“America’s back, baby!”: Vaccine diplomacy can put America back on the global map

~Sabith Khan, PhD

Is America’s standing in the world getting better with President Biden at the helm? Initial data seems to suggest that this hasn’t yet happened. However, not all is lost. One of the ways that this can be accelerated is through vaccine diplomacy.

As a recent media report pointed out, the commitment by the US to give away about 500 million vaccines is a significant commitment towards a humanitarian crisis. It ought to be recognized for what it is – a gesture of goodwill and a commitment to addressing the largest humanitarian crisis that we as a human race have faced in our lifetimes.

us vaccine diplomacy — source: flickr.com/photos

While the US is still a hegemon of sorts, it is facing stiff competition from China and other global powers, as they jockey to dominate the globe with their money and resources. One of the resources that has emerged as a strong contender in COVID times is the humble vaccine.

India is still working through its second wave, which has killed hundreds of thousands – some estimate millions – of citizens. I have personally witnessed a few deaths in my own family and extended friends’ networks. This has to be the most devastating tragedy that Indians have faced collectively, perhaps since the partition of the country in 1947, when an estimated one million people were killed in the rioting that ensued.

Other parts of the world, including Latin America and Africa, are also still reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and the lack of vaccines and basic health infrastructure that are plaguing these societies. In addition to these circumstances, misinformation is rampant in many of these societies (including in the US), stopping people from getting vaccinated.

So, while “America is back” may be a good political slogan, translating that into implementable actions will be harder than one imagines.

The alternative – one in which the US sits on the sidelines and does nothing – is not an option. That was certainly the action taken by Mr. Trump, causing devastation not just within the US, with hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths, but also massive chaos and suffering around the world.

Delivering those millions of vaccines to countries that have dilapidated healthcare systems and steep nepotism and corruption, along with ensuring that millions get vaccinated is going to be a long and hard battle for all parties involved.

Housing Policy Shapes Our Communities

By Sean Veal, MPPA ‘13

Housing is fundamental to the development of our communities and our lives. Policies that shape the housing landscape have worked to the benefit, and to the detriment of communities across the country. On April 20^th, 2021, I had the opportunity to discuss the impact of housing policies on our communities as a guest lecturer for Dr. Khan’s course entitled “Understanding Development: Challenges and Opportunities.”

The discussion began with an explanation of a common affordability metric known as the housing cost burden measure. A cost-burdened household is one that spends over 30 percent of total household income on housing costs. For renters, housing costs include rent and utilities, and for homeowners, housing costs are comprised of the mortgage, private mortgage insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and property tax. The cost burden measure is imperative to understanding affordability challenges that renter and homeowner households endure.

Consequently, housing affordability disproportionately impacts renter households of color. According to the 2020 State of the Nation’s Housing Report produced by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Black and Hispanic renter households were cost-burdened at rates of 53.7 percent and 51.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, white renter households were cost-burdened at 41.9 percent. These rates illuminate the unequal result of housing affordability by race with renter households of color absorbing the lion’s share of cost burdens.

Housing policy is a tool that at times created affordability dilemmas that are ever-present for households and amplified for communities of color. Discrimination and inequitable housing policy historically perpetuated housing affordability in tight markets through formerly legal mechanisms such as redlining, restrictive housing covenants, steering, and exclusionary zoning as described by Richard Rothstein in his book The Color of Law. The de jure discrimination fostered by housing policy that Rothstein describes has contributed to the housing affordability challenges experienced today, particularly by households of color.

Despite previous housing policies that prevented equal access to housing, there are current policies that have mitigated a stark history of housing inequality through approaches that increase the affordable housing stock, require cities to allocate ample housing for population growth, and provide subsidies to low-income households. These policies are witnessed through programs sponsored by the federal, state, and local governments.

A federal tax program that has improved the affordable housing stock is the Low-Income Tax Credit that incentivizes private developers to build affordable housing for low-income households in exchange for future tax credits. This IRS tax program has been instrumental in improving the affordable housing stock in the nation.

At the state level, the California Housing Element Law and the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) mandate that localities plan for housing supplies that account for and anticipate future growth of their community based on demographic projections. These plans are periodically required to be produced by each city in California. Furthermore, the proposed housing elements and RHNA plan must be approved by the state. Engrained in urban planning, the state-enforced housing policy programs hold cities accountable to accommodate population growth and housing needs.

