Resistance to mask-wearing: Can wearing masks be seen as not macho enough/“effeminate” behavior?

The latest issue of Administrative Theory and Praxis has an interesting article titled “Street-level bureaucrats under COVID-19: Police Officers responses in constrained settings,” by Rafael Alcadipani, Sandra Cabral, Alan Fernandes, and Gabriela Lotta. They point out, based on inductive qualitative analysis that in a major Brazilian metropolitan area, conflicts concerning political, occupational culture, and material dimensions can “negatively impact police officers’ response in financially and institutionally constrained settings.”

Their paper is an interesting one in that they suggest something that is known among those who work on the front-lines: organizational values shape how people respond to crises. In the case of COVID-19, the paper elegantly shows how Brazilian policemen – much like others around the world – value machismo and bravery – and define their roles through this lens. When actions or values go against these two clashes, they are quick to fall back into what they know best: defending their machismo and perceived sense of “bravery.”

This is precisely what makes them reject masks and social distancing. Consider that for a cop, being seen as “tough” and “manly” is crucial. In a culture where wearing a mask is seen as being afraid of a virus and caring for one’s colleagues is seen as being effeminate, then such behaviors are punished by one’s peers, rather than supported. This is precisely what is going on in parts of the country.

And the authors point out that it doesn’t help when the President of Brazil does not encourage mask-wearing and has criticized social distancing (similar to former President Trump). The conflicting messaging at the federal/ central levels and local levels can create tensions that manifest in how local authorities perceive the message, the authors point out.

They point out that “COVID-19 has produced dual outcomes: on the one hand, police forces crime control values align with the political and occupational values. On the other, it can create a conflict,” (p.395) – especially on the three dimensions: political, occupational culture and material conditions.

Their suggestion is that discretion at the street level among these bureaucrats can be both a blessing and a curse. But of material resources, such as a shortage of PPE can lead to greater conflicts of vision and values within an organization. They call for greater coordination and alignment among all values in an organization and suggest that leaders have a big role to play in this process., to increase creativity and decrease divergence.

How to tackle disinformation – the single biggest challenge of public administration?

~ Sabith Khan, PhD

Imagine being in a once in a century pandemic. And miraculously, a group of scientists discovers a vaccine that actually works, all in a matter of months. Then, the vaccine starts to roll out. But there is one problem: a good segment of the population refuses to take it.

This imaginary situation is not so imaginary, as it is playing out across the U.S., today.

“I really don’t think it’ll work,” they say.

“I get sick every time I get vaccinated,” others point out.

Of course, you want to address their concerns and anxieties, given we are living in a real scenario and not an imaginary one, as mentioned above.

Dr. Gil Ayal, a professor who studies the sociology of expertise asks the question: “In an age when the federal government has attacked every conceivable norm, with anti-maskers questioning the legitimacy of all forms of expertise, how relevant is expertise in our world?” (Ayal, 2019).

In the U.S, this tension was manifest in the tug of war between Dr. Fauci and our past President, Mr. Trump. While the former represented science, credibility, and trust; the latter represented everything that was the opposite of that. The disinformation spread by Trump has caused lasting damage to the credibility of science – think back to his comments about drinking Clorox, Hydroxychloroquine, and a dozen other claims that had absolutely no claim in science. Here was a man, who was supposed to lead the country through a horrendous epidemic, making false claims on national TV.

If the crisis in science communication needed a metaphor, this moment was it. Thankfully, we seem to have moved past it, although in a small way. The skepticism that was sown in the minds of millions of people will bear fruit in the coming weeks and months.

So, how does one tackle disinformation and lack of trust in science?

The problem is not these anti-vaxxers don’t trust science in its entirety. The problem is the mismatch between science and politics, with each one moving at its own pace and priorities. Science is slow, deliberate, and thoughtful, while politics is fast, rapidly changing, and demands loyalty. Policy, on the other hand, is somewhere in the middle (Ayal,p.8).

The other tension that needs to be resolved to address this skepticism of science is also to tackle the issue of democracy and technocracy.

Building public trust in science and scientific expertise is also at the heart of this enterprise.

One approach, which has been pointed out by those who study expertise is to let people figure out what is a good approach for them.

Increasing transparency, inclusion, and participation in scientific consensus-building could be an idea worth exploring, he suggests.

As someone who teaches research methods, I try to impress upon students the need for understanding the skepticism that exists in some communities, that have been abused by scientists. Think of the Tuskegee syphilis study and other instances of gross abuse of scientific expertise. This could well explain why some Latinx and African American communities today don’t want to get vaccinated.

With such historical precedents, it is easy for a clever politician to exploit the mistrust in science to push their agendas.

So, what is one to do?

The answer may be a complicated one. It involves building trust, working slowly but surely to make the scientific process open to the public, involve them in aspects of decision making and communicate to build trust.

Statistical Literacy and Public Policies

Dr. Gustavo Lara-Gonzalez

Public policies describe the action of the government. This action is in response to issues brought by the public before the public officials. The response of the government is by enacting laws and regulations. Thus, the government is a manufacturer of public policies.

The aim of public or private policy has two key areas:

To give direction to the organization and
To serve and protect what is in the best interest of the public. Thus, the analysis of public policies and their effectiveness and efficiency became highly important. In this regard, statistical literacy is an important element to understand the responsiveness in bringing issues related to a certain public policy for examination, deliberation, and possible solution.

Currently, a statistic is more important than ever in today’s data-driven world. A vast amount of data is being generated in many fields, including in the public sector. If the evaluation of a public policy is about facts and values, then the role of the public administrator as a proficient statistician is imperative. Conducting surveys, gathering evidence, examining specific cases related to a specific problem, organizing and learning from all the data, visualize important patterns and trends, and carefully listening and communicating the results and findings to non-statistician are some of the skills that public administrators need polish.

The Network of School of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) is the global standard in public service education and is recognized as a global accreditor of master’s degree programs in these fields. This global organization requires from any master program in public policy and administration evidence of their graduates in five competencies:

Lead and manage in Public Governance.
Participate in and contribute to the public policy process.
Analyze, synthesize, think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions.
Articulate and apply public service perspectives; and
Communicate and interact productively with a diverse and changing workforce and citizenry.

