Four Jobs in Policy Analysis Evans School of Public Affairs

Four Jobs in Policy AnalysisEvans School of Public Affairs Public Policy Analysis class of Marieka Klawitter, PhD

April 29, 2010

Nina Oman, PhD

April 29, 2010Four Jobs in Policy Analysis 2

Presentation Overview

• My background• Four different types of jobs in policy analysis

− Typical work− Upcoming policy issues− Good things to know− Associations

• Questions


My background

• BA, Art History(1990); MPA (1998); PhD (2006)− Dissertation on transfer students, data sharing,

faculty planning programs together• Attended as tuition-exempt student • Worked at Harborview, Group Health, UW • My “professional policy career”

− Institutional research (UW)− Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB)− Legislative staff (House Higher Education Committee)− Performance auditing (Joint Legislative Audit & Review

Committee)


Job #1: Institutional Research

• Typical work− Research about higher education− Mostly work with data to support policy− Peer comparisons (salaries, tuition, state support)− Surveys (IPEDS, others)

• My most interesting project; policy issues− Created project to share student data with public two-

year/four-year colleges− Data sharing is a growing policy issue at federal level

(privacy issues, transfer students)− “Transparency” is growing issue


Institutional Research, cont’d• Good to know

− SAS, SPSS, Excel, Access (quantitative skills)− Almost every college campus has an office− Lots of work with accreditation

• Local organizations, websites− www.pnairp.org Pacific NW Association of

Institutional Research Professionals – conference every October

− www.airweb.org Association of Institutional Research (and job listings)

http://www.pnairp.org/

http://www.airweb.org/


Job #2: Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB)

• Typical work: − Assigned in bills, or by board members − Reports and data analysis− Coordinating workgroups− Presentations to board members and Legislature

• Upcoming Policy Issues− Accountability and performance agreements− System design (where should campuses be, who should

offer what)− Tuition (how much authority should institutions have to

raise tuition vs. Legislature)− Governance (coordinating vs. governing boards)


HECB, cont’d

• Good things to know: − Board members are primarily businesspeople, appointed

by Governor. − RCW’s, WAC’s, authority of Board− Bardach book! (I had it on my desk)− Be concise (time was often cut on agenda)

• Associations, websites− www. Hecb.wa.gov Higher Education Coordinating Board− www.chronicle.com Chronicle of Higher Education− www.sheeo.org State Higher Education Executive Officers − www.wiche.edu Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

http://www.chronicle.com/

http://www.chronicle.com/

http://www.sheeo.org/

http://www.wiche.edu/


Job #3:Legislative Staff

Typical work: • Drafting bills, writing bill summaries• Coordinating work sessions• Summarizing bills/clarifying/answering committee questions

.... on TVW • Drafting amendments and facilitating bill process

(engrossed bills, amendments, etc.)

Upcoming issues• Issues that committee chair decides to hear• Committees are organized on a variety of topics


Legislative Staff, cont’d

Good things to know: • Hours during session are extremely long...but• Interim hours are more flexible• Again, be concise! (2 page bill summary)• Focus mostly on writing and being available at all times• Quick turnaround is extremely important

Associations, websites• www.ncsl.org National Conference of State Legislatures• www.leg.wa.gov Washington State Legislature

http://www.ncsl.org/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/


Job #4: Performance Auditing

Typical work• Assigned in bills, by committee members• Wide variety of topics

• oil spill risk analysis to motion picture tax credit• Present to Legislative Committee(s)


Lots of Things Can Be Performance Audits

1. Program effectiveness How well is an agency doing? This can include

economy and efficiency audits.2. Internal control

Does an agency have management controls in place to help ensure their performance?

3. Compliance Is an agency meeting the letter of the law, regulation,

or contract/grant agreement?4. Prospective analyses

What conclusions can we make about things that may happen in the future, based on evidence about existing practices or policies?


A “Negative” Definition

Performance audits are not projects that:• Advocate for a policy perspective.• Assert personal opinions about what agencies

should do, or personal opinions about what programs should achieve.

• Rely on information that is biased, unverified or conjecture (no matter how well informed or respected the source is).


Performance Auditing, cont’d• My projects:

− K-12 data; and K-12 Facility Data (2 year pilot project)− Ambulance Utility Charges− Currently: Transparency in Higher Education Data

• Methodology and evidence can be different, for example:− K-12 data relied on testimonial evidence (interviews, and

literature review)− Ambulance Utility Charges relied on documentary

evidence (financial records)

• However, all rely on strict government auditing standards (yellow book)


Job #4: Performance Auditing• Upcoming issues: wide variety

• Good to know:− Performance auditors are independent and objective –

JLARC reports are respected− This field does not require a special certification (like

CPA)− Staff are very collaborative –work as teams - we read

each other’s reports, go to each other’s “status meetings”− Must be able to work with data, write well, and present


Performance Auditing, cont’d• Also good to know:

− Work schedule is steadier than other legislative committees; committee meets year-round (not just during session)

-Other places doing performance auditing include:State Auditor’s Office King County, Snohomish CountyCity of Seattle, City of SpokaneGovernment Accountability Office (GAO)


Performance Auditing, cont’d• Associations, websites:

− www.gao.govU.S. Govt. Accountability Office− www.leg.wa.gov/jlarc JLARC− www.sao.wa.gov WA State Auditor’s Office− www.ncsl.orgNational Legislative Program Evaluation

Society (search under Nat’l Conference of State Leg)− www.governmentauditors.org Association of Local

Government Auditors− www.nasact.org National Assoc. of State Auditors,

Comptrollers, and Treasurers− www.auditforum.org Pacific NW Intergovernmental

Audit Forum (and others)

http://www.gao.gov/

http://www.leg.wa.gov/jlarc

http://www.sao.wa.gov/

http://www.ncsl.org/

http://www.governmentauditors.org/

http://www.nasact.org/

http://www.auditforum.org/

April 29, 2010 17

Contact Information

Nina Oman, PhD

Sr. Research Analyst

Joint Legislative Audit & Review [email protected]

Four Jobs in Policy Analysis

Four Jobs in Policy Analysis Evans School of Public Affairs

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