Spring 2014

Syllabus for Public Policy and the Environment (ENV 2011)
Spring 2014
Professor: Sam Edwards
Email: edwardss@greenmtn.edu
Office phone: 287-8386
Office: Ames 108
Office Hours: MTh 0830-1000 am; W 0830-0930 am
Website: http://sam3.pbworks.com
Class: M /Th 11-1215 pm Bogue 21
Volunteer Mentor: Monika Ganguly-Kiefner gangulykiefnerml@greenmtn.edu
Course Overview: This course is an introduction to the environmental policy process in the federal and state
governments. We will focus on the history and evolution of the relevant political institutions and other parties to
policy-making, on federal and state roles in decision-making, and on the administrative rule-making processes.
Emphasizing the intersection and differing goals of scientific inquiry and policy creation, we will examine the
scientific and political nature of risk assessment and risk management, and the application of model regulatory tools.
Particular attention will be paid to public participation in environmental policy-making. Finally, students will craft a
policy for presentation and possible adoption at Green Mountain College.
Specifically students will gain an understanding of the following knowledge areas and will improve upon these skills:
Knowledge Areas
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Federalism, federal, state and local governmental
structures
Policy making institutions, with particular focus on the
legislative and agency policy-making processes
Policy cycles
Theories of policy making and the ramification of their
application
The nature of scientific uncertainty, risk assessment
and risk management in environmental policy-making
The role of citizen participation in environmental
policy-making
Skills
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How to identify policy issues, and the policy
implications of everyday issues
How to recognize patterns and systems from
sets of facts
How to read statutes and regulatory rules
How to read a legal case
How to integrate several different facts,
theories and/or ideas into coherent
frameworks
How to identify individual learning styles and
capitalize on those styles
Required Materials: All readings for this class can be found online.
Class expectations: This class is for mid-level students who are serious about learning information and concepts. Students
are expected to take responsibility for their own learning and ask for help when needed.
1. Participation. Students are expected to attend EVERY class. Student class participation grades will be largely weighted on
your ability to respond correctly and thoughtfully on the day you are chosen to speak for the class, in addition to your ability
to contribute to in-class discussions. Appropriateness, relevance, and respect for other classmates rank highly in my grading
criteria.
2. Quizzes. Quizzes are used to assess student preparation on assigned material and may be administered at any time.
Quizzes cannot be made up. The purpose of the quizzes is to encourage students to keep up with the reading, and to let both
student and instructor know whether the student comprehends assignments.
3. Abstracts and in-class graded assignments. Each class you will be asked to prepare a one-page summary or abstract of
the FIRST listed course reading for each class. In each summary you should identify the issue, the players involved in the
issue, and the main idea or argument of the author. Type out your abstracts, print them, and bring them to class. I can
check abstracts at the start of class, the end of class, or not at all. You should improve your abstracts during class based on
our discussions.
4. Public policy exercise. This class will draft a policy at the end of the semester designed to solve a current problem at
Green Mountain College. Once finished, the policy will be presented to the college for possible adoption. Students will work
as a group to consider, draft, and evaluate a policy. Students will be evaluated as a whole on the policy produced, and
individually based on a series of assessments.
5. Midterm exam. Students will take one midterm exam.
6. Final Exam Exercise. Because the cumulative event in this class is the Public Policy Exercise, the Final Exam period will
not include a long written exam. Instead, the class will engage in evaluation of the public policy exercise, and another exercise
designed to show students policy in action. The Final Exam is required, cannot be moved, and cannot be done outside class
time
Assessment and Evaluation: Student grades will be based on the following:
Class participation and in class group projects
20%
Abstracts, quizzes, and homework
20%
Public policy exercise
20%
Midterm exam
20%
Final Exam Exercise
20%
Grading Scale: Letter grades will be assigned using the following grading scale.
A
AB+
B
BC+
≥95%
90-94%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
C
CD+
D
DF
73-76%
70-72%
68-69%
66-67%
65%
<65%
Late assignments: Late papers and assignments will not be accepted unless you have PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION
from me to turn the paper or assignment in late. I will not accept papers or other materials sent to class with a classmate,
when the author is not present or otherwise excused.
Missed exercises: Missed assignments cannot be made up unless your absence is directly related to a college activity. You
must have PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION from me to miss an exercise. Acts of nature will be considered on a case-bycase basis. For more information, see the College’s formal Attendance Policy in the College Catalog.
Classwork requirements: All papers and assignments must be typed with standard margins and fonts.
