MISSION STATEMENT

"To help students and citizens develop a reason-based political perspective by explicating the core ideas, information, and assumptions, relevant to American politics and public administration."

"By teaching citizens to evaluate politics at an ideological/ conceptual level, I hope to empower them to better understand political rhetoric and the compatibility between political arguments and their own interests, between their view of the public good and that of political and governmental actors. The ability to recognize assumptions in politics allows busy Americans to better filter the sea of factual and interpretive information presented to them daily. Comfort and familiarity with contested ideas allows one to discern between relevant and non-relevant facts or evidence. It allows one to cut through the superficial rhetoric and get to the heart of the matter, which is far less time consuming than trying to evaluate large amounts of information without understanding the contending assumptions (the real stakes). Most Americans withdraw from serious political participation because of a lack of sufficient understanding of the basic institutional and ideological terrain. They get frustrated by the petty and acrimonious bickering of politics and have few opportunities to deliberate about public policy issues. The absence of understanding and opportunity leaves most of us in the untenable position of trying to understand the forest by randomly examining individual trees. It is my job, in my view, to encourage and assist people to think critically about politics and governance."

COURSES TAUGHT

American Government & Politics

Critical Thinking & Persuasive Writing I (Honors Program)

Political Parties & Interest Groups

Debating Democracy (FYE course)

Debating the Welfare State

Participation in American Politics Post 9-11

Civic Participation in the Age of Obama

Talking Heads, Quiet Minds: Pundits, Politics, & Public Opinion

Contemporary Issues in American Politics (seminar)

Public Sector Ethics

Public Administration

Public Budgeting & Finance

Public Policy Analysis & Evaluation

AREAS OF RESEARCH

Civic Engagement/ Education

Political Culture

Massachusetts Politics

Political Parties, Interest Groups, & Elections

Public Opinion & Political Socialization

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Committee on Academic Freedom

University Curriculum Committee

Faculty Adviser to: College Republicans, College Democrats, Veterans Appreciation Organization

PUBLIC/ COMMUNITY SERVICE

Member, Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty (Hampden County Chapter)

Elected Member, Longmeadow (MA) School Committee (2005-08)

Elected Member, Longmeadow (MA) Democratic Town Committee

Elected Member, Massachusetts State Democratic Committee

Longmeadow (MA) Youth Sports Coach: Baseball & Basketball

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Amherst

M.A., University of Massachusetts, Amherst

M.P.A., The George Washington University- School of Business & Public Management

B.A., The Catholic University of America

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Tenured Associate Professor, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT

Freelance Consultant (education & training, public policy, political campaigns)

Faculty Consultant, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ

Assistant Professor, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Adjunct Professor, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

Lecturer, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA

Lecturer, American International College, Springfield, MA

Graduate Teaching Fellow, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Graduate Research Fellow, The George Washington University, Washington, DC

Analyst, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC

Lobbyist, Bonner & Associates, Washington, DC