Journal of Public Affairs Education

Nonprofit management courses appear in a wide range of graduate and certificate programs in the United States. The recent emergence of this academic field and the wide range of options for the institutional setting of nonprofit management programs have given rise to ongoing debates about these programs' content and focus. Recognizing that the student voice is often missing from these conversations about academic program development, we explored the perspectives of students enrolled in six U.S. nonprofit management programs on the relative importance of course topics typically included in nonprofit management curricula. Students rated as most important those course topics that are unique to the nonprofit sector and have an internal organization focus. Graduate students in nonprofit management programs and public administration programs with concentrations in nonprofit management express considerable agreement about the courses they see as important.

Rapid growth in graduate nonprofit management programs has led to widespread reliance on adjunct faculty, many of whom work as consultants to nonprofit organizations. This article reviews the extent to which consultants are hired to teach the nonprofit curriculum and suggests reasons for the prevalence of consultants in graduate nonprofit degree programs. It then examines the advantages of using consultants as adjunct faculty and possible incompatible incentives between the university and the consultant. The article concludes with a review of accreditation guidelines, noting gaps in the regulation of master's degree concentrations, and recommends monitoring strategies to maintain quality of instruction when adjuncts are employed.

This two-part case engages students in thinking about one of the country's largest operating foundations, its relationship with the community in which it operates, the interaction between the foundation and its changing environment over a thirty-year period, and the evolution of the organization's mission, leadership, strategies, and operations. Part A sets the context for students to confront strategic planning issues raised in Part B.

Part B of the case discusses changes in the organization, operations, and environment of the Wilder Foundation prior to the publication of its 2000 strategic plan. The case describes the strategic planning process followed to develop that plan and describes important changes through December, 2002. It challenges students to advise Wilder on how to develop a 2005–2010 plan and suggest what its content might be. Both cases allow students to consider the role of nonprofit organizations in the provision and delivery of social services in local communities.

Replica of the Liberty Bell standing outside the Mississippi “New” Capitol in Jackson. These bells were given to each state in 1950 by the Department of the Treasury as part of a savings bond drive. They were placed in or near the capitol in 29 states, and act as a reminder of each state's membership in the national Union. Photo and comment by Charles T. Goodsell, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.