David M. Van Slyke

• 2023 Summer
  • PAI 996 Master's Project Course

David M. Van Slyke, Ph.D., is dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, the Louis A. Bantle Chair in Business-Government Policy, and co-directs the school’s National Security Studies program. Prior to becoming dean on July 1, 2016, Van Slyke was associate dean and chair of Maxwell’s Public Administration and International Affairs Department. He is a tenured, full professor at the Maxwell School and a two-time recipient of the Birkhead-Burkhead Award and Professorship for Teaching Excellence.

Van Slyke is a leading international expert on public-private partnerships, public-sector contracting and contract management, and policy implementation. He is a member of the Defense Business Board (2020, 2021-Present), and a former director (2016- 2021) and fellow (2010-present) of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). Van Slyke has participated in several government study groups focused on business transformation, executive analytics and government-business partnerships in the national and homeland security space. He is a former co-editor of the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory and the International Journal of Commerce and Contracting. He is actively engaged in the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration; the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs; the Volcker Alliance; the Center for Public Policy Advisory Council at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore; the U.S. Government Accountability Office, Comptroller General’s Educator Advisory Panel; and the Commerce and Contract Management Institute. He also sits on the editorial boards of several top-ranked public affairs and nonprofit management journals.

Van Slyke has provided expert guidance to the Office of Management and Budget, Government Accountability Office, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Defense, World Bank, and a range of philanthropic foundations. As part of his executive education teaching and research, he has worked extensively with senior leaders in government, nonprofit and business organizations in China, India, Russia, Singapore and Thailand. He has been interviewed on, and his work cited in, CNN, Washington Post, Bloomberg Tax, National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, National Public Radio/American Public Media’s MarketPlace, CBS News, U.S. News & World Report, Governing, the Capital Pressroom, Washington Times, Government Executive, InsideDefense, Xinhua Global Times in China, Federal Computer Week, Washington Technology, Defense Industry Daily, Federal News Radio, and GovLoop.

Van Slyke’s book, “Complex Contracting: Government Purchasing in the Wake of the U.S. Coast Guard's Deepwater Program” (Cambridge University Press, 2013), received the American Society for Public Administration’s Section on Research Best Book Award in 2014 and honorable mention for the Academy of Management’s Public and Nonprofit Section Best Book Award in 2016. He received the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus in Public Administration and Policy Award from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, and the 2007 Best Article Award published in the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

Van Slyke is a first-generation college student and earned a Ph.D. in public administration and policy from the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, State University of New York. Prior to becoming an academic, he served in project management and team leadership roles in the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

"IC Center for Academic Excellence: Syracuse University Adaptive, Diverse & Ethical IC Professionals: Partnership for Educational Results (PER/SUADE)", Sponsored by Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)/DOD.

"Robertson Foundation for Government Fellowships", Sponsored by Robertson Foundation for Government.

"O'Keefe Fellowships", Sponsored by Robertson Foundation for Government.

"Robertson-Strasser Fellowships 2018 - 2022", Sponsored by Robertson Foundation for Government.

"The New York Challenge", Sponsored by Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

