CPS 001 - Fundamentals of Columbia Basin Governance

Course Description

In most organizations, early career training emphasizes the technical skills and abilities central to organization mission. However, at some point, the natural resource professional is introduced to a level of challenges beyond the ability of the organization to solve alone.

These challenges are particularly acute in the Columbia River Basin. Since the early 1900s, communities of interest dependent on timber, mining, agriculture, fishing, irrigation, river navigation, and later hydropower struggled with how to best manage regional resources. In more recent years, the values of Native American tribal rights and traditions and the environmental movement have joined the values of commercial development. The result is a complex swirl of competing interests, objectives, and perspectives of what needs be done and how to do it. This course equips future regional leaders with practical tools and insights to help navigate the challenges of multi-jurisdictional network governance.

This course is designed for mid-to-senior level civil servants from federal, state, local and tribal government agencies; natural resource nonprofit organization members; and students interested in natural resource governance. It presents Columbia Basin Governance in a case study context. It examines the institutional interests, values, cultures, and identities that underlay the conflicts that regional leaders are called up on to solve.

This course equips future regional leaders with practical tools and insights to help navigate the challenges of multi-jurisdictional network governance.

What You Cover

Course features include:

An in-depth study of the interests and values of institutions actively involved in Columbia Basin resource issues
An introduction to theories of organizational culture, social identity, social conflict, and decision-making and how they apply to real-world governance
A rigorous mix of reading, writing, discussion, practical exercise, and seminars with regional subject area experts
A small class size (12-15 students) to foster open discussion and share experiences.
Student observation of and reflection on current governance bodies in action
Eleven class sessions, four hours per session.

PART I: WHO ARE “WE”?

1.Introduction to Columbia Basin Governance
2. Introduction to Organization Culture, Social Identity, and Decision-making
3. Your Organization’s History and Culture: Why you see yourself the way you do
4. The Critique: How others see you

PART II: WHO ARE “THEY”?

5. Columbia Basin Indian Tribes
6. Commercial Interests: Irrigation, Navigation, and Hydropower
7. The Sport and Commercial Salmon Fishery
8. The Environmental Perspective

PART III: WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT?

9. Models of Columbia Basin Governance
10. Getting to Yes: Introduction to Conflict Theory and Dispute Resolution
11. Practical Exercise in Governance

Course Description

What You Cover

Notes