Public Administration and the Universities: A Half-Century of Development

Abstract

CHARACTERISTIC of any well-developed art, science, or profession is a continuing relationship between advanced education and actual practice. The concepts, values, standards and techniques of higher arts, sciences, and professions are rooted in preparatory and continuing education. Vitality in these fields depends upon a reciprocal flow of intellectual nourishment between professor and practitioner, between theory and practice, between universities and individuals and agencies engaged in application of knowledge. Some part of university is therefore inherently a part of every matured The more highly developed profession, stronger, clearer and more highly developed relationship. A main channel of this reciprocity between universities and practitioners is professional society. There are other channels of communication, but it is at professional meetings, on professional committees, and in professional journals that researchers, teachers and practitioners regularly work together, exchange views, and reinforce attitudes and values. From a synthesis of these interactions is created that intangible quality described as the character of profession. A professional society, moreover, is prima face evidence that a profession or a discipline exists. Thus, since advent of American Society for Public Administration in 1939 question of whether or in what sense, practice of public administration is a profession has gained pertinence. This question, and its various possible answers, suggest further questions regarding role of education for public administration in universities. Serious consideration of relationship between university education and public ad> From legacy of Wilson and works of Charles Beard, author traces evolution of study of public administration within university establishment. The existence of diverse organization for university teaching of public administration is attributed to lack of a compelling logic in our knowledge of administrative behavior. An integrative generic concept is advocated for future.