Statistics courses help meet these requirements. Therefore, if we want to understand public policies, statistical literacy is a must. According to Wallman (1993), statistical literacy is the ability to understand and critically evaluate statistical results that permeate our daily lives—coupled with the ability to appreciate the contributions that statistical thinking can make in public and private, professional and personal decisions. To be successful civil servants, public administrators require to critically review the evidence and evaluate policies, and to understand analyzes and evaluations. They need to have some understanding of statistics to digest information to distinguish between a solid statistical argument from a bogus one and make good decisions based on that information.

References

Wallman, K. K. (1993). Enhancing statistical literacy: Enriching our society. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 88(421), 1. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar].

How We Overcame the Fear of the COVID-19 Vaccine

~Leonard Casiple

The COVID-19 pandemic response has upended the very essence of humanity by constraining social interaction, mandating indoor seclusion, and making us flinch at the thought of outdoor bustle.

Even the elegance of the lingering waft of perfume and cologne has been supplanted by the shock of quickly-dissipating rubbing alcohol and sanitizers.

Every connection has become a long-distance relationship.

Gone are the days of bear hugs and high fives. Our need for social contact has been abbreviated into a momentary fist bump. Today, the essence of closeness and community is measured in 6-foot increments. The closeness that breaks the mandated “bubble” is frowned upon as a lack of civility.

How long will we tolerate to live this way?

Straitjacketed by social distancing, we are free but confined. We are shackled to a mark on the floor until safe to move to the next comfortable X. The mask suffocates at inhalation. At exhalation, the facial cloak inhibits the utterance of frustration.

Vaccinate or Vacillate?

At any given moment, we can find information either to support vaccination or to contradict the opposition. The ubiquity of conflicting information can confuse the finest of us. Perpetual analysis based on an unhealthy dose of doubt can lead to an endless cycle of posturing, blaming, and story-crafting.

If not careful, an intense but partial study can lead to the wrong rationalization. Groups can become comfortably befuddled by the mantra of their echo chambers.

Our Family’s Experience.

As a child, I grew up in a developing country where the disease was rampant. I was fortunate to get on the public health immunization schedule. The vaccines spared me from the devastation of diseases such as polio and tuberculosis that affected some of my neighbors.

As a soldier in the US Army, I was immunized to preserve my health while working in austere environments. The US military, as a matter of force preservation, requires its personnel to stay current on all vaccinations. As a condition for being stationed overseas, my wife and children were also vaccinated. With vaccination, my wife who is a nurse can continue the work that she loves with less apprehension.

The National Stance.

Since the late 1800s, the US has required medical examinations of immigrants, and much later added vaccination as a condition for entry. Applicants who are found to be carriers of diseases of public health significance are excluded from entry.

When done in combination – the vaccination of the majority and the exclusion of a few – the measures have protected this country from debilitating and life-altering diseases.

Because of the effectiveness of the control measures at entry points, we are oblivious to the screening process that silently protects us. Because we are generally healthy, we fail to appreciate the long-term positive results of inoculation.

The benefits of induced immunity have allowed this country to maintain its economic momentum, and in turn, we are able to keep our hopes and dreams on schedule.

How We Handle the Fear.

My wife and I worry about the virus as well as the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine. We are also concerned about the long-term health of our college-age sons.

Although we instituted a few financial security measures, untimely death or disability during the pandemic will be a difficult ordeal.

To quell the fears, we discussed options and established contingency plans.

Our Tiered Approach.

We will live courageously with a bias towards positivity. We will not allow this virus to keep us at bay. To minimize the impact, my family will get vaccinated in stages.

As a front-line worker, my wife will be vaccinated first. If she experiences a negative reaction, I will wait so I can take care of her until her condition improves. Our sons will be vaccinated last.

We envision our family thriving, socializing, and traveling (again) as the result of the COVID-19 vaccine program.

From my point of view, I am not taking a plunge into the unknown. Instead, vaccination is the forward lunge that will dislodge the consuming grip of the pandemic.

How about you? How do you plan to live the best parts of your life?

Will philanthropy by the rich save us?

Mackenzie Scott’s giving away of $4 bn made news last week, as this was one of the most generous examples of giving by an ultra-rich person, this year. It is admirable that she has given this money away, even though there are very many criticisms of this phenomenon of hi-networth giving.

Hi-networth giving by Mackenzie Scott — credits: npr.org

Her problem is pretty unique to super-rich folk: how to help others, with all the surplus wealth that one has? There have been a few proposals before us, falling broadly into two categories :

Tax the rich and
Allow the rich to carry out their philanthropy, as they see fit and encourage them in this direction.

The first idea of taxing the rich doesn’t seem to gain a lot of momentum in the U.S., given that political will to make this happen doesn’t seem to exist. However, a vast majority of Americans think that what they pay are fair share of taxes. Given that we have a progressive system of taxation, at the individual level, there seems to be not much of a problem for the middle class. The poor and those who are struggling to make ends meet are the ones who are most upset about the status quo.

But for the super-wealthy and entrepreneurs and those with avenues to gain tax deductions, there are enormous loopholes through which companies do not pay any taxes, even after making billions of dollars in taxes. This article talks about how little a company like Amazon pays, in taxes (for the past few years, it has paid $0 in taxes). The company has faced a lot of criticism for this reason. Various tax credits and deductions help firms such as Amazon avoid taxes.

Can billions of dollars donated by the super-rich save us? This question is as old as the industrial age (also called the Gilded age), when the newly founded millionaires (billionaires in comparison to our age) such as Andrew Carnegie, Rockefeller, and others tried to answer this question. We have our own Rockefellers and Carnegies in the form of Mackenzie Scott, Bill Gates, and others, who have given away quite a lot of money to worthy causes.

At a time when the American economy has been battered by the pandemic, politicians, intellectuals are questioning why the current system persists, especially when we are fighting over something as basic as a $600 relief check for Americans.

The second approach of the wealthy giving away their wealth is a somewhat recent phenomenon, that has emerged in the past decade or two.

The Giving Pledge is an example of a modern version of how the super-rich have tried to rationalize their wealth and reach an agreement with themselves and others: the compact that giving one’s wealth away is one way to deal with the problem our societies have created: excessive wealth in a few hands.

