SPEAvoice

A publication of the:

School of Public and Environmental Affairs

at Indiana University South Bend

 

November 2007
 

From the Dean

   Dear SPEA Students:

 

Next summer there will be some administrative restructuring of SPEA. I'd like to share with you what we know at this point so that you have facts.  As further decisions are made, we will share those with you.

 

First and foremost, it is the university's obligation to provide courses so that all currently enrolled students can complete the degree they started. This means that, whether you are an undergraduate or a graduate student, you can complete your degree following the requirements that were in place when you started your program at IUSB.  

 

A study group appointed by President Herbert last summer looked at all the university-wide schools and ultimately recommended that SPEA not be continued as a system school. President Herbert asked each campus to discuss administrative options for SPEA, and other university-wide schools in South Bend.  Vice Chancellor Guillaume appointed a special Faculty Senate committee and asked them to make recommendations about SPEA and the other system schools.  His charge to that committee focused on SPEA and suggested that SPEA would not continue as we have been.  After considering options since last September, that committee, the SPEA faculty as a group, and several individual SPEA faculty members made recommendations to VC Guillaume.  After considering all those recommendations, he decided on the following changes to become effective July 1, 2008.

►Criminal Justice will become a new department in the School of Liberal Arts & Sciences staffed by the current CJ faculty (Professors Peat and Xu and Mr. Seniff), and one new faculty member.

 

►The BSPA and the MPA will move to the Department of Political Science along with Professors Candler and Trottier.

 

►The BSHSM will move to the School of Business and Economics along with Professors Singh and Hall.  

 

►Cindy Vukovits will move to LAS and Cheryl Ashcraft to Education.

 

Current students will be able to complete their degrees but those who enroll in the Fall of 2008 will have different requirements.  So, this is farewell from SPEA.  Call me or one of the faulty members to stay in touch.

 

                        Leda McIntyre Hall

                        Lhall@iusb.edu

 

MENTORING WORKSHOP

 

On March 27, 2007 Theresa Brady and Barbara Peat, Associate Professor facilitated an informational workshop about the advantages and challenges of mentoring juvenile and adult offender populations.  Participants were provided a collection of useful information and resources for additional reading.  The workshop was well attended, with approximately 20 participants representing a variety of agencies and organizations including the Indiana Department of Correction (from both juvenile and adult facilities), a faith-based offender transition program, and internship students from Ivy Tech State College.  Plans were made to provide follow-up workshops with information ranging from development of collaborations, grant writing, and program evaluation.

 

 

PEAT SERVES AS  DIRECTOR OF THE MPA PROGRAM

 

 

Barbara Peat started as the Director of the MPA Program in 2006, and will remain in that position until July 1, 2008.  She assumed this role after the retirement of Professor Paul Herr. Dr. Peat received her Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in 1997.  She has been a faculty member with SPEA for the past 10 years.  Her degree is interdisciplinary with concentrations in management and counseling.  Her Master and Bachelor degrees are in criminal justice.  Dr. Peat has done as great deal of service since her start at IUSB in both university and community work.  Her area of research, publication, and service is predominately in program evaluation, focusing specifically on assessment in higher education although she continues to conduct program evaluations of publicly funded social service programs serving offender populations.

 

IN MEMORIUM

 

Dec. 27, 1985 – July 12, 2007

 

 

Kelly Ann Dulcet started classes at Indiana University South Bend in the fall of 2004, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree in SPEA.  Kelly was on track to graduate in December of 2007 at which time she wanted to begin a career in law enforcement.  Kelly was a motivated and dedicated student.  She was committed to her goals and applied herself with an energy and enthusiasm that is evidenced by her excellent grades.  Kelly was the recipient of the Officer Paul R. Deguch Memorial Scholarship for two years.  She was the Sergeant of Arms for the Criminal Justice Association and participated in numerous club activities including the fall softball game with faculty and students, the criminal justice quiz bowl, and the activity center social event.  Kelly always expressed her enthusiasm to assist the Club and the program in any way she could.  Her positive attitude and cheerful nature brought a smile to all who knew her.   I know that Kelly’s contributions to the Criminal Justice Program, the Club, and classroom discussions and activities will long be remembered.  The SPEA community, students and faculty alike, will miss her.

                                                                        Barbara Peat, Ph.D.

                        Associate Professor

 

Blue-Ribbon Commission on Local Government Reform

 

The Local Government Reform Commission held a press conference and a public information gathering session Thursday, Oct. 11, in the fourth floor Council Chambers of the County-City Building.

 

The purpose of the Blue-Ribbon Commission on Local Government Reform is to develop recommendations to reform and restructure local government in Indiana in order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations and reduce its costs to Hoosier taxpayers.  The group is co-chaired by former Gov. Joe Kernan and Chief Justice Randy Shepherd.

 

 

 

 

 

The bi-partisan commission will consider long-term changes to the structure of local government with the goal of making the important services delivered at the local level more efficient and cost effective. The commission will report its findings and recommendations by late December in time for the 2008 session of the Indiana General Assembly.

 

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) at Indiana University South Bend provided staff support and analysis for the South Bend session. IUPUI’s SPEA is providing assistance for the other five sessions.

 

“An important part of this process is listening to the ideas and recommendations of Indiana’s citizens,” Kernan said. The commission has already received hundreds of comments at the commission’s e-mail at lgreform@iu.edu.

 

For additional information on the commission, visit their website at http://indianalocalgovreform.iu.edu/.

 

25 YEARS OF SERVICE

 

Tony Luber first taught at IUSB in 1982.  Tony was first recruited to teach classes on Saturday mornings.   After the first couple years, his class moved to Friday mornings, and that is when he has taught Evidence, Criminal Law and Criminal Court Procedures.

 

Tony has been an attorney in South Bend for 40 years, and has three children who have graduated from IUSB.  He served 8 years on the South Bend School Board, and is a part time public defender in addition to his general practice.

 

Thank you for your many years of steady, faithful service to SPEA.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ASSOCIATION

 

The Student CJA has been very active in the past year participating in a variety of community service, academic, and social events.  Faculty and students participated in a softball

 

scrimmage in September of 2006.  A Quiz Bowl took place in October 2006 and focused on various academic based questions relevant to numerous topics in criminal justice.  Many students were involved in assisting the local Marines in raising donations for Toys for Tots.  This project was successful with over 100 new toys donated!!  In February 2007 the Association hosted a recreational night at the Student Activity Center with numerous students and several faculty attending.  In March 2007 the Association hosted the annual Criminal Justice Night Out at which approximately 20 local employers were available to provide students with information about internship and career opportunities.  Barbara Peat serves as the faculty advisor to the Association.

 

Did you know?

 

Indiana currently has about 2,370 local units of government with the authority to levy property taxes.  This includes 92 counties, 1008 townships, 117 cities, 450 towns, and 293 school corporations.  Only 9 states in the country have more.  To govern all of these units, Indiana elects an estimated 10,746 officials, including 1100 alone with responsibility for property tax assessment.

 

Only 11 states have more than Indiana’s 92 counties.  Many states that are much bigger geographically and demographically (including California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York) have substantially fewer counties and thus county governments.  Only 18 states have more school districts.  Indiana school districts range in size from more than 30,000 to fewer than 200 students, with 52 districts having fewer than 1,000 pupils.  Only 13 states have more library districts.  31 states have no township government, and of the 19 states that do, only 8 have more than Indiana’s 1,008 townships.

 

As a result of this “layering” of local government, a typical Hoosier pays property taxes to at least five different taxing units, and often many more.  Total levy growth during this period has grown at twice the rate of inflation (3%) and tax base growth (2.9%).