New Issue Alert:

Could the path to more inclusive classrooms start with the syllabus?

A new study says yes. Researchers conducted a content analysis of introductory course syllabi from US-based Master of Public Administration (MPA)

The Carter Center’s fall internship application is now open! Explore paid opportunities for undergrads, grad students, and recent grads across a wide variety of programs, and tell us why you’d be a great fit: bit.ly/4czSMNy

Appointed Boards & Committees: The Public Administration Challenge - PA TIMES Online By Joseph G. JarretFebruary 13, 2026 Introduction Boards and commissions (hereinafter “boards”) play a critical role in shaping local communities and governance. These bodies, whether comprised of appointed or elected members, advise bodies politic by making significant policy decisions while overseeing various aspects of public life. Understanding their structure, function, power, authority and impact on […]

In #PATimes:
Appointed Boards & Committees: The Public Administration Challenge
By Joseph Jarret

New research article: Collaboration as a Tool for Equity? Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare Access by Jiho Kim, Tina Nabatchi: doi.org/10.1111/puar...

Contractors sue to block Trump’s federal DEI executive order The lawsuit alleges minority-owned businesses are being forced to trade their First Amendment rights for federal contracts.

Minority contractors sue Trump admin over anti-DEI order, claiming they're forced to "trade their First Amendment right to speak about race and discrimination for fair access to federal contracts." Sean Michael Newhouse explains here: buff.ly/AGjCYlX #DEI #firstamendment

#ThisWeek is out with programs, #PSRW plans, #jobs, news and more! Check out your copy in your inbox and get involved with ASPA #ThisWeeek!
https://t.co/GAIfGxMavt

Preparing for the Future: Succession Planning in Local Government - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By James FlickFebruary 13, 2026 It happens all the time. Long-tenured employees reach retirement and when they transition out of their local government roles, they take decades of institutional knowledge with them. The remaining staff […]

On #PATimes:
Preparing for the Future: Succession Planning in Local Government
By James Flick

Power without accountability: The Palantir manifesto The problems with our tech philosopher kings

New, from me: Take the Palantir manifesto seriously, if not literally.
It reveals that our tech philosopher kings want public money, but without public accountability. This creates a dilemma for governments unaligned with its techno-fascist vision. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/palantir-w...

Trump admin’s challenge of Watergate-era records law alarms historians Scholars warn that DOJ’s declaration that the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional could impact other administrations.

News you may have missed...
Trump admin’s challenge of Watergate-era records law alarms historians
via @Politico
www.politico.com/new...
(This is kind of a big deal...)

MPA Students: Human Fire Poppies - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Thomas BarthFebruary 6, 2026 This past year I had the opportunity to teach MPA students in three different parts of the country, including New Hampshire, North Carolina and Montana. Despite geographic differences and a […]

In #PATimes:
MPA Students: Human Fire Poppies
By Tom Barth

The Rise of Incarcerated Mothers Suggests a Need for Family-Centered  Criminal Justice Reforms - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Melissa Brock & Margaret Mikulski February 6, 2026 The United States currently has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Hyperincarceration has led to a sharp rise in the number of incarcerated parents, particularly […]

In #PATimes:
The Rise of Incarcerated Mothers Suggests a Need for Family-Centered Criminal Justice Reforms

The Code Coup: Blockchain Bureaucracy and the Quiet War on Discretion - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By David P. AdamsFebruary 6, 2025 While the country debates Trump’s latest headline, a quieter revolution is unfolding, one that could remake public administration from the inside out. The second Trump administration has declared war […]

In #PATimes:
The Code Coup: Blockchain Bureaucracy and the Quiet War on Discretion
By David P. Adams

Our Code of #Ethics includes 8 principles to guide public administrators' behavior.
#1: Advance the Public Interest.
Promote the interests of the public and put service to the public above service to oneself.
More: www.aspanet.org/ethics

Redistribution, Rents and Administrative Legitimacy: How Program Design and Implementation Shape Justice Outcomes - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Robert ChoiFebruary 6, 2026 Redistribution has returned to the center of American policy conflict in early 2026 through familiar proposals and equally familiar objections. California’s proposed “2026 Billionaire Tax Act,” for example, would impose […]

In #PATimes:
Redistribution, Rents and Administrative Legitimacy: How Program Design and Implementation Shape Justice Outcomes
By Robert Choi

Judge Again Halts Aboveground Construction on Trump Ballroom A federal judge wrote that an exception he made for work on security features did not cover most of the construction on the larger ballroom project Trump has proposed.

A judge ordered above ground construction on President Trump’s White House ballroom to be halted and said the president appeared intent on skirting a previous order.

#Motivation
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead, American Cultural Anthropologist

Hegseth orders termination of union contracts Though some unions within the Defense Department are protected from the action by federal court orders, the American Federation of Government Employees’ locals remain vulnerable.