Lastly, an example of a local housing policy is bonds provided by a city to support developers subsidize affordable housing developments. Proposition HHH is a local example in which Los Angeles voters approved 1.2 billion dollars to finance permanent supportive housing developments to abate rising levels of those experiencing homelessness in the City of Los Angeles.

The high-level overview of housing affordability metrics, affordability challenges, and housing policy were all presented to students to illustrate the impact of housing policy on communities. The confluence of housing policies at the federal, state, and local level exemplifies how housing policy shapes housing in communities.

What is Environmental Justice?

~Jacqueline Phelps

Pursuant to state law, environmental justice means “the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” (California Government Code, 2019). Many of us understand why the consideration of environmental justice in decision-making processes is essential, and have experienced the inequities that have resulted in our communities when it is not. Maybe the community that you grew up in doesn’t have adequate access to open space, or maybe there are too many industrial facilities that have resulted in a heavy pollutant load. These are examples of how land-use decision-making has served to disproportionately assign environmental burdens and benefits throughout the communities that we are a part of.

Unfortunately, the environmental injustices that are embedded within our communities have been perpetuated by institutions over time, and we know that the quality of our lives and the lives of those that we care about are impacted. For example, numerous studies including by Nigra et. al (2020), have found that inequalities in exposure to drinking water contaminants throughout the United States stem from inequalities in the implementation of both land use policy and zoning decisions. Furthermore, disproportionate burdens often fall on lower-income and minority communities (Schaider, 2019).

Screening tools, such as CalEnviro Screen, have been developed in order to help with the identification of communities that have been overburdened by pollution. This tool is accessible to the public, and I encourage you to explore the data available for the communities that you are a part of: https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-30. In addition to identifying overburdened communities, it is critical to examine how environmental burdens fit into a larger policy framework. How does environmental policy intersect with housing policy, or economic development (Corburn, 2017)? Understanding this policy context and the associated decision-making processes are essential for creating more healthy communities and enhancing the accessibility to clean environmental resources.

As the effects of climate change continue to intensify, adverse environmental outcomes will continue to increase within overburdened communities. Not only will air pollution worsen but other adverse effects, such as reduced access to clean water, will be exacerbated (Rudolph, 2018). According to Rudolph (2018), “Climate change acts as a threat multiplier, exacerbating poverty, environmental degradation, and political instability.” As such, it is critical to not only address the environmental issues that exist today but to also create proactive policies and plan for issues that may arise in order to avoid future adverse environmental outcomes.

In Environmental Policy and Planning- PA-5ST-01 we will examine the topic of environmental justice, as well as strategies that can be implemented in order to avoid perpetuating concentrated environmental burdens. Additionally, we will hear from local professionals with expertise in this area, and they will share their approach to initiating policy change in our local communities. Furthermore, we will examine environmental justice policies that are currently being implemented at the state level, as well as a variety of other important environmental topic areas. Please feel free to contact me at jphelps@callutheran.edu if you have any questions about this course. I look forward to seeing you in class!

References:

California Government Code, § 65040.12, (2019). https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=65040.12

Corburn, J. (2017). Concepts for studying urban environmental justice. Current Environmental Health Reports, 4(1), 61–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-017-0123-6

Nigra, A. E., Qixuan Chen, Chillrud, S. N., Lili Wang, Harvey, D., Mailloux, B., Factor-Litvak, P., & Navas-Acien, A. (2020). Inequalities in Public Water Arsenic Concentrations in Counties and Community Water Systems across the United States, 2006-2011. Environmental Health Perspectives, 128(12), 127001-1-127001–127013. https://doi-org.ezproxy.callutheran.edu/10.1289/EHP7313

Rudolph, L., Harrison, C., Buckley, L. & North, S. (2018). Climate Change, Health, and Equity: A Guide for Local Health Departments. Oakland, CA and Washington D.C., Public Health Institute and American Public Health Association.

Schaider, L. A., Swetschinski, L., Campbell, C., & Rudel, R. A. (2019). Environmental justice and drinking water quality: are there socioeconomic disparities in nitrate levels in U.S. drinking water? Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source, 18(1), 1–15. https://doi-org.ezproxy.callutheran.edu/10.1186/s12940-018-0442-6

Expanding Inclusive Curriculum Towards the LGBTQ+ Community in California Schools: How and Why Should Educators Do This?

