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Jocelyn Johnston Professor Public Administration and Policy

Degrees: PhD, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

MPA, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

BA, Psychology, Sociology and Philosophy, LeMoyne College
Bio: Professor Johnston’s current research focuses on government contracting, public management, and intergovernmental programs and policy. Her publications can be seen in such scholarly journals as the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Administration Review, and Administration and Society. Her funded research includes several studies of social welfare reform in the states funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany (funded by the Kellogg Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and others), and the States of Kansas and Pennsylvania. Johnston has served on executive committees and editorial boards for several leading professional organizations and journals.

Professor Johnston also has extensive practical experience, having served for ten years in local government administering federally and state funded social welfare programs. She has served as Chair of the National Association for Budgeting and Financial Management and the Public Administration Section of the American Political Science Association. She serves currently on the Executive Committee of the Public Management Research Association.

See Also: SPA Department of Public Administration and Policy
For the Media: To request an interview for a news story, call �鶹��Ƶ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.; �鶹��Ƶ Experts

Teaching

Fall 2024

PUAD-609 Topics in Public Management: State and Local Management
PUAD-610 Public Administration Capstone
PUAD-899 Doctoral Dissertation

Spring 2025

PUAD-610 Public Administration Capstone
PUAD-610 Public Administration Capstone
PUAD-899 Doctoral Dissertation

Partnerships & Affiliations

Public Management Research Association
Member
American Political Science Association
Member
Association for Budgeting and Financial Management
Member
Association for Public Policy and Management
Member
American Society for Public Administration
Member

Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities

Research Interests

Government contracting, public management, intergovernmental programs and policy, social welfare policy and administration.

Selected Publications

“Contracting: Promise, Performance, Perils, Possibilities,” (forthcoming), with Barbara S. Romzek, in Robert F. Durant, Ed., The Oxford Handbook of American Bureaucracy, Oxford University Press.
“Commentary on J. Edwin Benton, ‘Trends in Local Government Revenues: The Old, the New, and the Future’,” (forthcoming) proceedings from “The Changing Landscape of Local Public Revenues,” 2009 Land Policy Conference, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, May 31-June 2, 2009, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“American Exceptionalism, Human Resource Management, and The Contract State,” (2009), with Robert F. Durant and Amanda M. Girth, Review of Public Personnel Administration, 29, 3, September: 207-229
“Welfare Reform – a Devolution Success Story?” (2008), in Paul Posner and Timothy Conlan, eds., Intergovernmental Management For The 21st Century, sponsored by the National Academy of Public Administration. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution Press.
“Social Welfare Contracts as Networks: The Impact of Network Stability on Management and Performance,” (2008), with Barbara S. Romzek, Administration and Society, 40, 2, April: 115-146.
“State Social Services Contracting: Exploring Determinants of Effective Contract Accountability,” (2005), with Barbara S. Romzek, Public Administration Review, 65, 4, July/August.
“Traditional Contracts as Partnerships: Effective Accountability in Social Services Contracts in the American States," (2005), with Barbara S. Romzek, in Carsten Greve and Graeme Hodge, eds., The Challenge of Public-Private Partnerships- Learning from International Experience (Edward Elgar Publishing.)
“The Challenges of Contracting and Accountability across the Federal System: From Ambulances to Space Shuttles,” (2004), with Barbara S. Romzek and Curtis Wood, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 34, 3, Summer.
“The Impacts of School Finance Reform in Kansas: Equity is in the Eye of the Beholder,” (2004) with William Duncombe, in John Yinger, ed., Helping Children Left Behind: State Aid and the Pursuit of Educational Equity, John Yinger (MIT Press).
“Contracting and Accountability: A Model of Effective Contracting Drawn from the U.S. Experience,” (2004) with Barbara S. Romzek, in Unbundled Government: A Critical Analysis of the Global Trend to Agencies, Quangos, and Contractualisation, Christopher Pollitt and Colin Talbot, eds. (London: Routledge).

Professional Presentations

“The Challenges of Government Contracting,” presented to the Copenhagen Business School’s Danish Public Executive Program, �鶹��Ƶ, October 29th, 2009, Washington, DC.
“Katrina and Rita: Challenges to the Federal-State Social Safety Net” presented at Carmen Group Policy Forum, "Katrina: Rebuilding After Disaster,” School of Public Affairs, �鶹��Ƶ, November 7th, 2005.
“Health, Education, and Welfare: Do We Really Have Options?” presented at the Economic Policy Conference, Policy Research Institute, University of Kansas, October 17th, 2002
“’New’ Federalism??? Or The Devolution Tortoise and the Centralization Hare,” presented at the Mid-America Intergovernmental Audit Forum sponsored by the U.S. General Accounting Office, Kansas City, Missouri, May 3, 2001.
“State and Local Finance,” presented at Seminar on Innovation in Mexican and U.S. Local Government Relations, February 21st, 2001, University of Kansas.
"School Finance Reform in Kansas: An Update," presented at the University Forum, University of Kansas, September, 1996.