Academic Integrity: To plagiarize is “to steal the language, ideas, or thoughts from another, representing them as one’s own
original work.” Random House Dictionary, Abridged, 1980. Please see the college catalog for a detailed explanation of
plagiarism and penalties for academic dishonesty at Green Mountain College. If you did not say it or think it, you must cite the
source of the idea. ANY STUDENT WHO SUBMITS PLAGIARIZED WORK WILL RECEIVE AN F FOR THE
ENTIRE CLASS.
Classroom Rules:
 I will treat you as professionals please do the same. Please be courteous to others in our class.
 Please turn your phones off in class. Please do not text in class. If a phone rings in class or you are texting I reserve
the right to join in on the conversation.
 Please be on time to class. Again I will treat you as professionals and strive to start and end class on time. Please
respect your classmates and me by being on time.
Students with disabilities:
I support learning by all students regardless of any documented disability.
If you have a specific learning, physical, or psychiatric disability and require accommodations, please contact me within the
first two weeks of the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide
documentation of your disability to the Calhoun Learning Center. The Calhoun Learning Center is the office responsible for
coordinating accommodations for students with disabilities. The Calhoun Learning Center is located on the 3rd floor of
Griswold Library. If you have questions, please contact Christina Fabrey at x8234.
Tentative course schedule this schedule may change depending on our pace and interest. Check our online syllabus for the
most current information. Abstracts are for the FIRST listed reading
Date
M 1/20
Th 1/23
M 1/27
Th 1/30
M 2/3
Th 2/6
M 2/10
Th 2/13
M 2/17
Th 2/20
Topic
Course introduction
Th 2/27
Homework
Constitution /
Reading 1: 1st class assignment
Federalism
Reading 2: Constitution
Tragedy of the
Reading 3:
Commons / Prisoner’s
Hardin
Dilemma / Centralism
Coase
v. Devolution
Individual State
Reading 4:
Regulation
Stewart
Race to the Bottom
Revesz
Modern History and Reading 5:
the Presidency
JV Switzer
Congress Creates
Reading 6:
Environmental Policy / Downs
Issue Attention Cycle O’Connor & Sabato
Intro to Values and
Reading 7
Policy introduce
Bluhm & Heineman
integration exercise
Theories of Public
Reading 8
Policy
Litan & Nordaus
Theories of Public
Reading 10
Policy
Litan & Nordaus continued
Theories of Public
Reading 9
Policy: Delegation,
Excerpts from APA
APA, and Bureaucracy
Learn how lobbying works through a special
Hands on lobbying 101 workshop with the HSUS in Montpelier
Find an analyze a policy Pick any public policy (past or present) and
briefly summarize it then analyze it using the
information you have learned so far in class
MIDTERM EXAM
M 3/3
Th 3/6
M 3/10
Th 3/13
Complete 1st class assignment
Abstract 1
Abstract 2
Abstract 3
Abstract 4
Abstract 5
Abstract 6
Abstract 7
No abstract
Individual Integration Exercise Due
M 2/24
Tu 2/25
Reading
Syllabus
Introduce Policy
Project
Reading 10 TBA
Spring Break!
Class exercise bring in your typed
policy summary
Date
M 3/17
Th 3/20
Topic
Reading
The role of the judicial Reading
branch
Case TBA
Introduction to Science Reading 11
and Policy
Daubert v. Merrell Dow
Rosenbaumb
Scientific Floor for
Reading 12
Agencies
Harris;
Risk Assessment
M 3/31
Th 4/3
M 4/7
Reading 12
Rucklehaus
Breyer
Risk Management
Reading 14 - Lave
Reading 15 - Kelman
Regulation Tools and Reading 16
Opportunities;
Magat, et al.
Developing Regulatory
Strategy
Reading statutes and Excerpts from NEPA, CAA, CWA, ESA and
regulations
related regulations
Public Participation
Th 4/10 and Scientific Policy
M 4/14 Review class
TH 4/17 Policy Exercise
M 4/21
Th 4/24
M 4/28
Th 5/1
Sat 5/10
330-530
pm
Abstract 8
Abstract 9
FRE/Kumho Tire
M 3/24
Th 3/27
Homework
Case summary
Abstract 10
Abstract 11
Abstract 13
No abstract
Reading 18
Abstract 14
Fiorino
Summarize learning and apply to policy projects
Policy Exercise
Policy Exercise
Policy Exercise
Review class
FINAL EXAM