~Erin Niemi

As the conversation surrounding inclusivity is discussed within the education sector, there has been consideration to address prominent heteronormativity in schools and uplift LGBTQ+ students. It has been found that students identifying as a part of the LGBTQ+ community are at increased risks to suffer from chronic stress as a result of stigma-related discrimination (Smith-Millmen, et. al, 2019) are twice as likely to miss school due to sadness and hopelessness than their non-LGBTQ+ peers (Choi, et. al 2017), and report high levels of physical, verbal, and sexual abuse on campus compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers (Smith-Millmen, et. al, 2019). In order to confront this safety epidemic, educators have begun to explore the ways LGBTQ+ inclusive education could confront safety issues in schools, as well as begin to confront LGBTQ+ erasure and discrimination by omission in all subjects taught.

Benefits of LGBTQ+-Inclusive Education:

Although the passage of The FAIR Education Act, which states that the contributions of “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender” people should be included in curriculum addressing the political and social development of California and the United States was passed and implemented in 2012, fewer than 20% of LGBTQ+ students have reported that they have had positive/neutral representations of LGBTQ+ folks in the classroom (Snapp, et. al, 2015). Additionally, research has shown that LGBTQ+ related issues, topics, and people are underrepresented in the courses such as health and sexuality (Snapp, et. al, 2015), math and science (Snapp, et. al, 2015), and although more included in the fields of English, history, and government, LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum in these areas miss several aspects that would make the curriculum more inclusive. However, when done correctly and with the intention of inclusion, LGBTQ+-inclusive makes school safer for both LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ students, and when this curriculum was implemented, students as a whole heard fewer homophobic slurs, experienced less victimization and bullying, and a reduction of prejudicial attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community (Snapp, et. al, 2015). While LGBTQ+-inclusive curriculum lacks literature in a lot of areas (mostly due to its nonexistence), present research studying it has pointed towards its power to affirm student safety and individuality and extend inclusivity.

How Educators Have Implemented This:

While there is no present standard of LGBTQ+ curriculum, educators and teachers have implemented LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum through the inclusion of literature with LGBTQ+ characters/authors, anti-bullying campaigns, and social justice units. By including and making available reading materials and topics towards LGBTQ+ students, as well as including them next to non-LGBTQ+ topics and literature, educators can combat the lack of representation LGBTQ+ students and educators face both inside and out of the classroom. Additionally, by integrating LGBTQ+-inclusive topics and literature in the classroom, teachers can give students a more realistic version of the global population aside from what they have traditionally heard about in school and inside their home. This way, teachers can promote lifelong learning and tolerance while simultaneously acknowledging diversity and fighting back on stigma (Batchelor, et. al, 2018).

Why Is This Important:

As LGBTQ+ students face disproportionate violence, lack of school safety, and a lack of representation in the classroom, it is important that educators consider adding LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum within their current class material in lieu of policy passage in order to help foster school safety, inclusivity, tolerance, and reduce discrimination the LGBTQ+ community faces. By increasing LGBTQ+ inclusive content in schools, students will have a safer and more tolerant learning environment to learn in, as well as will have a better picture of the global population and all of the people within it. By including LGBTQ+-inclusive topics in the classroom, educators can also help combat discrimination by omission as well as discrimination through homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic stereotypes and prejudiced beliefs. By expanding representation, acknowledging the LGBTQ+ community, and advocating for inclusive content that reflects the world as it is, rather than through the heteronormative and cisgender lens, educators and institutions can begin to make the necessary change in order to protect LGBTQ+ youth and create education that discusses prevalent, yet often unmentioned, current issues that impact the global community as a whole.

References:

Batchelor, K. E., Ramos, M., & Neiswander, S. (2017). Opening Doors: Teaching LGBTQ-themed Young Adult Literature for an Inclusive Curriculum. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 91(1), 29–36.

Choi, S. K., Baams, L., & Wilson, B. D. M. (2017). LGBTQ Youth In Public Schools, Differences Across the State. The Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/LGBTQ-Youth-CA-Public-Schools-Oct-2017.pdf.

Smith-Millman, M., Harrison, S. E., Pierce, L., & Flaspohler, P. D. (2019). “Ready, willing, and able”: Predictors of school mental health providers’ competency in working with LGBTQ youth. Journal of LGBT Youth, 16(4), 380–402. https://doi.org/10.1080/19361653.2019.1580659

Snapp, S. D., Burdge, H., Licona, A. C., Moody, R. L., & Russell, S. T. (2015). Students’ Perspectives on LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum. Equity & Excellence in Education, 48(2), 249–265. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2015.1025614

Snapp, S. D., McGuire, J. K., Sinclair, K. O., Gabrion, K., & Russell, S. T. (2015). LGBTQ-inclusive curricula: why supportive curricula matter. Sex Education, 15(6), 580–596. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2015.1042573

How should we think about “development”?

