, including in her prior roles as director of research engagement in the Office of the Vice President for Research and co-founder and director of the Resilient Communities Project at the University of Minnesota.

Slotterback has held multiple leadership positions with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, including vice president, and currently co-leads the association’s partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy on curriculum innovation. She holds a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from Florida State University and was inducted as a fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2018.

Join us next month in Jacksonville as we hear from Carissa and make the most of the insights she shares.


E-Learning at Your Fingertips

ASPA staff work tirelessly to keep your skills up to date and the information flowing all year long through our e-learning program. Visit our website to see more details about upcoming KeepingCurrent, BookTalk and Students and New Professionals series programming.


KeepingCurrent: COVID-19 Policy Responses in the Middle East and North Africa—Lessons Learned
In Partnership with ASPA's Ad Hoc Pandemic Committee
February 24 | 1 p.m. EST

Administrative and policy analysis of COVID-19 impacts on countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and how governments responded has been limited. Webinar participants will discuss results from the menatracker.org project, a project funded by the Qatar National Research Fund. This project tracked government responses to the pandemic in 12 MENA countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Categorized by policy sector (economy, public health and social welfare), this project found significant differences in the policy and administrative responses and interventions of the surveyed countries. In concert with one of Qatar’s leading epidemiologists and public health experts, this webinar will discuss the project’s framework, methods, policy and administrative relevance, and the opportunities, challenges, and surprises that were discovered along the way. Particular emphasis will be laid on the aspects of (in)equality and social innovation. The implications of this comparative study for policymakers and public managers both within the MENA region and around the world will also be shared.

Presenters:
Anis Ben Brik, Associate Professor, College of Public Policy, Hamad Ben Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
Pan Suk Kim, International Director, American Society for Public Administration; Professor Emeritus, Yonsei University; and Commission Member, International Civil Service Commission
Kim Moloney, Moderator, Assistant Professor, Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha
Ozcan Ozturk, Assistant Professor, College of Public Policy, Hamad Ben Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
Andreas Rechkemmer, Professor, College of Public Policy, Hamad Ben Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
Mohamud Verjee, Associate Professor, Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Cornell University




KeepingCurrent: Dos and Don'ts for Performance Management
In Partnership with ASPA's Center for Accountability and Performance
March 1 | 1 p.m. EST

Over the course of decades, efforts to use performance management in states, localities and the federal government have been met with a series of triumphs and far too many pitfalls. How can governments create an environment conducive to success in this critical field? The Urban Institute recently published a report, "Dos and Don'ts: Tips for Strengthening Your Performance Management Systems," which aims to educate readers to help them answer that question. Four of the authors of this important piece of research are going to engage in a facilitated conversation about the scores of concepts covered in the report and more. They'll also field questions from the audience.

Special Attraction! The panelists include Harry Hatry, one of the most important figures in this realm and a pioneer in the field. For anyone toiling in the vineyards of performance management, this is a must-attend event.

Presenters:
Maria Aristigueta, Dean and Charles P. Messic Chair of Public Administration, University of Delaware
Katherine Barrett, Principal, Barrett and Greene, Inc. and co-author, The Promises and Pitfalls of Performance-Informed Management
Richard Greene, Moderator, Principal, Barrett and Greene Inc. and Chair, Center for Performance and Accountability
Harry Hatry, Distinguished Fellow, Urban Institute


New Leadership Insights Available for Download!

We are pleased to share with you our most recent Leadership Insights piece, provided by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Special thanks to Dean Carissa Slotterback for her efforts to bring her faculty's expertise to the ASPA community on a very important subject: gender equality in public administration.

Slotterback notes, "As we continue to make progress in professionalizing and building capacity in public administration around the world, we also know that this progress continues to be unequal. Context matters and is essential as we aim a comparative lens across the world, but see some persistent challenges in terms of gender equality. A recent report based on evidence from the United Nations Development Programme and the University of Pittsburgh's ground-breaking Gender Equality in Public Administration database shines a bright light on these issues. This research, examining 170 countries, highlights the prevalence of glass ceilings that limit women's advancement to positions with greater power and influence and glass walls that frequently limit their leadership to 'women's issues' such as health and education.

