Gary
Klass
Department of Politics and Government
Illinois State University
Housing site
Syllabus
Fall,
2009
The course is
designed to engage its students in a meaningful set of community service
activities that closely parallel many of the main tasks and functions of a
community service organization: planning, community education, budgeting,
volunteer recruitment and management, public relations and
fundraising. Working in conjunction with a local community service agency,
teams of students will design and implement a coordinated series of projects
related to the agency's primary service mission.
The course will serve
a two-fold purpose of a) addressing community-based issues and needs and b)
developing leadership, problem-solving and practical skills related to
managing community service projects. To the extent that this course
succeeds, it will demonstrate how effective organizational practices can
make a substantive contribution to addressing human needs in our community.
The experience and skills gained in this course will benefit students who
will pursue careers in the non-profit community service sector and to those
who will participate as citizens in service to their community working with
local community service agencies.
Course Objectives:
- To develop
an appreciation of social and civic responsibility.
- To develop
students' leadership skills.
- To learn
practical organizational skills associated with specific volunteer service
agency functions.
- To develop
and apply skills in advocacy and problem solving.
- To assess and strengthen
self-awareness and personal skills related to service
and leadership
Community
Service Projects:
Students will be expected to participate in a variety of
projects.
Course Evaluation committee.
This committee will consist of two
subcommittees: one to conduct a periodic evaluation of the entire course, the
other to develop and administer a
rating system for evaluating each student’s contribution to the course.
The system will be similar to the rating system used to LEED-certify a house.
Membership on this committee will rotate.
Course Rating System:
- As a
general rule, one hour of unskilled volunteer work is to be credited
with 1 point
- Written
reports will be evaluated based on the quality of the contribution.
Generally, a well written 3 to 5 page analysis would be given a
maximum of 20 points.
- Any of the
projects may be done as a group project. The entire project gets up
to 2 extra points if it is a group project with the points divided
among the participants.
- For large
projects the group will submit of brief analysis of each member’s
contributions to the evaluation committee.
- For
projects involving a report on the course website, there should be a
class presentation.
-
The instructor
grades and assigns points to the final paper.
General volunteer work. [1 pt. per hour; minimum 40]
Fundraising:
- Major
Fundraising effort: (examples: Concert, bag tourney, Uptown Normal).
Tasks: organization, recruiting sponsors, public relations, thank you
notes.
- Recruiting
student organization (or local business) to run a fundraiser.
-
Helping with
Trick-or-Treat or other fundraiser (participating in the event,
recruiting other participants) .
Community Education Projects:
- General
website organization. Web design, maintaining and updating the home
page, proofreading and re-writing student reports.
- Collegiate
Home Brochure: revise existing brochure with LEED additions. [ISU\IWU
brochure ]
- Organizing a
public forum on Green Building (recruiting speakers, publicity,
organizing the event.
-
Prepare a
promotional video.
Affordable Home Ownership.
Reports to be included in a
section of the course webpage addressing home ownership:
- How to apply
for a Habitat home.
- Housing
stimulus tax credit (for home ownership);
Analysis of
Affordable Housing market in Blooming-Normal
LEED
Location and Linkages:
- Analyze the
Community Resources component of the Habitat home, [section 5.1-5.3 of
the LEED checklist].
- An analysis of
developmental efforts on Bloomington’s Westside.
-
Bloomington-Normal Zoning decisions and NIMBY
LEED
Energy efficiency:
An analysis of the costs and
benefits of an energy-savings feature of the Habitat project (or one
that is or might be included in the houses):
- Major Federal
Energy Tax Credits (general provisions)
-
An analysis of
the costs and benefits of a specific energy-efficient projects
(e.g. solar panels, water heaters, geo-thermal heating, light bulbs)
LEED
Materials & Resources
Participation deductions:
Final
Report.
A ten page report summarizing most of what you have learned this semester,
consisting of 4 to 5 sections is summarizing a different course topic. You
are encouraged to submit drafts of this to the instructor or TA throughout the
semester.
Courses Resources:
Housing Policy
and Affordability:
The Subprime Mess:
LEED Resources:
LEED vs, NAHB:
New Urbanism and SmartGrowth:
Location and Linkages:
Public Housing Vouchers
Gautreaux (powerpoint)
readings:
William Simpson,
A blueprint for `black flight'?
Solomon Moore
As Program Moves Poor to Suburbs, Tensions Follow -
NYTimes.com, August 8, 2008
Hanna Rosin, "American
Murder Mystery" Atlantic Monthly,
July\August, 2008
Mary Lynne Vellinga, "Natomas
crime wave raises question about low-income housing,"
Sacramento Bee July 22, 2008
Xavier de Souza Briggs and Peter
Dreier, "Memphis
Murder Mystery? No, Just Mistaken Identity,"
Shelterforce, 7/22/08
Free Market Analysis of Housing
Affordability:
Habitat Links
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