Carnegie’s Gospel of Wealth is one of the older documents in this regard that tried to address this specific problem.

What is the right answer to the problem of wealth transfer from the super-rich to the super-poor? That answer depends on the society that we have and how people feel about the obligations and rights that we have, as individuals towards each other, and the government’s role in regulating these obligations and rights. This ‘social contract’ may need revision, as we come out of the covid-19 pandemic, with deep questions being asked about the nature of our relationship to each other, to the state, and to our communities – far and wide.

This act may need a renewed imagination and a willingness to debate and dialogue with people with who we vehemently disagree.

How do we find better leaders to lead us through crises?

The Atlantic published an interesting article recently about the secret for Germany’s success in tackling the COVID-19 crisis: A scientist at the helm of political affairs, Chancellor Angela Merkle. This is an interesting argument to ponder. Why have countries/ regions that have scientists/technocrats as leaders done well, while those run by run-of-the-mill politicians done badly? Controversial much? I think there is some merit in this argument.

Source: psafinancial.com

Let’s focus on Germany. As Miller points out “For weeks now, Germany’s leader has deployed her characteristic rationality, coupled with an uncharacteristic sentimentality, to guide the country through what has thus far been a relatively successful battle against COVID-19,” going on to add that her calm demeanor, scientific rationality, and wisdom is paying off, both politically and scientifically.

The reason for her success, Miller points out, is the trust of German people in bureaucracy and order – and scientific thinking. The charismatic leadership of the style that Hitler practiced is seen with suspicion.

On the other hand, in many parts of the world, we are witnessing the ravages of such a style of leadership, with leaders blustering, lying, and misinforming people. The facts speak for themselves, though the amount of misinformation is so high that the average person with little critical thinking skills is confused and falls for propaganda – either from the state or from special interest groups.

We may also be witnessing a clear winner emerging, in terms of style of leadership, with bureaucratic leadership emerging a winner, over charismatic leadership. There is of course a long history of debate over whether we need more bureaucracy in our societies or more democracy. In countries such as the U.S., where freedom is valued above all else, this sort of clamping down of freedoms by the state is seen with great suspicion. The recent protests over closures in the U.S. across many states are part of this process.

Clearly, people want freedoms to do what they want and get back to their normal lives. When one’s livelihood is threatened, scientific rationality goes out the window. However, this is not the time to be impulsive and risk the gains made. In many parts of the world, there is evidence that the shutdowns are working and there is indeed a flattening of the curve. It is the leader’s responsibility to emphasize this and to ensure that people get support, financial and otherwise, during this pandemic. California, for instance, seems to be flattening the curve. However, more needs to be done and the shutdowns need to be in place for a longer period of time.

One of the key tasks of any leader- political or otherwise – is to ‘call it like it is,’ when it comes to critical issues pertaining to public health or safety. This responsibility is more so if that leader is an expert in science or technology and has specific information that is not available to others, as Sean O’Keefe, the former NASA administrator pointed out, during a web conference.

In an ideal world, rationality would prevail and would inform the best decisions. However, we live in a world where politics gets in the way and often, the best decisions are not taken, rather we may, as a society make decisions that are politically ideal. This is the bane of our societies, which are democratic. If we end up electing demagogues, then we will be served with propaganda and falsehoods.

Trust in a leader is important to tackle such a crisis as covid-19. And we are seeing across the board that this trust can be either used for tackling the crisis or for furthering the political agenda. As an example, Merkel has used this trust to reinforce the need for social solidarity and the need to follow directives and scientific advice. And for the most part, Germans seem to be heeding her. As Miller points out “Her rational assurances and her emotional appeal was crucial at a time of rising panic. While the mood isn’t quite so dark here anymore—thanks to a variety of factors, Germany appears to have dealt with the outbreak better than many other countries—Germans largely continue to heed the chancellor’s detailed directives.” Merkel has been a trusted scientific and political figure and continues to lead calmly and is likely to lead her country out of this crisis, with minimal damage.

Maybe the bigger lesson from this crisis is that more scientific leaders should enter the political realm. Maybe the answer to our troubles is more scientific leadership and less political leadership. And perhaps that starts with the electorate. A more informed and educated citizenry is needed to elect leaders who act rationally. So, in some ways, the leaders we are seeing in the public sphere reflect who we are, as a people. Don’t like what you see out there? Then, better change what goes into making those people win. That, I think is the biggest lesson for us all.

Lessons from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)’s 34th Annual Conference

Leslie Madrigal

Due to the pandemic, everything looks different from what we are used to, including conferences. From October 26^th – October 28^th, I attended the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)’s 34^th Annual Conference. Their theme for this year was “Championing Hispanic Higher Education Success: Fostering Excellence and Social Justice. I attended their conference last year in Chicago, so it was definitely different this time around. Although it was in a virtual format, I am still thankful that I got to attend and meet people from across the U.S. who also attend HSI’s.

The conference started with an opening webinar session from the President of HACU. From there, we were able to choose which sessions we wanted to attend. On Monday morning, I attended “Partners in Equity: Universities, Communities, and Families Supporting College Access.” As a first-generation college student, it is important to me that every child knows that they have the capability to attend college and follow their dreams. This session focused on a university that partnered with two local schools in order to make sure that students knew what exactly a college was and how they could get prepared to one day apply. I also attended another session: “How Non-Native Speakers of English Succeed in Bachelor’s Degree Programs.” In this session, they talked about how important it is for students of all backgrounds to be included in their institutions. There is a difference between being Hispanic Enrolling and Hispanic Serving. Many institutions focus so much of their time on the enrolling title but are they really helping and serving the Hispanic students that they have in the institutions.

On Tuesday, I attended “Creating A More Socially Just Campus through Equitable Policy Implementation.” With racial inequities coming more to light during the pandemic, it is clear that college campuses also need to do their part in dismantling racial injustices within higher education. This session focused on including students and having their voices heard within higher administration, but not in a sense where they speak for every person of color. I also attended “Training Immigrant Advocates: Let’s Partner to Expand Access to Justice.” This session was probably one of my favorite ones from the whole conference. It focused on a program ran through Villanova University called VIISTA. VIISTA is an immigrant advocate program in which almost anyone can apply to as long as they are passionate about helping others. VIISTA helps people gain a certificate in which they can become registered with the Department of Justice and can attend court hearings with immigrants who otherwise may not be able to afford to have anyone else there with them. It was also great to hear that they offer a lot of scholarships to Southern California residents, or otherwise, it costs a little under $4000 to complete the program.

