2011 Class Schedule

Monday, September 12, 2011 Class 1 – Reception, Orientation, Leadership.

• Faculty in Charge: Michael Turnipseed, Executive Director, Kern County Taxpayers Association
• Objectives: Meet and Greet Reception; Orientation: Opening Remarks; Self-Introductions; Introduction to the Academy; What is effective leadership?

Wednesday, September 14, 2011, Class 2 - Ethics, Leadership, Critical Thinking.

• Faculty in Charge: Christopher Meyers, The Kegley Institute, CSUB
  
  Steven Gamboa, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, CSUB
• Objectives:  Relating Leadership with Ethics; Learning to Think Critically and with an Open Mind; Developing Moral Imagination
• Topics:  What is leadership? What is ethics and how does it differ from other decision-making? What's different about critical thinking (and reading and listening)? What are the processes that define good ethical choices? What role does character play in ethical leadership? Combining ethics fundamentals with critical thinking to develop moral imagination.

Monday, September 19, 2011, Class 3 – Introduction to Local Government

• Faculty in Charge: John Guinn, City Manager, City of Shafter
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of governance at the local level (City/County): State impacts, budget challenges; public safety and job creation.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011, Class 4 – Introduction to challenges facing the San Joaquin Valley

• Faculty in Charge: Joe Drew, Vice President, Tejon Ranch Company
• Objective:To provide an objective overview of our valley's economy, issues and opportunities and the affects on Kern County.

Monday, September 26, 2011, Class 5 – Introduction to State Issues.

• Faculty in Charge: Gene Voiland, Chairman, Valley Republic Bank
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of our state government, economy, issues and opportunities and the affects on Kern County.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011, Class 6 - Important issues in Public Education

• Faculty in Charge: Joel Heinrichs, President, Lightspeed Systems
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of issues that affect our local education system, from K-12 to life long learning.

Monday, October 3, 2011, Class 7 - Healthcare: the national issue with massive local implications

• Faculty in Charge: Bob Beehler, President and CEO, San Joaquin Community Hospital
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of governmental policy decisions that affects people's lives

Wednesday October 5, 2011, Class 8 - Creating a public image, Developing a brand and Crafting a message

• Faculty in Charge: Marlene Heise, Owner, Heise Media Group
• Objectives: Teach students the importance of basic image management: Distinguishing themselves: creating a public image; Developing and marketing a personal brand and crafting and marketing your message; Looking and sounding your best: projecting your image and body language.

Monday, October 10, 2011, Class 9 - Fundamentals of Communications I

• Faculty in Charge: Larry Pickett, Owner, Larry Pickett Public Relations
• Objectives: Print, Radio, Television and New Media: How to be an effective communicator in a changing world.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011, Class 10– - Kern County's Changing Demographics and Economy

• Faculty in Charge: Richard Chapman, Kern Economic Development Corporation
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of Kern County: Current Status, Challenges, A Look at the Future

Monday, October 17, 2011, Class 11 - Fundamentals of Communications II

• Faculty in Charge: Faculty in Charge: Larry Pickett, Owner, Larry Pickett Public Relations

Wednesday , October 19, 2011, Class 12 – Kern County Politics

• Faculty in Charge: Vince Fong
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview Kern County, a diverse, complex place to live and lead.

Monday, October 24, 2011, Class 13- Electoral Process - The Campaign

• Faculty in Charge: Vince Fong
• Objectives:
  • Provide the A to Z of the electoral process: Everything you will need to know about the "technical" side of running for office.
  • To provide a "real life" discussion what happens before, during and after the Campaign; Pledges and Promises and Polling—when you need it and why.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011, Class 14 - You've Won! Now it is time to Govern.

• Faculty in Charge: Vince Fong
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of the skills and attributes needed to be an effective political leader

Monday, October 31, 2011, Class 15 – The Growth and Scope of Regional Government

• Faculty in Charge: Brent Green, Director of Business Development, City of Shafter and Wayne Clausen, Planning Director, City of Shafter
• Objectives: To provide an objective overview of those obscure regional government agencies that have a major impact on the County.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011, Class 16- Government Finance 101 for Elected Officials.

• Faculty in Charge: Jeff Frapwell, County Administrative Office, General Services Division.
• Objectives:
  • To provide an overview the fundamentals of governmental accounting, budgeting and finance.
  • To identify the questions elected officials need to ask.

Monday, November 7, 2011, Class 17 - Civic Leadership

• Faculty in Charge: Karen Goh, Kern County Supervisor
• Objectives: An examination of real world issues not discussed during the normal campaigns and public meetings.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011, Class 18 Final Thoughts

• Faculty in Charge: Christopher Meyers, The Kegley Institute, CSUB
  Steven Gamboa, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, CSUB
  Michael Turnipseed, Kern County Taxpayers Association
• Objectives:
  • Bringing it all together; seeing how ethics and character underlie the entire process.
  • Reviewing the Academy and making suggestions for 2011.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 – Graduation