Info regarding the academic seminars

So in my quest to make this fellowship less opaque to future potential Assembly Fellows I am posting the most recent piece of correspondence we got about the Assembly Fellowship. I am really excited to start the fellowship and have been waiting for several months for more information of what to expect.

This memo goes over the first part of the fellowship: the seminars. In this period, approximately the first 6 weeks of the fellowship, students are in seminars where they do group projects, give presentations, and moreover learn the ins and outs of the California State Government.

There are three books we have to buy and read before the fellowship starts. They are:

1. Power and Politics in California (9th edition) DeBow/Syer

2. The Third House- Lobbyists, Power and Money in Sacramento Michael/Walters

3. A Party of One- Anrold Schwarzenegger adn the Rise of the Independent Voter Weintraub

I am getting pretty excited. Some of the Northern California based future fellows are meeting up this week in Sacramento.

Here is the memo in its entirety (with the professor's name and contact info omitted):


8/20/09

Memo To - 2009-2010 Assembly Fellows

From – Omited, Academic Advisor


RE: Information and General Comments Regarding the Upcoming Academic Seminars


Hello to All – PLEASE READ THIS MEMO CAREFULLY

First, I’d like to echo Consuelo’s message of congratulations on your selection to the Assembly Fellowship. You have prevailed over very strong competition. You also are being given a unique opportunity that, I believe, will benefit you for the rest of your life.

Our first meeting is less than 2 months away. I look forward to meeting with you again, and to your contributions to the academic seminar component of the Assembly Fellowship.

You’re about to enter a dynamic legislative environment that is often a roller coaster of activity and emotions. It’s a structural, policy and political environment that is often driven by the quest for power, strong partisanship and the complex “game” of politics.

The Assembly Fellowship is named after one of California’s seminal political figures, Jess Unruh. Speaker Unruh was perhaps most famous for coining the phrase “money is the mother’s milk of politics.” To this end I also want you to familiarize yourself with the basics of California law as it relates to campaign finance and lobbying activities.

Consuelo’s Memo contained several websites and resources that I would like you to peruse. The California Voter Foundation, www.calvoter.org is especially valuable with a wide variety of government related links. Also, it is very important to develop your understanding of legislative terms and the fundamentals of the legislative process contained in the www.leginfo.ca.gov website.
In addition I would like you visit the Secretary of State’s website, www.ss.ca.gov, specifically the Campaign and Lobbying Information link, and the Fair Political Practices Commission site, www.fppc.ca.gov. Finally, anyone who desires to keep current on California politics and policy is a daily reader of www.rtumble.com and www.capitolweekly.net.

In additional here are blogs to obtain partisan perspectives.

http://www.flashreport.org/blog
http://www.camajorityreport.com/

Fall Academic Component – Government 294A

The fall component of your Fellowship emphasizes your orientation to the legislative process. The academic component is also driven by this theme. There will be 2 papers required of you during the fall seminar. The first will be a legislative analysis and oral presentation of specific bills that I assign to you. The second paper will require you to choose an executive department to profile. It also contains an oral presentation component. You will receive a course syllabus at our first meeting.

Both fall seminar papers and oral presentations are researched and written in partnership with another Assembly Fellow. I will assign you a partner at our first meeting for the legislative analysis paper. This means that partnerships will often mix republicans and democrats. Partnerships may change for the second paper, depending on your policy and executive department interest.

Please Note – I emphasize quality research, writing with clarity and purpose, and aggressive research and documentation.

Your fall orientation component will also include opportunities to meet with lobbyists and discuss issues such as campaign finance, term limits, and the initiative process.

Remember, this is a graduate seminar, not a lecture. You will be required to come prepared and engage in constructive debate and commentary as we explore various issues that relate to the legislative process, politics and policies of state government. I also want to emphasize that I expect graduate level discourse that reflects your partisanship and passion, however, also respects the opinions, partisanship and passion of other Assembly Fellows.

Below are 3 texts that I have chosen to help prepare you for your Fellowship and the academic seminar. Please recognize the Fellows are selected from a variety of backgrounds and undergraduate majors. Some already have strong foundations in California politics and policy. However, others may not be government majors. These texts are intended to provide you an overview of California government. They are:

Power and Politics in California – DeBow/Syer – 9th
ISBN: 0321355997

The Third House – Lobbyists, Power and Money in Sacramento - Michael/Walters – ISBN 0-87772-397-4

A Party of One – Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of the Independent Voter – Weintraub – ISBN – 978-0-9794822-2-9

You will need to purchase these texts and read them BEFORE our first meeting. Also, bring them to our first seminar meeting.


Seminar Attendance

I want to take this opportunity to emphasize that attendance at all academic seminars is mandatory. Aside from sudden illness or accidents, I expect each of you at every seminar. You are required to be on time, contribute to discussions and not leave early unless you have made prior arrangements with me. Roll is taken at each seminar.

If you have a compelling need to be excused from seminar, there is a simple mandatory protocol to follow. It is:

1. First, contact me as soon as possible to make your request.
2. As a matter of courtesy, also contact Consuelo to let her know.

In the past, a few fellows have felt that they only need to leave a message on my voicemail, or the Director’s, that they won’t be attending. Please remember that this approach is not acceptable. You will certainly find me to be reasonable. Simply make the request and I will advise you immediately.

The key element here is communication. Keep the lines flowing with Consuelo and me. Both of us have a strong desire to make your Fellowship as enjoyable and rewarding as possible.



Again, congratulations. I’m excited, and I look forward to your arrival in Sacramento.