I conceptualized a new course this term, to make up for the study abroad course that I could not offer. I ambitiously called it “understanding development,” keeping in mind the idea that we would discuss what this term means and what we should do about it.

understanding development — source: medium.com

The reaction from students so far is pretty positive and I have an almost full class. The debates and discussions that arise are lively and encouraging. I am taking a critical perspective of the term, in the tradition of James C Scott or Dudley Seers. I am forcing the students to challenge their assumptions and ask some difficult (and seemingly strange) questions.

One student pointed out that the fact that life expectancy for African-American men in NY City can be as short as someone living in Afghanistan “shocking.” This is unfortunately true, and we can see several examples of “underdevelopment”, in the classical sense in our own neighborhoods.

During my drive to the pharmacy this morning, I heard about the eviction of the homeless in Echo Park, in LA. The fact that hundreds of homeless people are being evicted, with no real solution in place is appalling. However, when one thinks about this in the context of existing social order and what we are willing to tolerate or not, things start to make sense. Of course, in every society, different groups have different priorities and usually, the priorities of the ruling classes dominate.

One could look at this cynically and argue that we are witnessing nothing but the impacts of the economic way of thinking, meaning, our privileging of economic growth over other factors: social cohesion, justice, equality, etc. and that may be true. As Stephen Macekura points out in his book “The mismeasure of progress,” this question was posed by pioneers of the study of development such as Dudley Seers. Seers pointed out that we “measure what we value, we value what we measure. To envision the world anew requires new tools, but also a clear articulation of the ethical commitments and politics that give them force.” (p.10).

Macekura further points out that the very nature of statistical measures can be value-laden. For instance, do we consider the non-paid work of women at home as part of economic activity, if not; why? What about volunteer work?

Statistics have been part of the national self-definition process, as Macekura adds that

“Census data, moreover, often defined the boundaries of national belonging and social difference by enumerating who counted— literally— as members of the nation.”

In the current trend of ‘local economies’ and ‘national economies’, recovering after the covid pandemic, one is tempted to ask: what exactly are we talking about here? Does speaking of a ‘national economy’ mean the same thing when we talk about a highly organized and structured society like the US and another such as India, which has a huge informal economy? Is there equivalence in terms and concepts?

References

Macekura, S. 2020. The mismeasure of progress – Economic growth and its critics. Uni of Chicago Press.

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.

MPPA Newsletter – Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Message from the Director

Director’s Note
Sabith Khan, Ph.D.

Welcome to yet another Spring term,

The Spring of 2021 is one of the multiple promises – the promise of cure, the promise of economic recovery, and the promise of unity. And like all promises, this season depends on us upholding our end of the bargain, to make all of this work.

The elections in 2020 proved to be not only historic but also saw the most voter engagement ever. We can congratulate ourselves that democracy has prevailed, despite some hiccups and that procedural democracy led to a substantive democracy. The next couple of months will be crucial as we deal with a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and the aftermath of an election that was both historic and path-breaking. Tackling COVID-19 has been and will continue to be a top priority for all Americans, at the federal and state levels.

This period in American history is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that everyday Americans make as we go about our everyday lives. The postman who delivers your mail, the nurse who cares for the sick (and dying), the teachers who show up to work knowing that they may get infected with covid-19, are all reminders that decency and a commitment to making the world a better place exists despite the rancor, noise, and fighting between political groups.

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about this ‘group solidarity’ in the America of the 1800s when he pointed out the nature of the emergent civil society in America. Writing in “Democracy in America” that “Societies are formed to resist enemies which are exclusive of a moral nature, and to diminish the vice of intemperance in the United States associations are established to promote public order, commerce, industry, morality, and religion; for there is no end which the human will second by the collective exertions of individuals, despairs of attaining (p.214).” Tocqueville spoke highly of the spirit of the Americans to come together to solve problems and address issues that were of common interest.

Fast-forward two centuries, while issues of inequality, access to healthcare have assumed center stage, we must not forget that solving these will require not just facts, but also a bit of imagination and ‘group solidarity’ and a focus on the common issues facing all of us.

