course materials

1. Journal, 5 questions, 200 words a piece
1) Identify your community (Washington DC), and reflect on a local public issue that needs
improvement and/or has been revised or updated (e.g., improved roadways, improved
processing at the Department of Motor Vehicles [DMV], new traffic construction, improved
public parking, safer public parks, implementation of recreation projects, addition of bike
paths). Determine what types of information that the public organization manager needed
to properly solve the issue. As your guide, ensure to frame your response using Simon’s four
decision-making strategies listed in the Unit IV Lesson.2) Reflecting on the unit readings for
budget strategies, identify and discuss examples of revenue streams for a nonprofit
organization in your community. Examples of local public services could include fire
services, library facilities, community projects, or nonprofit public services. Discuss a
strategy that was effective or one that was not. Your journal entry must be at least 200
words in length. No references or citations are necessary.3) The words financial
accountability and agency transparency are great buzzwords when it comes to effective
governing. Based on your experience or news events, reflect on the pros and cons of
administrators or agency offices providing too much financial information to the public. Will
public offices (or individuals) be open to having the citizenry scrutinize financial
information or decisions? Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No
references or citations are necessary.4) Reflect on a past experience in the workplace or
with an organization, and summarize the difference between hiring for quotas and hiring on
merits alone. Is either one discrimination? Why, or why not? Your journal entry must be at
least 200 words in length. No references or citations are necessary5) Suggest which public
services would serve the citizenry more effectively in your local community. Reflect on
advantages and disadvantages if oversight roles were switched (e.g., if the state rather than
the local government began providing oversight for police and fire protection), or discuss if
the local government alone should have complete control of public education in your
community. Your journal entry must be at least 200 words in length. No references or
citations are necessary.