PUBPOL 475 009 FA 2015

Running, Serving & Leading in a Legislative Body

Gretchen Whitmer

Office 5307

Office Hours: Wednesdays, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Email: gwhitmer@umich.edu

Class times: Wednesdays, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Welcome to Running, Serving & Leading. This course will give students a practical understanding of what it takes to run for office, serve as an officeholder, and what leadership amongst leaders means.  It takes leadership to change, impact, create and implement policy. While people take on many different roles in policy formation, holding office is the surest way to make your voice heard, to provoke thoughtful debate and ultimately to enact important policy.

I feel that my father's greatest legacy was the people he inspired to get involved in public service and their communities, to join the Peace Corps, to go into space. And really that generation transformed this country in civil rights, social justice, the economy and everything.

- Caroline Kennedy

This course aims to demystify running for office, serving in office and leading while serving in office. Topics to be discussed include, but are not limited to, the decision to run, the campaign for office, holding office, committees, caucuses, decision- making, term-limits, gerrymandering, policy v politics, caucus leadership, balance of power with executive branch, coalition-building, negotiation, messaging, and gender issues. We will host many expert guests throughout the course.