How we resolve this will depend on our collective imagination and our ability to link our own experiences to that of the needs of our society. C Wright Mills, a Sociologist called this capacity one’s ‘sociological imagination,’ i.e., to have a “vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and wider society.’ It seems like we all need to develop more of this to tackle the challenges before us.

The need to address this pandemic on a war footing is not just key, but the most significant policy priority, points out Amitai Etzioni, a political scientist and a scholar, who advocates “communitarianism,” a political philosophy based on the obligations of the individual towards his/ her community. This could also be compared to the concept of Asabiya, or group solidarity as defined by Ibn Khaldun, the 14th-century philosopher considered the father of modern sociology.

As scholars, practitioners, and thinkers, we are responsible for developing our sociological imagination and realizing our responsibility towards others, both as community members and members of a body politic. May our collective imagination bring forth a more healthy, united, and vibrant country.

Finally, I want to welcome our incoming students as well as those who have been with us for a few terms.

I am hoping to see all of you in person, soon!

Education Policy in Action

Loredana Carson, Ed.D.
Often things that happen on the federal level center on issues far from the daily life of college students and recent college graduates, but a looming policy on the horizon is worth following, especially for MPPA students. Joe Biden is proposing a new loan forgiveness program that will provide student debt relief of $10,000 for every year of national or community service, up to a maximum of 5 years or $50,000. Both graduate and undergraduate loans will qualify for the relief. Teachers, government officials, and other non-profit employees would qualify for the program. For more information, you can read the plan on Biden’s website here:

In addition, the President plans to fix the existing but currently non-functional Public Service Loan Forgiveness program by ensuring the passage of the What You Can Do For Your Country Act of 2019. The administration plans to have both options open to qualifying individuals. More details are available here

Another platform that President Biden often mentioned on the campaign trail was the concept of eliminating student debt in general. Now that the two seats in Georgia have been turned blue, it is indeed possible that this idea will continue to gain traction and indeed may even someday become a reality.

While the exact amount of the debt relief and the details of the policy implementation remain vague, policy analysts are discussing amounts ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Support for the initiative is bipartisan but the amount supported appears to follow party lines, with Democrats pushing the amount up and the Republicans preferring the lower amount if they support the measure at all. Biden appears to favor the $10,000 amount, which the more liberal consider to be too small an amount while the conservatives think it is too much.

The idea of forgiving student debt is not new, but since the pandemic, the need has grown as the economy has stalled and unemployment has become a real issue for many, recent graduates included. Before COVID-19, 25% of all student loans were either delinquent or at risk of default. President Biden has extended the previous administrations’ order to pause monthly loan payments for federally insured student loans until the fall of 2021. When the pause order expires, many more than 25% of the loans could be in jeopardy.

Many who advocate for debt relief comment that enacting this policy could go a long way to close the racial wealth gap as people of color have been more impacted than the general population and are therefore the most at risk of struggling with repayment. Analysts think it unlikely that Biden will propose the debt relief begin until Fall of 2021 when the current pause expires. The delay will also give him time to focus on other pressing matters regarding the pandemic and the economy and also to gather bipartisan support for the measure. There is some optimism that some form of debt relief will allow millions of people carrying student loan debt to be able to start thinking about other goals they have had to put on hold and also allow that money to stimulate the economy.

New Faculty/Courses

Steve Mermell - The City manager of City of Pasadena will be teaching Local Economic Development in the MPPA program, starting in the Spring term. Mermell brings over 35 years of experience in City Management and related areas and is also on the advisory board of the MPPA department. Join us in welcoming him to our program.

Meet our New Program Specialist: Rachael Fowler

Many of you have already met or interacted with Ms.Rachel Fowler, our new Program Specialist. For those of you who haven’t here is a short introduction by Rachael, in her own words:
“Hello all! I am excited to start work in the MPPA program. I have three degrees; Associates of Arts in Social Sciences, Associates of Science in Child Development and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. I ran a successful Childcare business for 25 years. I love working with children, especially toddlers. I am fortunate to be married to my best friend. Our two sons are married, and we have 4 ½ grandchildren.”

Interview with Ana Garrett: Foreign Service Officer, State Dept., MPPA Alumna

Ana Garrett graduated from the MPPA program in 2014 and since then has worked for the U.S. State Department in various capacities. Here is a short interview with her that outlines her experience as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer.