Wednesday was the last day of the conference, in which I attended another session that I really enjoyed titled “Significant Life Experiences and the Making of Mexican American Superintendents,” which focused on a superintendent in Texas who grew up along the Texas border. He grew up helping his father in a little shop that they owned, as well as playing for the basketball team at school. He ended up becoming the superintendent of the school district in which he attended, where his mother also sat on the school board for a number of years. I thought this was an amazing story because it shows just how much giving back means, and he accomplished it by coming back to his community. My last session of the conference was titled “HACU Advocacy: Your Voice, Your Moment,” which focused on the importance of knowing who our elected officials are, and knowing where they stand on key issues that affect us each and every day in higher education.

The conference ended with a town hall that focused on talking about the 2020 election and what each candidate had planned out for higher education. Whether we are in our undergraduate or graduate journeys, it is important to focus and keep up on where officials stand on higher education and education as a whole. Overall, I learned a lot throughout the conference, and am glad I was able to attend.

How are Digital Platforms Being Used by Fire Departments During the 2020 Wildfire Season?

~ Erin Niemi

As California fire season has already been off to a record-setting start, fire departments all across California have been active online in order to alert the public. As of Oct. 5, in this 2020 wildfire season, there have been over 8,000 wildfires and a growing total of over 4 million acres burned, along with 31 lives lost and 8,687 structures that have been destroyed (according to CalFire). California is currently fighting five of the ten largest wildfires burned in the last decade, and although fire season has already been devastating, it is thought that there are more record-setting wildfires in store.

2020 wildfire season

Image Credit: Ventura County Fire Department Twitter @VCFD_PIO

So, what has been causing the rise of longer and more sustained fire seasons? While some of the wildfires have been due to human error, such as the El Dorado wildfire that was caused by a pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party, the vast majority have been a result of climate change. Because temperatures have been rising and the number of droughts has increased, the vegetation in California has become more “fire-friendly” and the areas affected by drought typically experience a long and destructive fire season. In addition to drought, dry lightning storms also fueled by climate change have impacted fire seasons in Northern California, and high-pressure systems that occur with areas already affected by drought and heat have created the perfect opportunity for thunderstorms with little rain.

To curb these wildfires and attempt to control their burn path, it is thought that fire prevention techniques such as “prescribed burning” would be able to help, but it is a quick fix in lieu of a long term effort towards systemic adjustments to slow climate change.

How are Fire Departments Communicating with the Public about Fire Threats?

In the meantime, fire departments around California have been utilizing their public platforms to help keep its residents safe and informed of threats in the area. The Ventura County Fire Department (the VCFD), has been alerting the public through their website, the public information office, and their social media accounts. The VCFD manages three different Twitter accounts, and information from their Twitter can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @venturacountyfire. Their website also includes recent press releases and active calls on their website, providing a resource for the public to view their most recent announcements. In addition to the fire department’s website, the VCFD also advertises vcemergency.com, which serves as a resource for the public that shares information about local cooling centers, active incidents, and COVID-19. The public can also sign up for VCFD emergency alerts by texting “VCALERT” to 313131 and receive real-time updates on incidents from their cell phones.

How Does the Digital Boom Impact Crisis Management?

Social media and digital platforms continue to become an easy way for the public to stay informed on a variety of issues, including those of crisis management. By providing a user-friendly way to interact with current statistics and breaking information, the public can continue to stay informed in real-time and in a more accessible fashion than ever before. This digitalized society has the advantage of empowering the public to be more prepared and informed when large fires break out by reaching more people faster.

This level of engagement also provides a larger amount of organizational transparency and provides an instantaneous way for the public to respond, ask questions, and have conversations with other people regarding incidents. The use of social media can also alert people of large incidents happening elsewhere. For example, the VCFD continually shared updates about the Bobcat Fire and the El Dorado Fire by sharing tweets and videos from the LAFD and the San Bernardino County FD.

What to Expect In the Coming Months?

While fire season continues to rage on, it is a fair prediction that crisis organizations will continue to develop their public presence on their digital platforms to keep the public aware of threats and incidents. And should an emergency occur, it is fair to say the first place to receive updates and information will come in the form of a text message or tweet. It is also fair to hypothesize that with the growth of incidents there will be an increased need for resources and time to continue to update the public, be it in manpower, firefighters taking on additional roles in media management, or an increase of press conferences to the public. So in the meantime, turn your alerts on, stay safe, and thank a firefighter today!

The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Remittance Flow to Cuba: A Glance at the Use of Digital Platforms

Denisse Delgado

Public Policy Ph.D. student UMass Boston

During the COVID-19 crisis, Mexico and the Dominican Republic have been experiencing an unexpected increase in the remittance transactions. However, most of the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean saw a sharp decline in their remittance receipts in April, before they began to rebound in June of this year. The remittance flow to Cuba has been decreasing this year, and it is still expected to continue to drop.

The number of remittances to Cuba have been affected due to the COVID-19 impact on the countries of reception’s economy. Florida is home to the largest Cuban community of emigrants living abroad. As unemployment has increased in Florida, it has directly affected the Cuban community living there. Additionally, the number of remittances to Cuba have also been affected for two other reasons. First, the current Donald Trump administration has imposed restrictions on remittances setting a limitation of $1,000 per calendar quarter to an immediate family member in Cuba. Second, the lower remittance flow is also aggravated by travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, as well as the limitation of international flights to Cuba by the Cuban government as a measure to control the spread of the pandemic on the island. A significant part of remittances —be it money or products— enters Cuba through informal channels or the so-called mulas —people who bring money and goods to the island. Travel limitations decrease the number of remittances that enter Cuba through these channels.