DOD leaders are moving to terminate most union contracts, escalating a broader push to limit federal collective bargaining under a national security rationale. AFGE locals remain exposed, while some unions are temporarily shielded by court orders. via Erich Wagner buff.ly/6ho8Aba #dod #unions

The “Foundational Skills” Gap: A Case for Increasing Focus and Resources in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Training and Education - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Adam C. SutkusJanuary 30, 2026 The growing frequency, scale, and overlap of emergencies have heightened awareness among emergency management (EM) and Homeland Security (HS) professionals of the need to prepare for increasingly complex disaster […]

In #PATimes:
The “Foundational Skills” Gap: A Case for Increasing Focus and Resources in Emergency Management and Homeland Security Training and Education
By Adam C. Sutkus

Forest Service shake-up will boost states’ role — but even supporters have concerns • Stateline A sweeping reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service signals that the agency is planning to lean heavily on states to help manage millions of acres of federal land, foresters across the West say.

The closure of 57 research stations, some agency partners fear, will threaten critical science that states and other forest managers rely on to learn about wildfire behavior, timber production and a host of other issues.
stateline.org/2026/04/14/f... via @aspanational.bsky.social
#AcademicSky

Who else is getting excited for 2026 Public Service Recognition Week (#PSRW)? We know... the energy around this annual Week is not where it should be. All the more reason to amp it up and help our public servants know they're appreciated. Plan your celebrations now!

Trump administration moves to erase Jan. 6 riot convictions for seditious conspiracy The Trump administration is moving to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions of extremists involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, who earlier received commutations instead of full pardons.

The Trump administration is moving to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions of extremists involved in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, who earlier received commutations instead of full pardons. n.pr/3OEEHGE

Meeting Them Where They Are: Alexandria's Community Cookout Model for Transformative Public Engagement - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Marcus DowneyJanuary 30, 2026 Introduction Public trust in government institutions continues to erode, placing pressure on municipalities to develop more effective strategies for meaningful community engagement. Traditional outreach methods such as town halls, online […]

In #PATimes:
Meeting Them Where They Are: Alexandria’s Community Cookout Model for Transformative Public Engagement
By Marcus Downey

#ThisWeek is out with programming reminders, #ASPA2026 resources, news, #jobs and more! Check out your copy in your inbox and get involved with ASPA #ThisWeek!
https://t.co/rCsbFis7jX

Trump’s federal workforce changes cost the economy more than $165.6B, analysis finds The Partnership for Public Service report includes the costs of the deferred resignation program, severance pay for laid-off civil servants and federal employees who were on paid administrative leave…

A new analysis estimates the Trump administration’s federal workforce changes have cost the economy more than $165.6 billion, driven by disengaged workers, buyouts, layoffs and grant cuts across science agencies. Reporting by Sean Michael Newhouse

Analyzing the President’s Executive Order on Mail Voting This bid to seize control of mail voting would wreak havoc on elections and harm American voters.

Trump’s executive order to upend mail voting is not only illegal, but would inject chaos into our elections. bit.ly/4mhDqln

Join the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities & APPAM for a timely conversation on strengthening Social Security’s longterm financing. We will explore how Social Security fits into the federal budget, evaluate solutions, & more. Register: www.appam.org/conference-events/policy...

Hold Your Horses: What Community Leaders Need to Know About Managing Large Animals During a Fire Conflagration - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Roger Gray, Tracy E. Rickman, Ygnacio “Nash” Flores & Don Mason January 30, 2026 Effective emergency response depends on planning. When hazards present unique challenges, planning must begin with recognizing that those challenges exist. Wildland […]

In #PATimes:
Hold Your Horses: What Community Leaders Need to Know About Managing Large Animals During a Fire Conflagration
By Roger Gray, Tracy E. Rickman, Ygnacio “Nash” Flores & Don Mason

Amid Tariffs and Conflict, the Port of Long Beach Grows Operations The port of Long Beach is an engine for millions of jobs across the nation. Its CEO talks to <i>Governing</i> about managing operations through trade disruptions.

News you may have missed...
Amid Tariffs and Conflict, the Port of Long Beach Grows Operations
via @Governing

Taming the Wicked Problem - PA TIMES Online The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization. By Tanya SettlesJanuary 30, 2026 Complexity in public administration is one thing, but a wicked problem is something altogether different. A complex problem involves many interacting parts, uncertainty and technical difficulty. These challenges are not […]

In #PATimes:
Taming the Wicked Problem
By Tanya Settles

What the death of Direct File tells us about state capacity We CAN have nice things - if we want them

New, from me: American taxpayers will spend billions of hours and hundreds of billions of dollars — not to pay their taxes, but to report them to the government.
Thank Trump, who killed Direct File, a free tax high-quality reporting tool that IRS had built. 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/what-the-d...