Biography: I was born in Wisconsin and got my BA in legal studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1998 I joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard and served 7 years including 2 years of active duty after 9/11 for Operation Enduring Freedom. I also have a paralegal certificate in Corporate Law from UCLA. I worked in the Auto Industry for Volkswagen of America as a factory representative in California and then in Washington state. In 2018 I joined the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer with a specialization (cone) in Management. I am currently posted in Nouakchott Mauritania in Africa. My next post will be in Amsterdam Holland. I have three adult children and two lovely grandchildren. I enjoy painting, pottery, working out and walking my sweet Australian-Shepherd Luna.

1. Tell us about what you do and how you got to the State Department?
I currently work in Nouakchott Mauritania at the United States Embassy. I am a General Services Officer and I specialize in six areas of responsibility. An American Embassy, whose main purpose is to represent and promote American interests abroad is a complex operation. I focus on supporting the logistical needs of the Embassy and its staff. On a daily basis I might be locating housing for new incoming families, ensuring items are ordered and received according to Federal Procurement laws, confirming motor pool schedules are efficient and drivers have all of their training classes, or helping to ensure travelers have a smooth arrival or departure. I oversee a large team of over 65 locally employed staff. It is truly the most challenging and difficult job I have ever had. However, knowing I am representing my country overseas and playing a small part of a greater mission makes it all worth it.

2. What is your motivation for public service?
My motivation is two-fold, firstly I believe fully in the ideals of our country. I am happy to know that when I meet people overseas, I am a representative of the United States. I take great pride in knowing that I have been trusted with ensuring that the taxpayer’s money is spent wisely. Secondly, I really enjoy traveling and meeting people from other countries. It is one thing to travel, but to become immersed in another country is enlightening and often humbling. I also really enjoy languages and the State Department actually pays us to learn new languages. I spent 9 months learning French full-time at the Foreign Service Institute so I could communicate here in Mauritania (a former French colony).

3. How did the MPPA program prepare you for your career?
I was working almost 15 years in the Auto Industry before I got my MPPA. I knew that I wanted to serve either overseas or in local government. The MPPA program was invaluable in allowing me to have the skills that made me an attractive candidate for the Foreign Service. There were several professors that encouraged me and even offered to review my personal statement for my application. I will be forever grateful for the mentorship offered by both Dr. Herbert Gooch and Dr. Valeria Makarova. For anyone considering a job in public service, I say without a doubt that the MPPA program was critical in my success.

4. What advice would you give to those in the program preparing for their Foreign Services Exam?
I would suggest that you start off by taking the exam without much preparation. That will give you a baseline to get a feel for the test and to show you which categories to focus on. It is a difficult test, but you can absolutely study for it. There are several books and sites online that can assist. There is also a reddit group and yahoo groups where you can chat with other test takers. After passing the test, you will write essays demonstrating your leadership abilities. If you are invited to the oral assessment in Washington D.C., I suggest you find a group of potential test takers and practice weekly for the assessment. This practice was invaluable, and I made friends with people who later also passed the test and became my colleagues.

5. Any other tips/suggestions on how to prepare for a public service, either locally or globally?
I suggest you focus on what you are passionate about. If you follow what you love, you will always have satisfaction and I promise the money will follow. On a practical note, educate yourself through good news sources about what is happening in the world. Learn who the key issues and players are on a global, National, or local scale. Get involved in something that interests you and make connections. Just be aware that although the world is a big place, we are all part of the community and more alike than different.

Student & Alumni news/ updates:

Matthew Standsberry was nominated to present at the annual Ventura County Public Works Agency State of the Union.

“It was an honor to be nominated and present at the annual Ventura County Public Works Agency State of the Union on behalf of Ventura County Water and Sanitation. This year’s theme was “Embracing Change, A Better Way Every day, The VCPWA Way”. This event required a lot of time and preparation, but was extremely rewarding to present the work that our agency does for our community.”

Erin Niemi, a current MPPA student has secured a public service internship with the County of Ventura. Erin’s internship is geared towards social media, public relations, policy implementation, research, and marketing and I’ll be working to do a bit of everything.

Matthew Gammariello clears CA Bar exam!