During the quarantine, however, Cubans are exploring new ways to send remittances. A source highlights that it has become trendy among Cubans living abroad to send cryptocurrencies to a trusted contact in Cuba. The contact in Cuba delivers the equivalent in the local currency, either in cash or through bank transfers to the recipient’s Cuban bank account. This method favors not only families that receive remittances, but also entrepreneurs and enthusiasts of the cryptocurrency community in Cuba who access cryptocurrencies regularly.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, the impact of digital remittances is relevant, as the digital payment system is becoming popular among the entire immigrant population in the U.S. Digital remittances are now frequently used to pay bills for services such as electricity, water, gas, the home phone line, the monthly rent. Therefore, by sending digital remittances, family members living abroad from their home countries directly contribute to the payment of essential services necessary for their families. But the development of digital technology must go hand in hand with training in digital and financial education. Having a well-developed digital platform to send remittances to Cuba would help Cubans living abroad to keep supporting their families during this challenging time and fund businesses that foment development.

About the Author

Denisse Delgado is a Ph.D. student in the Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Her research focus has been on Cuban migration, remittances, and development. She is an active member of the International Organization for Remittances and Migration (IOREM) and a principal collaborator for Cuban Horizon at Columbia Law School. Denisse has been a visiting scholar at various universities, including the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University and the Cuban Research Institute, Florida International University, where she was a visiting fellow last summer. This summer, Denisse was an intern in the Migration, Remittances, and Development Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, a think tank located in Washington DC. Before that, she was a researcher affiliated with the Havana think tank CIPS (the Research Center on Psychology and Sociology). Denisse earned a BA in Sociology from Universidad de la Habana and an MA in Social Development from Universidad Católica de Murcia. Delgado is currently exploring the impacts of COVID-19 on remittance flows to Cuba, exploring the significant contributions of digital remittances. She also studies Cuba’s diaspora economic and political participation in the process of change on the island.

MPPA Fall 2020 Newsletter

Fall 2020

Message from the Director

Welcome to yet another Fall term! This new academic year and Fall term promises to be both sombre and challenging given the surge of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. & around the world.

I want to take a moment to welcome the newly admitted students. While on the one hand, this is a very challenging time to be a student, given restrictions on in-person meetings etc., on the other, this is also a great time to be a student – you are witnessing how government agencies, civil society organizations and groups of people, including our university, are responding in creative ways to the challenges before us. This pandemic is a once in a lifetime event and will surely offer us many lessons, while it lasts.

With an election looming over us and a policy landscape that is confusing at best, this could be an important moment to both study and teach about public policy & public administration. States and counties seem to have taken on the healthcare and economic challenges and the lessons we learn from local government may be far more enduring than the ones we learn from national level policy making.

As of this writing, the U.S. has more than 5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 – and experts suggest possibly many times more that are undetected – which means that we are nowhere near getting out of this pandemic anytime soon.

While much has been written about the pandemic and much more will be written about it, the fact remains that the study and practice of public policy and public administration has become more urgent than ever as we navigate this crisis – both individually and collectively.

If there are any heroes that we have come across, then they are the ‘street level bureaucrats,’ – teachers, nurses and millions of other public servants, who risk their lives to make sure that the rest of us stay healthy.

The current scenario reminds me of the famous scholarly debate initiated by public administration scholar Kenneth Meier, that we need ‘more bureaucracy and less democracy,’ meaning that bureaucrats are often more equipped to bring about ‘real’ change and are able to make sound decisions based on evidence, rather than politicians who are often swayed by electoral calculations and other motives that may not have a solid basis in fact. We are seeing this play out in the public sphere, on a daily basis.

With no certainty of how the pandemic will play out and with the world looking like a scary place, all we can do is carry on our tasks, no matter how insignificant or significant, to achieve common good. For students, scholars and practitioners of public administration, public policy and those who want to pursue the ‘common good,’ a good daily reminder is the oath of the Athenian city-state, which is embodied in my alma-mater, the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.

It reads “We will ever strive for the sacred things of the city. Both alone and with many, we will unceasingly seek to quicken the sense of public duty. We will revere and obey the city’s laws, we will transmit this city not only less but greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.”

Sabith Khan

Master of Public Policy and Administration Program Director

MPPA Department Celebrates Our 2020 Graduates

2020 is a year we will never forget. Everyone scheduled to graduate in 2020 shares the distinction of being part of this unforgettable group of students who completed their studies in the middle of the global pandemic. While we look forward to celebrating in person in the future, whenever that time will be, we wanted to take a moment to honor our class of 2020. Congratulations on your remarkable achievement. We look forward to seeing all the wonderful things you will accomplish and all the ways in which you will put your degree to work! Best wishes for all of your future experiences! #MPPAForever

Douaa Addawu
Majd Al Malki
Sultan Al Zaidan
Jesus Alaniz
Abdulla Alkaabi
Mohammed Alshenafy
Kelsey Alter
Asatur Asatryan
Lauren Bueling
Crawford Coates
Audrey Darrett
Josiah Gonzales
Kimberly Dellacort
Lindsay Granger
Ashley Humes
Clara Magana
Haili Matsukawa
Christino Olivo
Miguel Rodriguez
Claudia Romero
Rachel Smith
Alexis Villegas

Teaching During the Pandemic

Loredana, Carson, Ed.D
The virtual classroom has become the new normal. Prior to March 2020, I had not ever taught a class in an on-line environment. However, once the decision was made that our Spring term was going to continue virtually, I learned the way every other teacher in the United States did, by jumping in and doing it. While teachers were scrambling to provide good content, our students had to deal with problematic technology and find a quiet place to go to school from home. I can’t say it was a seamless jump from the in-person classroom to the virtual world, but we made it through the spring and at least in summer had some idea what we were doing. I taught over the summer and will teach online again in the fall, using what I have learned to enhance and improve my virtual classes.

The mantra that I used over and over to myself and others was “Consider the alternative: no school at all.” Without the benefit of the internet and platforms such as Zoom, which allow screen sharing and breakout rooms and sufficient bandwidth, all academic progress would have been halted or classes would have been much less robust and perhaps even more self-directed and less interactive. Students were able to receive credit for courses and no one has had to pause or put their academic plans on hold while the world sorted out how to cope with a pandemic.

