Phillip J. Cooper

Douglas & Candace Morgan Professor of Local Government

Mark O. Hatfield School of Government
Department of Public Administration
Portland State University
670N Urban Center
(503) 725-8155
E-mail: pcooper@pdx.edu

Education and professional experiences. Professor Cooper is the Douglas & Candace Morgan Professor of Local Government in the Department of Public Administration in the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. He received his BA in Government at California State University, Sacramento and the M.A. and Ph.D. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University. He has taught at several universities, including Georgia State University, the Nelson Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy of the State University of New York at Albany, the University of Kansas, and the University of Vermont with faculty appointments in Public Administration, Political Science, Public Policy, and Law. He has served as Chair of the Department of Political Science at the State University of New York at Albany, Chair of the Department of Public Administration at the University of Kansas, and Director of the Master of Public Administration Program at the University of Vermont. He was the first Gund Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Vermont and is the first Douglas & Candace Morgan Professor of Local Government in the Hatfield School at Portland State.

Professional interests and awards. Active in a variety of leading public administration professional associations and journal editorial boards, Professor Cooper was the first recipient of the Charles Levine Award given by the American Society for Public Administration and the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration for excellence in public affairs scholarship, teaching, and service. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. He received Portland State University's Branford Price Millar Award for Faculty Excellence in 2020. He has also received the College of Urban and Public Affairs Dean's Award for Scholarly Excellence for Senior Faculty. He is an honorary member of the Oregon City/County Management Association. He received the League of Oregon Cities' Civic Education Award for 2020. He has also received the Town Government Award given by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. He is the author of numerous books and articles on public administration, administrative law, constitutional law, local government, law and public policy, the U.S. Supreme Court, environmental policy, public contract management, and sustainable development.

Community engagement activities. Professor Cooper works with local governments and the International City/County Management Association in a variety of areas. As a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, he serves on the Academy's Standing Panel on Social Equity and the Standing Panel on the Organization and Management of the Executive Branch. He has served as health administration and policy faculty with the Leadership Education for Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program at the Child Development and Rehabilitation Center of Oregon Health & Science University and before that in the same program at the University of Vermont. He actively maintains a website designed not only to serve students but also to assist local governments and nonprofit organizations. He has served as an adviser to congressional committees on issues of constitutional powers and rights, with particular interest in presidential powers, separation of powers, and checks and balances. He has served as a consultant to the United Nations and the World Bank on sustainable development administration. He has also been a consultant to local governments, state and federal agencies, the U.S. Congress, and the White House.

PA 534 Administrative Law
Monday 4:00-6:30 pm - Remote

PA 561 Intergovernmental Relations
Monday 6:40-9:20 pm - Remote

PA 593 Civil Rights
Wednesday 4:00-6:30 pm - Remote

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT PROFESSOR COOPER VIA EMAIL AT PCOOPER@PDX.EDU.