Social Equity Across the PA Curriculum NASPAA Annual Conference Las Vegas, Nevada September 2010

1. Social Equity Across the PA Curriculum NASPAA Annual Conference Las Vegas, Nevada September 2010 Kristen Norman-Major Hamline University

2. The Pillars of Public Administration: • 50 years after “New Public Administration” equity still struggles to find its place as an equal among other pillars of economy, efficiency and effectiveness • Argument is how we define, measure and educate around pillars matters • Creating equity for social equity requires courageous public administrators that are properly trained to consider equity as equal in importance to other “E’s”

3. The Pillars of Public Administration:Equity • How do we define it? • National Academy of Public Administration defines equity as: • The fair, just, and equitable management of all institutions serving the public directly or by contract; and the fair and equitable distribution of public services; and the implementation of public policy and the commitment to promote fairness, justice and equity in the formation of public policy. • How is it different?—Fair, Just and Equitable are normative terms with varying definitions that get at the heart of what the proper role of government is vs. the concrete and easily measurable definitions of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

4. The Key Question • How do we build acceptance of equity as a concrete and measurable value of public administration as readily accepted as core to public service as economy, efficiency and effectiveness? • That is, how do we achieve equity for social equity? • Remember, it’s been 50 years and we don’t keep asking the same questions about the place of economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

5. The Pillars of Public Administration:Equity • How do we define it? • We need more concrete and applied definitions of social equity which can include the simple and the complex: • Simple fairness and equal treatment • Reducing inequalities • Leveling the playing field (equality of opportunity vs. outcome)

6. Social Equity in Practice • Simple fairness and equal treatment • Due Process • Equal access (technology increasingly important) • Redistribution and reducing inequalities (Equal provision of universal programs?) • Affirmative Action • Local government aid • K-12 education funding • Leveling the playing field (equality of opportunity vs. outcome—Targeted programs) • ADA • GAMC, Medicaid • Special Education

7. The Pillars of Public Administration:Equity • How do we measure it? • Benchmarks • Long-range outcome studies • Customer service surveys and statistics • Accessibility processes and statistics • Participation rates and statistics • Data by equity category—race, income, education, sexual orientation, age, region, religion • Social return on investment (SROI) calculations/CBA (Weimer and Vining (2009): Investing in the Disadvantaged.)

8. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Key means of increasing consideration of equity is through education of public administrators. • Trying to create “courageous” public administrators • Raising awareness of public sector role in providing social equity • Measuring Social Equity • Must address social equity across the curriculum

9. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Foundations • Defining the 4Es • Value Tradeoffs • case studies and practical examples where administrators must consider tradeoffs. • What is the public good in social equity? • Public vs. private sector role in reducing inequity

10. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Ethics • Equity in treatment of various populations • Is it ethical to give some populations more? • Defining “fairness” and “justice” and “equity” • Can organizations work concepts of equity into their code of ethics?

11. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Organizational Theory • Organizational mission and vision • Does it include social equity as a value or goal? • Organizational values overall • Formal and informal • Equity in the management structure • Procedural fairness and inclusion in decision making

12. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Research Methods • Measuring equity • Benchmarks • Data collection—short and long term • Statistics • CBA and SROI measures • discounting, shadow pricing, present value, etc. • Outcomes assessment • Program evaluation • Validity of data

13. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Public Fiscal Policy • Tax policy-redistribution • Regressivity and progressivity • Funding formulas • Redistribution of resources, from who to whom • Targeted vs. universal programming • Balancing the 4Es in the budget • Budgeting • Budgets as moral documents

14. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Human Resources • Hiring, firing and promotion • Affirmative action • Arbitration and mediation • Diversity in the workplace and supportive workplace efforts • Pay equity • Staffing models

15. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Administrative law • Defining and administering “Fairness and justice” • Procedural fairness and due process • Equal Access • Discrimination

16. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Public Policy Analysis • PA Values and tradeoffs • Promoting SE in policy formulation • Determining outcomes and measures of SROI • Public vs. private sector roles in reducing inequities • Distributive and redistributive policies

17. Social Equity in the Curriculum • Capstone • Recap PA values • Public Administrator’s role in social equity • How is social equity reflected in their work? • Electives • Contemporary Social Policy • Social Demographics • Municipal/county administration • Conflict Resolution courses • Managerial Leadership and Cultural Competence • Economic Development

18. Conclusions • Public Administration Educators play key role • Discussing equity as readily as efficiency, economy and effectiveness • Have the debate: What is/are the appropriate role(s) for government in reducing inequity? • Demystifying equity—simplify and apply the definitions • Measuring equity—teaching skills • Social equity across the curriculum, not as stand alone topic

19. Contact Information • Kristen Norman-Major • Associate Professor and Chair • Department of Public Administration • Hamline University School of Business • kmajor@Hamline.edu • 651-523-2814