Along the way, several good points in favor of on-line learning have emerged. To my surprise, as much as I really enjoy in-person teaching and the energy of an active, engaged classroom, I have found it possible to recreate the relationships I had with my live students with my virtual class. It takes some work and everyone needs to be onboard, but once the strangeness of speaking to each other from our homes wears off, we can have good discussions and I can offer the students the chance to interact through the breakout room feature so they feel more connected to those small boxes on the computer screen. If students are willing to interact with me and with each other, they have even more options to participate through the chat feature and the easy polling function allows for periodic check-ins for comprehension and opinion. For students who sometimes feel dominated by enthusiastic extroverted voices, these alternative means of participation allow for more participation.

Higher education has taken the whole summer to decide how to cope with fall, and although some campuses in other states are opting for hybrid instruction, none that I know of are going for 100% in-person. Graduate programs such as ours are in a different space as we do not have residential students and the majority of our students are mature enough to understand the reason for the rules and regulations.

My students have shared with me the pros and cons of attending class virtually and they feel the same way as I do, for the most part. We all miss the in-class energy and time to get to know each other but we all benefit from less commuting, less time spent away from home and not having to be on our feet and out of the house from 8:00am to 10:00pm if we have full-time day jobs. For those students whose schedules are less taxing, they still enjoy the comfort of not having to arrange childcare for older children or not having to be on campus so late in the evening.

This new experience is what we make it. If we take it as an opportunity to become proficient in this new way of relating, we will be ahead of the pack as the world becomes increasingly dependent on virtual communication. Businesses are finding the same benefits, and additional cost savings, and are unlikely to abandon virtual meetings even after the pandemic has been contained. There are additionally environmental benefits that may improve life in our communities as we have less traffic and less pollution.

While it is not easy to embrace change and new ways of being together, it is necessary in order to keep on track with our academic goals and make progress towards planned degrees and future opportunities. Just like an in-person experience, you will get out of the virtual classroom what you put into it. If you go to class and don’t engage with your professor or other students, you will not get as much out of the experience as if you go in with the attitude that this can have value all around. If you attend class with the intent to meet and engage, you may find that a decade later you still are in touch with classmates (Hello Kim Rodrigues, Laura Romano, Yvette Redmon, Chris Collier, Gary Cushing, Ken Black, Carl Petersen, Raul Zapata, Marjorie Diehl, Tina Strange and others who I went through the MPPA program with 2008-2011).

I urge you to enjoy the experience and get good at virtual communication and participation. Although it came upon us in an unwelcome way, it may remain with us in such a way that we will not be able to imagine life without it. I’ll see you (virtually) in the fall of 2020 and look forward to hearing your experiences with virtual learning. Take the time to learn a few things about camera angles and lighting (light should be in front of you, not behind you; camera should be at eye level) and stay safe!

Reflections from an ASPA Founders Fellow

Josiah Gonzales, MPPA
I was accepted as an ASPA Founders’ Fellow for 2020 and was scheduled to present my topic at the Annual Conference, which was to be held right in our backyard…Anaheim, California. Obviously, things changed for this and everything else once SARS-Cov-2/COVID-19 emerged. The conference was canceled and everything was moved online. I’d like to say that I wasn’t affected by this, but that would be a gross understatement. There are always good and bad that transpire in and out of all change. For me, the change weighed heavier on the negative.

I did attend the conference and introductions online with ASPA Mentors and other Fellows. While there was definitely no shortage of passion, knowledge and experience on the part of both Fellows and Mentors. There was a gap that I was unable to hurdle once the conference and everything else that could be shifted online, went virtual. I made no eye contact. Shook no hands. Read little to no body language outside of facial expressions when meeting the other fellows and my mentor. This can be difficult even when there is not twenty faces on a laptop screen shrunk into a small square.

Although, what was easier for me to do was discuss the nature of my topic (Closing the Disparity Gap) with my Mentor, Maria Aristigueta, the Director and Charles P. Messick Professor of Public Administration at University of Delaware. Initially, I thought that my topic or policy proposal would be assessed and scrutinized as if I was submitting a Thesis paper. However, this was not the case. Maria did more listening, than I ever anticipated. Once she read my policy proposal and expressed her support of such an idea, I expected her to share some inside secrets about public administration that only a person with her experience would have. Secrets and knowledge of how feasible and how best to get it done. But, that was not the case. She just listened and asked more questions.

It was at that point that I realized, I had learned all (well not literally, but principally) that I needed to know in order to submit proposals, implement and administrate policies that reflected a need (politically or legally) that I perceived as important in an individual and society…closing the disparity gap.

Poverty and inequality, are arguably the greatest societal challenge(s) facing advanced societies such as the US. Indicators of such large-scale societal burdens are evident in the reduction of median wages, increases in families without health insurance, rising homelessness, and a lack of affordable housing. What is perhaps the most appalling discrepancy of inequality is not only of financial-economic concern, but those of principle. Personal tax evasion and corporate tax avoidance through offshore tax havens have contributed to a significant reduction of effective taxes. Worldwide, eight-percent of the world’s personal-fiscal-wealth is held in offshore accounts, costing governments over $200 billion every year, despite ambitious policy initiatives.

Now, how do individuals like me, who have defaulted on a mortgage during the last recession; went back to school during the recession; was a part of the transient-homeless-student population while acquiring a bachelor’s degree and simultaneously racking up student debt make sense of the future? Especially, when understanding that the homeless population by and large consists of the working poor? And I can’t top it off there, because I also live in the state of California, where I need to earn 3.6 times the state minimum wage to afford the median California asking rent of $2,225. Yet, corporate tax cuts have blocked 15,000 affordable homes in 2020 alone.

My policy proposal (if it actually was made into policy) would do the reverse and utilize corporate wealth to build what people want most according to Former Chair of The Gallup, Jim Clifton, which is create good jobs on a local level. This experiment should, in my mind, be conducted in states like California…where many of the largest and most profitable corporations are based. Ironically, California cities such as Los Angeles have the highest poverty rates, and, the state has the highest poverty rates in the nation depending on how poverty is assessed.