My journey through this MPPA program has not been far from traditional. It has not been traditional because on Friday, January 8, 2020, I passed the California Bar examination all the while still needing to complete two classes to finish my MPPA studies. Usually, when someone completes their undergraduate studies they start either in the workforce or decide for more education. My story might seem strange because I graduated from Loyola Law School and then decided to do this MPPA program. This is because it was not until my final year at Loyola that I found my passion which was public administration and service. I vividly remember taking Healthcare Law, Administrative Law, and Land Use Controls (think Urban Planning) at Loyola and from these classes, I knew that my calling was in public administration and service.

After I graduated from law school, I enrolled in this MPPA program. I can not tell you how much I learned from this program that will help me move up the ranks within a governmental agency. This program after law school helped refine my writing while I learned more about the history and complexities of public administration procedure and implementation.

While I took this October 2020 examination during a pandemic and after being twice postponed (from July to September than to finally October). I did this while completing my MPPA studies taking one class a term. If anything this whole process has taught me that perseverance and determination come from within yourself. I know this because I have been blessed to have had classes with a majority of the future graduates in this Program. I still am amazed at what the future has in store after hearing your personal stories. Also, how a majority of you have jobs already in public administration but you have a thirst for wanting more in your career. This Program will give it to you in spades. “

Greg Sefain’s capstone project featured in San Fernando Valley Business Journal!

Current student, Greg Sefain recently completed his capstone project focusing on the revitalization of the restaurant industry in the City of Pasadena. His project was featured in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal in January. Here is a snapshot.

Maram Alzahrani
Maram Alzahrani, MPPA class of 2019 has been admitted to the PhD in Organizational Leadership program at Pepperdine University.

Kevin Young
Kevin Young, MPPA class of 2019 has joined as a US Probation and Pretrial Services Officer at United States Courts, LA Metropolitan Area

Faculty updates :

Prof. Chris Beck

Prof. Beck was appointed as the City Attorney for the City of Palmdale, beginning on September 1, 2020. Prof. Beck has been an adjunct professor with Cal Lutheran since 2016 and teaches Law & Public Policy.

Alex Balkin

In September 2020, Alex Balkin became the Director of Command Reviews and Investigations (CR&I) at Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (NSWC-PHD). The CR&I Office is the local representative of the Naval Inspector General and objectively evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of the Command. Additionally the office is responsible for the identification, prevention, and remediation of fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement.
Prof. Balkin teaches a course in Program Evaluation in the MPPA program.

Prof. Sandy Smith appointed to the Ventura County Workforce Development Task Force

Sandy Smith is a project manager of Sespe Consulting, Inc. in Ventura. He is responsible for providing strategic analysis and counseling in land use planning and project planning. He is a former mayor for the City of Ventura, past chair and current policy chair for the Ventura County Economic Development Association, and a senior adjunct instructor in the California Lutheran Universities Masters Program in Public Policy and Administration. “Huge sections of our workforce have been impacted by the coronavirus, especially in specific socio-demographic sectors,” says Smith. “The virus further compounded the divide between the haves and the have-nots. The workplace is changing, and we must find ways to retrain workers to help the county reemerge economically. I believe Ventura County is well-positioned. We have a history of working collaboratively across sectors, and we are a small enough county so that innovative programs can have an impact.”

Khan’s book wins national research Award at Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA)

Dr. Sabith Khan’s book (co-authored with Dr. Shariq Siddiqui) “Islamic Education in the US and Evolution of American Muslim Nonprofit institutions” won the prestigious Virginia Hodgkinson Research Book Prize, ARNOVA 2020 in November 2020.

Founded in 1971 as the Association of Voluntary Action Scholars, ARNOVA is a neutral, open forum committed to strengthening the research about and helping shape better practice in these realms. For more information, visit www.arnova.org

Khan’s book release

Dr. Sabith Khan and his co-author, Dr. Daisha Merritt also released their book, “Remittances and International Development-The Invisible Force Shaping Community,” in August 2020 (Routledge Press). This book is an examination of remittance flows between USA-Mexico and India-Saudi Arabia.

Events :

The MPPA program hosted two career events (see posters and links to recordings below).

View the recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhMHStZhelQ&t=2503s

View the recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMa2YlPY8bo&t=3s

What we are reading :

The MPPA program would love to feature you and your career and education updates. Please email us if you would like to share an event from your life. Send text and photos to sabkhan@callutheran.edu OR carson@callutheran.edu

Connecting@CalLutheran – At this time, as we move along our gradual path to repopulating, there are no plans to continue the Connecting@CalLutheran webinar series. To view recorded episodes of the webinar, which was launched in March to bring us together while we were separated physically, click here.

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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?