Hey Political Science Students,
Looking for an upper level Political Science course to take this coming Fall? I would encourage you to look into a course that was just added, POLI 409- The Politics of Earmarks. The course will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:45. It will be an in person course that will meet in PUBL 354. Please check out the course description below for more details about the topics the course will address.
POLI 409: The Politics of Earmarks
For most of its history, Congress has insisted that laws contain “earmarks”--directives to spend funds in specific districts for specific purposes. By doing so, legislators enhanced their re-election prospects because they could claim credit for bringing federal funds back to their districts. But after high-profile media criticism of some earmarks, and earmark corruption scandals that landed several Representatives in jail, Congress declared a moratorium on earmarks about a decade ago. Now, however, leaders in both parties have endorsed a return of earmarks, promising to apply strict standards to their use. This course will engage students in a research project about the surprising disappearance of earmarks and the effects of their predictable return. It will first review theories and empirical analyses of “distributive politics” and the history of Congressional earmarks. Then, as Congress considers spending legislation through the fall, the course will explore the validity of three claims made in support of earmarks: that the availability of earmarks will make it easier for Congress to pass legislation; that using earmarks will reduce what some argue is excessive power delegated to the executive branch; and that Congressional discretion to allocate funds through earmarks produces better policy outcomes than the alternatives of allocating funds through formulas and competitive merit applications.
Thursday, April 22, 2021
4:30pm EST (GMT-5)
Webex video conference
The info session will give you the opportunity to talk to Faculty and Staff to learn more about our Master of Public Policy, PhD in Public Policy, Accelerated Bachelor/Master, and joint degree programs.
We are currently looking for Alternative Spring Break (ASB) '22 leaders. Each leader will help develop plans and learning opportunities for the week of UMBC’s Spring Break, and will work in collaboration with the other leaders and Center for Democracy and Civic Life staff to create a holistic, empowering ASB experience for all participants. All undergraduate students are invited to apply. Applications are available now through April 12th. For more information, see this myUMBC post.
Also the Center for Democracy and Civic Life has three intern positions available for 2021-2022; read about them here.
● Developing Campaign Literature including: website content, print material, phone banking and canvasser scripts.
● Voter registration with the goal of increasing voter turnout from 2018 gubernatorial campaign.
● Interfacing with Campaign Platform to develop robust voter identification program (analyzing voter data to identify individuals most likely to vote and identifying issues of interest to them)
● Analysis of Precinct information from previous council races to determine best voter outreach strategies
There are many other responsibilities that this internship includes. These responsibilities and further information about how to apply for the internship can be seen on the pdf attached to this post. The internship is unpaid. However, I would like to remind you of the following opportunity regarding obtaining financial support for unpaid internships.
Do you plan to pursue an unpaid internship or service/volunteer opportunity at a Maryland-based organization for Summer 2021? Whether you have already accepted an unpaid summer position OR are planning to obtain one, we encourage you to apply now for a competitive financial stipend through UMBC's Student Internship & Service Fund! This fund is co-sponsored by the Career Center and Shriver Center, and is made possible by the generous support of our alumni, campus and community members.
Stipend Award Amounts:
Eligibility Requirements:
HOW TO APPLY:
Please submit your resume and a brief statement of purpose by Sunday, April 4. Search the job ID 9322922 under "Jobs" in UMBCworks.
Hey Political Science Students,
Interested in teaching overseas post COVID? I would encourage you to attend the following info session. Be sure to see the attached flyer as well.
Are you ready for a global adventure when the world reopens?
You are invited to a special session about opportunities to travel the world through English teaching. Find out about:
Date: March 25, 2021
Time: 11:00-12:00pm Eastern US time
Location: Online
Free Registration
Sign up by 23 March with an e-mail to TESOL@umbc.edu
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