Although, I wonder…will another policy that the masses don’t know about and perhaps can’t care to know about, while they struggle to live, have any effect when considering the average citizen has no influence on policy in contrast to economic elites? Can a litany of laws and for lack of a better term “policizing” everything create more equality and reduce poverty? If so, why have things gotten worse rather than better? That’s a story that can only be told with a broader scope. At some point, there is only so much that can be done from a policy/legal standpoint. The key to changing the world, which is what MPPA students and practitioners hope for in some way or another, is to understand it and adapt accordingly. That doesn’t necessarily mean doing the same procedure, using the same tools or remaining within a particular field. For me, the changes that are important to me do not lie in the policy arena alone, but beyond as well.

MPPA Alumna Releases Memoir

The year 2020 marks three decades since 25-year-old Maria VanderKolk was elected to the Ventura County, California Board of Supervisors in what local media referred to as a political miracle. VanderKolk has now published a memoir of her four years in office: Mrs. VanderKolk Goes to Ventura County: How a 25-year-old neophyte took on Bob Hope, developers, environmentalists, and the political establishment.

The book documents how one of California’s largest parkland acquisitions came about, beginning with Bob Hope’s desire to develop his Jordan Ranch property (now Palo Camado Canyon National Park); through VanderKolk’s election in 1990 and her negotiations to secure a compromise; and ultimately to the acquisition of not only Jordan Ranch but also Ahmanson Ranch (now Upper Las Virgenes Canyon), Runkle Ranch (now Rocky Peak Park), and Corral Canyon. It is also an intimate account of a naive young woman propelled into the public eye, dealing with a painfully controversial land use issue.

“Often charming, sometimes biting, but always insightful, Maria VanderKolk tells the story of Southern California’s last great development battle of the 20th Century,” states Joseph T. Edmiston, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. “Those who thought she was a doe-eyed waïf were soon disabused when she defeated a powerfully entrenched county supervisor and turned Bob Hope’s development nightmare into a National Park.”
Mrs. VanderKolk Goes to Ventura County is available through Amazon in both e-book and paperback.

About Maria VanderKolk
Maria VanderKolk was elected in 1990 to the Ventura County Board of Supervisors. During her one term in office she helped author one of the largest acquisitions of parkland in California history. After returning to her native Colorado she spent 20 years as the Communications Manager for the City of Arvada. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Bachelor of Science in Business, and a Masters in Public Administration. She lives in Arvada, Colorado with her husband Mike.

Webinars

COVID-19 in the City of Pasadena
On April 24, the MPPA program hosted Steve Mermell, the City Manager of Pasadena for a webinar on how the city is dealing with COVID-19 and related challenges. You can watch a recording of the webinar here.

COVID- 19 in Asia
On Monday, June 22, the Cal Lutheran School of Management hosted Dr. Rafiq Dossani from the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica on challenges and impacts on healthcare and economy, and lessons learned from COVID-19 in Asia.
Some key highlights from Dr. Dossani’s talk:
Regime type doesn’t matter, as much as the level of trust. The legitimacy lies in their ability to control COVID-19. In countries such as India, Pakistan, etc the level of trust in govt is low and the government reciprocates. The crisis with internal migration and lockdowns shows how this lack of trust has caused massive chaos
In Korea, national elections were held in the middle of a pandemic and people showed up; this was possible due to the trust.
The government did a wise thing in the U.S by opening the taps on liquidity and there was sustainability to the economy. That has continued as payments through the PPE program are ongoing. It would have succeeded in preventing a big crash. If the US government can bring down the virus, then we have a game-changer. If the breakouts continue, then the economy may be in for a tumble
Sri Lanka, a small country in South Asia has managed to effectively manage the crisis. They haven’t made public their work, the public healthcare worker system is in place. The contact tracing mechanism is in place in that country, which seems to have worked well. In India, there is a similar system.
You can watch the recording here.

Student Projects & Research

Maya Hoholick’s thesis is a case study on the Fox Canyon Groundwater Trading Pilot, which explores the statistical determinants of excessive groundwater pumping, along with better basin plans and actions for bringing California into sustainability. She presented at the Public Administration Theory 2020 Conference on June 11th, which was supposed to be held in Malmo, Sweden, but was rescheduled for a zoom presentation. She also accepted a fellowship from George Mason University, the Don Lavoie Fellowship for Fall of 2020, which explores key ideas in political economy and utilizes these ideas in academic and policy research. She will also present at the Third Annual Western Groundwater Congress on September 15th. Her presentation, The Fox Canyon Groundwater Pilot: Case Study of a California Water, will be featured on the Hot Topics Track.

Greg Sefain’s Capstone project seeks to find policy solutions for restaurants in the City of Pasadena.

On March 19, 2019, in the wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic, California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered 40 million residents into lock down. The “stay at home” order came as the nation’s total COVID-19 cases rose to over 122,000 cases. Since the call was made by Governor Newsom, California has remained on “lock down” to control the spread of the virus. The orders have negatively impacted the state’s local economies.

In the City of Pasadena, the restaurant industry, is a considerable concern for the city during the recovery period. The effect of the “lock down” has caused a dramatic decline in revenue, forcing many restaurant owners to close and lay off employees temporarily. For example, a study conducted by the National Restaurant Association projected that the restaurant industry could reach a net loss of over 240 billion dollars by the end of 2020. In addition to the city’s business environment, the effects of the COVID-19 “lock down” could negatively impact the city’s fiscal year. The city of Pasadena relies on the restaurant industry as a contributor to property and sales taxes. This tax revenue stream is a crucial driver for the city’s revenues and the loss may have negative consequences for Pasadena’s revenue.

Recently, California has begun to issue guidelines for the restaurant industry to start reopening. The city of Pasadena will need to evaluate what restaurants will close permanently and which programs can be released to maintain the business that will remain open to the public.

Greg Sefain, an MPPA student at CLU, is working together with the City of Pasadena to create a solution. Mr. Sefain’s study carefully examines how reopening policies have affected the ability of restaurants to operate. The study also analyzes the impact of the virus on Pasadena consumers and their feelings towards supporting restaurants. In concluding the investigation, Mr. Sefain will present his findings to the Pasadena City Manager and City Council to support the restaurant industry’s financial survival. Mr. Sefain’s study will be the first nationwide to closely examine the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus on a city. As COVID-19 recovery continues to evolve, this study will aid cities across the nation to sustain their restaurant industry.

