This course will focus on local government administration primarily at the city and county level although it will touch on state government as well. We will be reading and analyzing articles and case studies about real challanges in local government today. Topics include, e-government, disaster planning, tax and the internet, the budget crisis, citizen participation, to name a few. This course covers "hot" topics in the news today. You need to keep abreast of local government issues in the area where you live ( or those in the national news) so that you can cite them in your homework and research. If you keep aware of current topics in local government, it will help you understand the material in this and it will make the course more enjoyable to you. 

If you do well in this course, you will be able to:

•  Identify the basic concepts of City Administration and Management.  
• Understand the relationship between Federal, State and Local Government in terms of impacts on modern City Management, policy facilitation, leadership and council effectiveness, mediation and negotiation.  
• Understand the primary role and purpose of the City Administrator/ General Manager in terms of Strategic Leadership.  
• Describe the structure and purpose of Local Government Departments in terms of Organizational Planning and Management, Human Resources and strategic planning.  
• Understand  interpersonal and extrapersonal communication requirements of the organization in terms of staff effectiveness, empowerment, delegation, and leadership. 
• Understand the basic legal and financial requirements of City Management in terms of budgeting and financial analysis, service delivery management, functional and operational expertise, operational planning and quality assurance. 
• Understand the basic political requirements of City Management in terms of democratic responsiveness, advocacy, diversity, and citizen participation.  
• Describe the challenges of city administration in terms of the integrity of the manager as a professional, organizational integrity and accountability.  

The required textbook for this course is:

• "Annual Editions, Public Administration" 9th edition (2007). McGraw-Hill/Dushkin Publisher. 

  Specific articles are assigned in Annual Editions, plus articles on websites, check under the "Websites" button in the Blackboard course for articles and websites that are assigned for review.

  
  For information on how to order your textbooks, go to http://eli.nvcc.edu/books/

There are 3 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers. Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail : jcummings@nvcc.edu
Telephone :(703) 764-1474
You may also call me to schedule a meeting in person.

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.