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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 11-14-2006-5fORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: November 14, 2006 Action Agenr~da Item No. SUBJECT: Agreement with UNC Master of Public Administration Program for Permanent Budget Internship DEPARTMENT: Manager/Budget PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: UNC MPA Program Director Letter Rod Visser, 919-245-2308 Donna Coffey, 919-245-2151 PURPOSE: To consider approval of an arrangement with the Master of Public Administration (MPA) Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .under which the County will employ a selected MPA student annually to serve as a Budget intern. BACKGROUND: For many years, the County's annual operating budget has included funding in the Budget.Office for the hiring of an intern to assist the permanent Budget staff in the development and administration of the annual budget and in performing other management- related research and analysis. Budget interns have participated in "budget season" meetings with the Manager, Budget Team, and operational department staff to review and discuss budget requests and recommendations. At times, interns have taken on the same responsibilities for one or more operating. departments as permanent Budget Analysts. Interns have come from several different MPA programs in the Research Triangle area, but the vast majority have been members of the UNC MPA program that historically ranks among the top ten MPA programs nationally. Over the years, a number of MPA interns have returned to serve with distinction in filling permanent County positions, having acquired valuable experience during their stints as MPA interns. The proposed arrangement would by no means preclude the employment of other MPA interns (whether from UNC or other MPA programs) in other departments when funds are available and intern skills match work requirements. In 2005, the UNC MPA program director contacted Orange County to request that the County consider making ifis typical annual hiring of an intern a permanent arrangement. Under the proposal, the Carolina MPA program would select a highly qualified candidate (subject to County staff approval) from the incoming.MPA class to work from 10-16 hours per week on Mondays and Fridays in the Budget Office while accomplishing the MPA course of study Tuesday through Thursday each week. The County would have a guaranteed source for a talented budget intern, and the MPA program would have an additional element to present as part of a financial aid package to help attract the best and brightest students who intend to make a career of public service. Details of the arrangement are outlined in the materials from the UNC MPA Program Director. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The anticipated cost of the internship program is expected not to exceed $12,000 annually. These funds are included in the annual operating budget of the Budget Office, and would therefore require no additional funding beyond that historically included in the department's budget. . RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the County's participation in the permanent MPA internship arrangement with UNC, and authorize the Manager to complete the administrative details through a memorandum of understanding with the UNC MPA Program. SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT John Link Orange County 200 S. Cameron St. P.O. Box 550 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear John: THE UNIVERSITY of NORTH CAROLINA nt CHAPEL HILL 3 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM T 9t9.966.o4z5 KNAPP-SANDERS BUILDING F gig.g6z.8z~i CAMPUS BOX 3330 www.mpa.unc.edu CHAPEL HILL, NC z7599-3330 March 28, 2005 We want to recruit you and your county government! We at the Master of Public Administration Program actually are more experienced at recruiting outstanding students from North Carolina and across the nation than we are at recruiting local governments, but we hope to be successful at this, too. Success will be good for us and good for you. We are offering a way for your local government to take advantage of your proximity to the Carolina MPA Program to add an excellent employee to your staff at a very reasonable price. We currently have agreements with the Town of Chapel Hill'andahe~Department of State Treasurer to provide to each of these organizations a graduate student who will work for them on Mondays and Fridays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, they. are full-time students with us. Participating organizations can fund the student either through a contract with the MPA Program or simply by paying the student as a part-time employee. Either way, they tap into the benefits of the extensive recruitment and screening efforts that we at the MPA Program undertake every spring. They-or you-get a very talented employee in the bargain. This is not a realistic option for every local government across the state. It is realistic only for those within an easy commute of Chapel Hill. You are an attractive employer to our outstanding students. I hope you will consider exploiting the special advantage you have and will tap into an extraordinary pool of talent right at your doorstep. Please let us hear for you. Sincere , David N. Amnions MPA Director ~a"~• ct ~k ~~~ p r~ 4 4 un.r ~°'n .2~JS•IHh. The UNIVERSITY of NORTH CAROLINA at CHAPEL HILL SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT Michael R. Smith Institute of Government Dean Master of Public Administndon Program WORK-STUDY OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Each year, the Master of Public Administration Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recruits excellent students, most with previous public service experience. From among these outstanding students, a select set is offered the opportunity to participate in a work-study program that allows them to develop practical skills, apply these skills to benefit an employing organization, and earn a modest income while in school. In.cooperation with a select group of public sector and public service organizations in the Research Triangle area, the MPA Program offers top students the opportunity to work in the field of public administration on Mondays and Fridays, and to pursue their full-time studies on Tuesday through Thursday. This schedule allows these students to keep pace with their classmates and graduate in two years. Participating employers authorize the MPA Program to select the work-study student assigned to them.' This permits the program to identify top-notch students early in the recruitment process, match their aspirations to work-study opportunities, and offer one of these choice assignments as a recruiting device in hopes of bringing especially talented students to UNC. Participating organizations agree to schedule 10 to 16 hours of work for the student each week during the Fall and Spring Semesters and to provide compensation of at least $4,500 for the academic year.2 Each semester is 15 weeks. The employer may negotiate extra work between semesters or during semester breaks with the student. Employing organizations may establish their agreement with the MPA Program under any of four options: • One year, Fall and Spring Semesters only • One year, Fall and Spring Semesters and Summer Internship-This arrangement allows the employer to benefit by having a summer intern more knowledgeable about the organization because of work there during the academic year. The summer internship must include 10 weeks of fulltime work and must provide at least $4,000 compensation. Combined with the Fall and Spring Semesters, this option provides annual compensation of at least $8,500. • Two years, Fall and Spring Semesters only-this arrangement opens the possibility of employing the same student throughout his or her MPA experience. • Two years, including Summer Internship. For information about joining the MPA Work-Study Program as an employing organization, please contact Sharon Pickard of the MPA Program at (919) 962-0426 or pickardCcaioamail.ioa.unc.edu. 8/04 Prior to offering the work-study opportunity to a student, the MPA Program will discuss the candidate's qualification with the sponsoring organization. 2 At 10 to 16 hours per week, a student participating in this program will work a combined total of 300 to 480 hours during the fall and spring semesters. CB# 3330 KNAPP BUILDING • CHAPEL HILL, NC • 27599-3330 • 919-966-5381 www iog.unc.edu