PSC 713: PUBLIC BUDGETING & FINANCE Summer 2014 Central Michigan University Atlanta, GA Center. Friday, 6:00pm 10:00 pm Saturday, 8:00 am 5:00 pm

Transcription

1 PSC 713: PUBLIC BUDGETING & FINANCE Summer 2014 Central Michigan University Atlanta, GA Center Friday, 6:00pm 10:00 pm Saturday, 8:00 am 5:00 pm July 11-12, 2014 July 25-26, 2014 August 8-9, 2014 Professor: Thomas Greitens Office: 115 Anspach Hall Office Hours: Phone Mon. and Wed.: 11:30-1:00 I. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is an advanced study of public budgets and processes. It emphasizes the political nature of budget preparation, adoption, administration, and evaluation at various levels of government. II. TEXTBOOKS & OTHER MATERIALS The following books are required for this course. They are available at local bookstores as well as national bookstores online. Robert L. Bland A Budgeting Guide for Local Government, 3rd edition. Washington, DC: ICMA Press. ISBN: Irene S. Rubin The Politics of Public Budgeting: Getting and Spending, Borrowing and Balancing, 7th edition. Washington, DC: CQ Press. ISBN: Lynne A. Weikart, Greg C. Chen, and Ed Sermier Budgeting and Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations: Using Money to Drive Mission Success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage/CQ Press. ISBN: Handouts, budgeting documents, and other readings may also be assigned for this course from week to week. III. COURSE METHODOLOGY This course combines lectures, group discussions, exercises, case analyses, budgeting simulations, and student presentations to examine public budgeting & finance in the United States. The course relies on active participation from students. As a result, students are expected to complete class assignments and demonstrate their preparation during class activities. Also, since this course teaches certain financial management techniques that require much calculation, please bring a calculator, laptop, or some type of device that can perform mathematical calculations.

2 IV. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to: 1. Identify and explain the basic elements of a budget 2. Define a successful budget process from an administrative and a political view 3. Identify and explain the sources of incentives for and manifestations of specific budget behaviors 4. Analyze selected budget features and cases, including expenditure and revenue budgets 5. Explain the historical development of the federal budget and processes incorporating budget reform movements 6. Develop and explain a program budget, a performance budget, and unit cost analyses 7. Explain several significant and current budget issues facing national, state, and local budget decision makers V. EXAMINATIONS & OTHER EVALUATIONS Examination Each student is required to complete a post-class exam of between 15-17pages on public budgeting and finance. The exam is graded on a 100 point scale and is worth 30% of the final course grade. The exam is due by August 14, 2014 at 5:00 pm via . Public Budgeting Reading Notes Each student is required to complete three sets of reading notes on public budgeting. These are 3-4 pages of written analysis based on a guiding question(s) announced in class that integrate the more politicized budgeting topics discussed in the textbooks with the more administrative topics of governmental accounting and financial management discussed in the textbooks. These notes should heavily cite the readings. Each set of Reading Notes is worth 10% of the final course grade. Financial Management Simulations Also throughout the semester, each student is required to complete three financial management simulations. These simulations require the use of Excel (or any other spreadsheet technology). Each simulation is worth 10% of the final course grade. All assignments are graded on a 100 point scale. Each student s grade will be based on the following: Final Exam 30% Public Budgeting Reading Notes 30% (10% for each set of Reading Notes) Financial Management Simulations 30% (10% for each Simulation) Class Participation 10% Grading Scale A A B B B C C C E