This work also offers inspiration as we reflect on the extraordinary impact women have in agencies and ministries across the world, as well as crucial insights on the interventions that we must pursue as we strive for progress in meeting UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #5: Gender Equality. Most importantly, it creates an imperative for all of us as we consider the ways that we can support women's empowerment and expanded leadership in public administration. I am grateful to my University of Pittsburgh Gender Inequality Research Lab colleagues, and their UNDP partners, for this much needed data and insight on our path forward."


Remembering Dalmas Nelson

Dalmas Nelson died peacefully on February 4, 2022 at the age of 96. The son of a potato farmer in Idaho, he met the love of his life, JoAnn Barlow, at the University of Utah; they were married in 1949. After earning his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Utah, he obtained a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard. He initially taught at the University of Nebraska and Duke University.

Nelson was a long-time ASPA member, beginning in 1951 through 2009. He was an active member of multiple Sections including the Section on Public Administration Education, Section on Ethics and Integrity in Governance and Section on Historical, Artistic and Reflective Expression.

In 1960, Nelson and his family moved to California so he could join the faculty at San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University, Northridge) as a professor, activist and innovator in the field of public administration. The University of Utah recruited him as a professor in the political science department in 1975, where he cofounded the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program with Robert Huefner and served as a member of the Utah Personnel Review Board. His teaching, research and writing focused on public administration, administrative law, ethics in administration and tort liability in government. He developed the criminal justice system track for the MPA program and the Dalmas Nelson Lecture Series on Law and Ethics endures at the University of Utah. Wherever Nelson taught, he implemented a strategy that helped his students learn to think and write well, establishing multiple awards to celebrate students' accomplishments.

Nelson is survived by his sons Mark and Brent (Ada); his daughter-in-law Therese (Bob); his grandchildren Caroline (Indy), Allen, Scott (Christine) and Emily (Joe); and his great-grandchildren Claire, Max, Kate and Isaac. He was preceded in death by his wife, siblings and son, Dan.

Click here to view the full obituary.


National Civic League Releases Updated Model City Charter

Following a year-long revision process, the National Civic League has released the ninth edition of the Model City Charter. The revision process was led by a steering committee of 22 national representatives and experts. The newly released edition continues the League’s tradition of helping cities implement professional, ethical and representative governance, and also includes a new emphasis on civic engagement and equity. For a limited time, the new edition of the Model City Charter is available for free.


Public Integrity: Call for Papers

Public Integrity is pleased to announce a new call for papers for an upcoming special issue, "Qualitative Methods as Liberatory Tools: Applications and Explorations in Administrative and Research Ethics." The guest editors welcome proposals on numerous topics, including but not limited to:

  • How can qualitative methods help liberate communities? What are the power dynamics involved, and how are those addressed via research and reporting?
  • How can a liberatory perspective change the field’s dominant narratives? What are the impacts of these changes on education and practice?
  • Pedagogy scholarship exploring the role of qualitative inquiry in public administration education
  • Applications of any of the methods listed above (or not included) to investigate ethical questions
  • And many more!
Be sure to check out the full call and submission instructions here! Abstracts are due February 28, 2022.

 



2022 Transatlantic Dialogue Call for Papers

The 16th Transatlantic Dialogue (TAD16), an annual conference bridging scholarly communities on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, will take place June 9-11, 2022, in Roskilde (Denmark). Co-sponsored by ASPA, the European Group for Public Administration/International Institute of Administrative Sciences and Rutgers University, we are pleased to join with our European counterparts to support this event and the scholarly communities it enhances.

Under this year's theme, “Strategic Management of Public Sector Transformation in Turbulent Times: Enhancing Collaborative Governance and Co-creation of Public Value," TAD16 will organize a broad range of workshops led by pairs of American and European scholars:

  • Building capacities for collaborative governance and co-creation through strategic management
  • Enhancing public performance through interagency and cross-sector collaboration
  • Public innovation through networks of public and private actors: theory and practice
  • Improving the performance of contracts, procurement and public-private partnerships
  • Co-creating public value outcomes with citizens and voluntary organizations
  • Public leadership and motivation in public value production
  • Designing institutional platforms and arenas for collaborative governance and co-creation
  • Political leadership and policy entrepreneurship in a turbulent world of collaborative governance
  • Democratic legitimacy and accountability in collaborative governance arrangements
This event also will feature several keynote speeches, a roundtable discussion of public governance responses to COVID-19 and a fun social event. More details will be provided as the schedule evolves.

Please review the Call for Papers now and submit your abstract by March 1, 2022. All registrations are due by May 10, 2022.