Honors, Awards, and Fellowships

Kaufman Award for the best paper in Public Administration presented at the 2001 American Political Science Association national conference, with Barbara S. Romzek.
Vice Chancellor’s Administrative Fellow, University of Kansas, 2001-2002.
John Ben Snow Foundation Doctoral Fellowship, Syracuse University, 1993.
Emil and Maud Beck Family Doctoral Scholarship, Syracuse University, 1992
New York State Government Finance Officers Association Scholar, 1989

Grants and Sponsored Research

“Managing the Market”: Examining the Effects of Noncompetitive Provider Markets on the Management of Government Contracts,” �鶹��Ƶ Faculty Research Award, $10,000, 2008-09.
“Medicaid and Faith-Based Organizations: A Preliminary Review,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany. Completed 3/04
“Medicaid Sustainability: Budgetary and Administrative Actions in 2003 for FY 2004,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany. Completed 2/04.
“Staff Development in a State Medicaid Agency: A Case Study of Pennsylvania,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany (Kellogg Foundation funding), and the State of Pennsylvania. Completed 6/03.
“Food Stamp Take-Up and Welfare Reform,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding. Completed 12/02.
“Medicaid Sustainability: Budgetary and Administrative Action in 2002,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding. Completed 7/02.
“Implementing Welfare Reform, Round Two,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding. Completed 7/02.
“Medicaid Take-Up and Welfare Reform,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding. Completed 11/01.
“Managing” Medicaid Managed Care: A Ten-State Comparison,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany and the Center for Health Care Strategies. Completed 7/01.
“Welfare Reform Implementation Update,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation funding. Completed 9/00.
“Theory Building for State Social Service Contracting: Policy Rationales, Institutional Adjustments and Accountability,” Co-PI with Barbara S. Romzek, University of Kansas General Research Fund, 1999-2000 award.
“Implementing Medicaid Managed Care,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation funding. Completed 4/00.
“An Evaluation of the Kansas Medicaid Managed Care Program in Kansas, and Additional Management Topics on an Ad Hoc Basis,” (Michael Fox, PI), funded by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Completed 3/00.
“National Study of County Revenue Capacity and Fiscal Conditions,” funded by the National Association of Counties, with Michael Pagano and Philip Russo. Completed 11/99.
“Privatization of State Social Services: The Kansas Experience with Medicaid Case Management,” funded by a PriceWaterhouse Coopers Research Fellowship, from PriceWaterhouse Coopers Endowment, with Barbara Romzek. Completed 10/99.
“Status and Prospects for Access by Medicaid Beneficiaries to Dental Health Services in Kansas,” (Raymond Davis, PI), funded by the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund. Completed 6/99.
“Implementing Medicaid Reform in Kansas: A Pilot Study,” funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation funding. Completed 2/99.
“Implementing Welfare Reform in Kansas,” supplemental research funded by the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation funding. Completed 11/98.
“National Study of County Revenue Capacity and Fiscal Conditions,” with Michael Pagano and Philip Russo, National Association of Counties funding. Completed 7/98.
“Evaluation of Medicaid Managed Care Program,” State of Kansas, Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services funding, with Michael Fox and Raymond Davis. Completed 6/98.
“Implementing Welfare Reform in Kansas,” Field Research Associate (Kansas) Report for the Federalism Research Group, State Capacity Project, Rockefeller Institute of Government, SUNY Albany, Kellogg Foundation funding. Implementing Welfare Reform. Completed 12/97.
“Assessing the Status of the Uninsured in the State of Kansas; Assessing the Managed Care Industry in Kansas,” with Raymond Davis, Michael Fox, and Barbara Langner, Kansas Department of Health and Environment funding. Completed 12/97.

�鶹��Ƶ Experts

Area of Expertise

Government contracting and contract management; public management, intergovernmental programs, state and local government programs and policy

Additional Information

Jocelyn Johnston’s research focuses on government contracting, state and local government programs and policy, intergovernmental fiscal relations, and public management. Johnston's work includes several studies of social welfare reforms in the states.

For the Media

To request an interview for a news story, call �鶹��Ƶ Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.

�鶹��Ƶ

Faculty Profile: Jocelyn Johnston