Student & Alumni Achievements

Cristina Nissen

MPPA Alumna (2019) has been appointed as the Development Manager, Special Events and Volunteers at Foothill Family, Pasadena. Congratulations Cristina!

Sara Rivera

Has been promoted to the Public Health Program Coordinator position with the Ventura County Public Health Department. Sara is an alumna of California Lutheran University’s Professionals Program, and soon to be a graduate of the MPPA program in 2021. Congratulations Sara!

Should we flee the city to suburbia?

Joel Hayes, MPPA

In late March, a new norm took over America’s cities. What were once thriving shopping centers and busy city streets became lifeless and empty as the new way of living in lock down became apparent. Freeways that once were the dismay of workers on their commute to the office were finally free of traffic as remote work became a quick response by companies and corporations to continue business and keep the economy open. In a global pandemic, not seen on this scale in a century, many Americans realized an opportunity to flee the cities (which had become the most dangerous places to be during COVID-19) and move to suburbia. This new movement became a new dream for some; a suburban lifestyle more closely attached to nature with parks and trees that provided a more idyllic escape from cramped quarters where rent for studios ran upwards of three thousand dollars a month.

When COVID-19 eventually ends, what will happen to cities? Is this just a short term way of living for some? How do public policy makers adapt to such changes to make cities safe and sustainable? I will try to answer a few of these challenges for public policy makers in a short post.

A New York Times article explains how, “For the first time since the tech crash of 2000, housing vacancies in San Francisco are skyrocketing, and rents for one-bedroom apartments are down by 11 percent. It’s not just in San Francisco. Real estate services in Florida and Arizona are reporting similar patterns”. Housing affordability, a serious problem in many U.S. cities, has had public policy makers scrambling for solutions. Different policies such as constructing more affordable housing and rent control immediately became divisive topics fought in city council and public meetings around the country. In a trending environment where affordability and lack of housing is no longer a problem, policy makers have a challenge to promote urban safety and sustainability and prove that cities are a place to live, do work and enjoy entertainment.

The same New York Times article points out how,” in the early 1900’s during industrialization many large cities were suffering from the side effects of rapid industrialization: they were polluted, full of high-density housing with bad sanitation. In response, a new wave of utopian thinkers proposed moving to what Ebenezer Howard, a British urban planner, called “the garden city” in his 1902 manifesto “Garden Cities of To-morrow.” Currently, as cities struggle with entertainment venues, dining and offices shuttered, the movement of some to suburban communities is reminiscent of the “garden city” ideas during the early 1900’s. Yet for public policy makers, the allure of cities can be aided by technology, sustainable ideas, and the promotion of wellness values.

The Wall Street Journal predicts that “70% of the global population will be expected to live in urban areas by 2050”. With an increasing urban density, public policy makers will have to create adjustments to daily life such as providing public transportation that efficiently moves people through the city. As evidenced in the same Wall Street Journal video, if We-Work and other open space offices are the future of business, technology can be used to book conferences and social distancing cubicles and tables become the norm. After using a conference room, workers could disinfect and give people an added sense of safety.

During my trip to Asia in 2019, I was impressed by the cleanliness in a large city such as Singapore where public bathrooms displayed tablets where you could rate on a scale how clean the bathroom was. In some large buildings, air quality monitors provided trust as the air outside was heavily polluted. Cities can and will eventually bounce back; by providing visual measures of safety, citizens can feel a sense of security. The collapse of garden cities, as evidenced by the New York Times article, presents a strong argument that cities heavily reliant on automobiles lack the ability to have everything a person needs in a short distance. Urban planners can adapt to changing needs of the populace keeping green spaces to provide air and solace while being just a bike ride away from shops, dining and more.

Cities filled with diversity, culture and great ideas that transpire in their streets keep the economy growing and communities thriving. The pandemic, in the short term, gives those who can work remotely the option to flee city living, yet that way of living cannot be done by all. With rising housing prices in suburban areas, public policy makers have their work cut out for them. There is a way for cities to bounce back and it will be with the new ideas that emerge from public administrators across the country that spur forward a new and better quality of life for city living.

Announcements

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07eh8i0lrbkdezl1k7/start

The National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE), Southern California Chapter Aims to Clear $1.5 Million in Medical Debt for Los Angeles County Families with Community Fundraiser

NAHSE SoCal is launching a digital campaign with national nonprofit RIP Medical Debt (RIP) to help eradicate medical debt in LA County. Every $100 donated forgives $10,000 of medical debt. Individuals, organizations, and businesses can participate by learning more and donating here.

Here’s how it works. With every donation, RIP Medical Debt uses its precise data analytics to pinpoint the medical debt of those Americans most in need of relief: households whose income is less than two times the federal poverty level, whose debts are five percent or more of their gross annual income, and/or are insolvent. RIP Medical Debt uses donated funds to buy debt in bundled portfolios at a fraction of their original cost. Recipients of relief in Los Angeles County then receive a letter that their debt is forgiven. It’s that easy.

Since 2014, RIP Medical Debt has been providing this gift across the country and most recently in Southern California back in 2019. Christian Assembly Church in Eagle Rock was able to cancel $5.3 million worth of unpaid medical debt with over $50,000 donated during their campaign. RIP Medical Debt also works with credit agencies to restore credit scores after debts have been erased. Unfortunately, at this time RIP’s relief is random and one cannot request financial help.

For more information visit https://ripmedicaldebt.org

School Response for Fall: Rules for campus

After much deliberation and observing the dynamics of changing public health guidelines, Cal Lutheran University has put in place guidelines for working on campus, including limited in-person teaching. You may access the entire information here. Given the dynamic nature of this information, the most updated information will be available on Cal Lutheran website. We encourage you to check guidelines and email the responsible people, if you plan to visit campus.

IOREM Launches

The International Organization for Remittances & Migration (IOREM), a global collaborative of scholars studying migration and remittances was launched in August in Florida. You can become a member, if you are student or scholar, with interest in these topics. Membership will give you access to free events, publications and opportunities to network. Email Jennifer Holguin at jennifer@theplatinum.net for more. For more information click here.