3 VI. COURSE POLICIES Students With Disabilities CMU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodation to participate in educational programs, activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodation should first register with the Office of Student Disability Services (120 Park Library, phone: ; Telecommunications Device for the Deaf: ), and then contact me as soon as possible. Academic Integrity The Central Michigan University Academic Senate approved the Policy on Academic Integrity in May The policy applies to all university students. In accordance with this policy, all academic work produced in this course is expected to be the product of the student s own efforts and consistent with appropriate standards of professional ethics. Students caught cheating on an examination or any assignment will receive a grade of E for the entire course. Classroom Civility Each CMU student is encouraged to help create an environment during class that promotes learning, dignity, and mutual respect for everyone. Students who speak at inappropriate times, sleep in class, display inattention, take frequent breaks, interrupt the class by coming to class late, engage in loud or distracting behaviors, use cell phones or pagers in class, use inappropriate language, are verbally abusive, display defiance or disrespect to others, or behave aggressively toward others could be asked to leave the class and subjected to disciplinary action under the Code of Students Rights, Responsibilities and Disciplinary Procedures. Recording Devices in the Classroom Students need the permission of the Professor to record any image or sound in the classroom. Unauthorized recording will be treated as a violation of the classroom civility policy. Additionally, unauthorized recordings will be treated as a copyright violation of the Professor's lecture materials. Attendance Students are required to come to each class meeting. When possible, it is the student s responsibility to tell me in advance of expected absences from class. It is also the student s responsibility to give me documentation of the reason for absence, if the absence results in a missed examination or a missed course assignment. Acceptable forms of documentation include notes from supervisors on organizational letterhead or appropriate medical professionals. Note that without this type of documentation, any assignment or examination turned in late carries a penalty resulting in a grade decrease of five points for each day the assignment remains late. 3

4 COURSE SCHEDULE 1 st Weekend Readings and Assignments Due - Read Rubin Chapters 1, 2 and 9 - Read Bland Chapters Read Weikart, Chen, & Sermier Chapters Pre-Class Assignment ("1 st Set of Reading Notes: Revenues") Due: July 11, 2014 After reading the chapters listed above, analyze the topic of revenues by answering the following question. Guiding Question(s) for the 1 st Set of Public Budgeting Reading Notes: What are the major political challenges in regards to governmental revenues? What are the major financial management/accounting challenges in regards to governmental revenues? Do political pressures on governmental revenues influence the financial management of revenues? Explain (with specific citations from the readings). 1 st Weekend Schedule of Topics (Reforms and Revenues) 7/11 Friday PM - Introduction to Public Budgeting and Finance - Module 1: Development of Public Budgets and Budgetary Reforms 7/12 Saturday AM - Module 2: Revenue Sources and Processes - Module 3: Budgetary Decision-Making - In Class Case: Developing New Revenue Sources 7/12 Saturday PM - Module 4: Revenue Forecasting - Module 5: Resource & Revenue Development Analysis - Overview of Financial Management Simulation I (due on the 2 nd Weekend). - Overview of 2 nd Set of Public Budgeting Reading Notes: Expenditures" assigned (due on the 2 nd Weekend). Guiding Question(s) announced during class. 2 nd Weekend Readings and Assignments Due - Read Rubin Chapters 3, 4, and 5 - Read Bland Chapters 6-10, 12 - Read Weikart, Chen, & Sermier Chapters 4, 10, 11-2 nd Set of Public Budgeting Reading Notes due on July 26, Financial Management Simulation 1 due on July 26, nd Weekend Schedule of Topics (Budget Process and Expenditures) 7/25 Friday PM - Module 6: Public Sector Budget Processes 7/26 Saturday AM - Module 7: Expenditure Decisions - Module 8: Cost Estimation Techniques - In Class Case: Cost Estimation (bring calculator and/or laptop) 4

5 7/26 Saturday PM - Module 9: Performance Budgeting: Planning, Measures, and Benchmarks - Overview of Financial Management Simulations 2-3 (due on the 3 rd Weekend) - 3 rd Set of Public Budgeting Reading Notes: Control" assigned (due on 3 rd Weekend). Guiding Question(s) announced during class. 3 rd Weekend Readings and Assignments Due - Read Rubin Chapters 6, 7, and 8 - Read Bland Chapter 11 - Read Weikart, Chen, & Sermier Chapters 3, 5-8, 14-3 rd Set of Public Budgeting Reading Notes Due on August 9, Financial Management Simulations 2-3 Due on August 9, rd Weekend Schedule of Topics (Budget Balance and Control) 8/8 Friday PM - Module 10: Financial Performance Analysis - Module 11: Governmental Accounting 8/9 Saturday AM - Module 12: Budget Execution and Control - Module 13: Capital Budgets - In-Class Case: Ethical Considerations in Privatization and Capital Projects 8/9 Saturday PM - Module 14: Enterprise Resource Planning Systems - Module 15: Contract Management - Final Exam assigned (the post-class assignment). Due via by August 14, 2014 at 5:00 pm 5