Find more details on the TAD16 website and we'll look forward to seeing you in Roskilde in June 2022!

 


Tips and Resources

TSP Proposes Regulations Ahead of Mutual Fund Window Launch
The federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings program will let enrollees participate in mutual fund investments as soon as this summer.

You Can’t Simply Decide to Be a Different Person
Forming new habits isn’t impossible, but it’s much easier for some people than others.


In the News

Today's headlines contain plenty of news coverage of some of our nation's most pressing public administration challenges. ASPA has curated some of the most important stories from recent weeks. If you have not seen these yet, make sure you read them now!

Infrastructure

Public Finance Public Service Social Equity

 


Members in the News

ASPA members are in the news in a variety of ways. If you have been featured, please send a link to the article to us and we will be happy to include it in a future newsletter.

How Cities and Counties Are Dumping Abandoned Properties
By Katherine Barrett and Richard Greene


Welcome New ASPA Members!
Click here to view the most recent new ASPA members!



Around Public Administration

Here are the most recent updates from across the profession. Did we miss you? Send us your news and we'll include it in the next round!

Upcoming Events:

Calls for proposals and other updates:
  • ASPA South Florida Chapter Podcast Released
    The most recent edition of the South Florida Chapter's podcast, "Public Sector Works," has been released and is available online now! Host Tom Hotz (South Florida Chapter board member) is joined by Board Members Bill Solomon and Ben Paley as they speak with special guest Shavonne Ekeledo, core professor at Northcentral University School of Business and chief business officer of Powerspeak, Inc. She speaks to how private industry best practices transfer to the public sector, as well as academic best practices. Tune in any time!

  • SPCM Best Paper Award
    The Section on Procurement and Contract Management (SPCM) has issued a Best Paper Award for ASPA's 2022 Annual Conference. Do you conduct research in public procurement, government contracting or contract management? Are you submitting a proposal for the conference? If so, submit your paper to SPCM for an award. First place will receive $500; second place will receive $250. Please send your full paper to Sawsan Abutabenjeh by March 1, 2022 for consideration. Click here for more information.

  • 2022 Annual E-PARCC Teaching Case and Simulation Competition
    The Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict and Collaboration (PARCC) at the Syracuse University Maxwell School invites submissions for its 16th annual E-PARCC competition to further stimulate the creation of effective and innovative teaching cases and simulations. E-PARCC, a project of the "Collaborative Governance Initiative," provides free online resources for those who teach conflict and collaboration around the world. More than 3,000 visitors per month from more than 40 different countries take advantage of E-PARCC teaching materials. The E-PARCC competition consists of two tracks: (1) collaborative problem solving, collaborative governance, and network governance and analysis, and (2) collaborative methods in international development. All entries are due by March 15, 2022. Click here for more information.

  • 2022 KAPA Conference Call for Proposals
    The Korean Association for Public Administration (KAPA) will host its 2022 conference online, June 22-24. The theme is “Green, Digital, COVID-19: Rethinking Public Administration in an Era of the Great Transformation.” The 2022 conference seeks multi-disciplinary research on organizational, managerial and policy challenges and opportunities that have emerged during the tumultuous times. Tracks include: equity, inclusion and social justice; environment, climate and sustainable governance; managing effective and resilient public service; digital transformation of public service; and good governance in the era of the great transformation. All proposals are due April 17, 2022. Contact KAPA with any questions.

  • Editor in Chief Search: Public Administration and Development
    Public Administration & Development is a long-running journal dedicated to publishing the best research in the field. For more than 50 years, it has been reviewing and assessing the practice of public administration at the local, regional, national and international levels. It gives special attention to investigations of the management of all phases of public policy formulation and implementation which have an interest and importance beyond a particular government and state. The journal is looking for two new editors in chief who will relish the opportunity to develop the journal in line with the discipline, with the changing publishing landscape, and will be able to work together to bring different perspectives to the journal. All applications are due June 1, 2022. Click here for more details.

 

PA TIMES Online

Here's a selection of current pieces on PA TIMES Online, covering a range of issues within the profession. We accept individual articles on a rolling basis; if you have a piece you think would fit our publication, submit it to [email protected] for consideration. (Please review our submission guidelines in advance!)

 

American Society for Public Administration
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Please send inquiries to Managing Editor Karen E. T. Garrett.