• Books
  • Brown, T. L., Potoski, M., Van Slyke, D., DeHoog, R. H., Piotrowski, S. J., Reilly, T. F. and Whitford, A. B., "Managing Public Service Contracts: Aligning Values, Institutions, and Markets*." In Debating Public Administration: Management Challenges, Choices, and Opportunities. , 2017.
  • Brown, T. L., Potoski, M. and Van Slyke, D., "Accountability Chalenges in Public Sector Contracting for Complex Products." In Accountable Governance: Problems and Promises. , 2014.
  • O’Leary, ., Van Slyke, D. and Kim, S., The Future of Public Administration Around the World: The Minnowbrook Perspective. Georgetown University Press, 2010.
  • Brown, T. L., Potoski, M. and Van Slyke, D., "Complex contracting: Government purchasing in the wake of the US coast guard's deepwater program." In Complex Contracting: Government Purchasing in the Wake of the Us Coast Guard's Deepwater Program. , 2010.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Collaboration and relational contracting." In The Collaborative Public Manager: New Ideas for the Twenty-first Century. , 2009.
• Journal Articles
  • Boyer, E. J., Van Slyke, D., "Citizen Attitudes Towards Public–Private Partnerships." American Review of Public Administration, 2019.
  • Brown, ., Potoski, . and Van Slyke, D., "The Management Imperatives of Complex Contracting: Challenges and Solutions." Public Administration Review, 2018.
  • Boyer, E. J., Rogers, J. D. and Van Slyke, D., "Analysing managerial perceptions of when and how to structure public involvement in public-private partnerships." Local Government Studies, 2018.
  • Shiffman, J., Quissell, K., Schmitz, H. P., Pelletier, D. L., Smith, S. L., Berlan, D., Gneiting, U., Van Slyke, D., Mergel, I., Rodriguez, M. and Walt, G., "A framework on the emergence and effectiveness of global health networks." Health Policy and Planning, 2016.
  • Brown, T. L., Potoski, M. and Slyke, D. V., "Managing Complex Contracts: A Theoretical Approach." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2016.
  • Boyer, E. J., Van Slyke, D. and Rogers, J. D., "An Empirical Examination of Public Involvement in Public-Private Partnerships: Qualifying the Benefits of Public Involvement in PPPs." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2016.
  • Brown, . ., Potoski, . and Van Slyke, D., "The Impact of Transaction Costs on the Use of Mixed Service Delivery by Local Governments." Journal of Strategic Contracting and Negotiation, 2015.
• Book Chapters
  • Huitnik, ., Van Slyke, D. and Brown , T. L., "Contracting in Pursuit of Public Purposes." In Handbook of Public Administration, Third Edition. Perry, ., Christensen, R. (eds.) John Wiley & Sons, 2015.
  • Brown, . L., Potoski, . and Van Slyke, D., "Managing Public Service Contracts: Aligning Values, Institutions, and Markets." In Debating Public Administration: Management Challenges, Choices, and Opportunities. Durant, . F., Durant, . R. (eds.) CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Press, 2012.
  • Van Slyke, D., O’Leary, R. and Kim, S., "Conclusion: Challenges and Opportunities, Cross‐Cutting Themes and Thoughts on the Future of Public Administration." In The Future of Public Administration Around the World: The Minnowbrook Perspective. O’Leary, R., Van Slyke, D. and Kim, . (eds.) Georgetown University Press, 2010.
  • Soonhee, K., O’Leary, ., Van Slyke, D., Frederickson, G. and Lambright, W. H., "Introduction: The Legacy of Minnowbrook." In The Future of Public Administration Around the World: The Minnowbrook Perspective. O’Leary, R., Van Slyke, D. and Kim, S. (eds.) Georgetown University Press, 2010.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Making Public Administration Scholarship Matter." In The Future of Public Administration Around the World: The Minnowbrook Perspective. O’Leary, ., Van Slyke, D. and Kim, S. (eds.) Georgetown University Press, 2010.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Social Sector Partnerships and Voluntarism: What We Know and Still Need to Learn." In Gifts of Time in America’s Communities. Brooks, A. C. (ed.) Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2005.
  • Van Slyke, D., Riccucci , N. M., "The Politicized Administrative Environment of Public Administration in the United States." In Comparative Bureaucratic Systems. Tummala , . K. (ed.) Lexington Books, 2003.
• Conference Proceedings
  • O'Leary, R., Van Slyke, D., "Introduction to the symposium on the future of public administration in 2020." In Public Administration Review. , 2010.
  • Van Slyke, D., Alexander, R. W., "Public service leadership: Opportunities for clarity and coherence." In American Review of Public Administration. , 2006.
  • Ingraham, P. W., Van Slyke, D., "The path ahead for public service leadership." In American Review of Public Administration. , 2006.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Agents or stewards: How government manages its contracting relationships with nonprofit social service providers." In Academy of Management 2005 Annual Meeting: A New Vision of Management in the 21st Century, AOM 2005. , 2005.
  • Van Slyke, D., Horne, . S. and Johnson , J. L., "Attitudes Toward Public Funding for Faith‐Based Organizations and the Potential Impact on Private Giving." Proceedings of the Spring Research Conference, The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy, Washington, D.C., 2003.
• Editorials
  • Van Slyke, D., "Politicians fail to see shutdown’s long‐term fallout: Brain drain." The Hill, 2019.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Finding the Best Value – Review of International Experiences on the Procurement of Social Services: Lessons for the Ministry of Finance, Russian Federation." World Bank and Russian Ministry of Finance, 2017.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Trump's Infrastructure Plan: How 'private' will he go?." Politico, 2017.
  • Van Slyke, D., O’Keefe, . and Huitink, ., "The Coast Guard's Flawed Icebreaker Plan." Politico, 2016.
  • Huitink, Z., Van Slyke, D., "Beyond Business as Usual: Improving Defense Acquisition through Better Buying Power." IBM Center for the Business of Government, 2015.
  • Van Slyke, D., Independent Assessment of a White Paper by the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General: Public?Private Partnerships: Best Practices and Opportunities for the Postal Service. , 2013.
  • Brown, . L., Van Slyke, D., "Analysis: 3 Ways to Avoid Another HealthCare.gov Mess." Government Executive, 2013.
• Editorial, Journals
  • Bryson, J. M., Edwards, L. H. and Van Slyke, D., "Getting strategic about strategic planning research." Public Management Review, 2018.
  • Gazley, B., Van Slyke, D., "The energy of Minnowbrook III: Editors' Introduction." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2011.
• Journal Symposia
  • "trategic Planning – The State of the Art in Theory and Practice." Van Slyke, D., Bryson, J. and Edwards, L. (eds.) Public Management Review issue, 2017.
  • Van Slyke, D., Gazley, B., "The Future of Public Administration: Critiques from the Minnowbrook III conference." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory issue, 2011.
  • "Looking into the Future of Public Administration." Van Slyke, D., O’Leary, . (eds.) Public Administration Review issue, 2010.
• Letter
  • Van Slyke, D., "Letter to the Editor about the Office of Faith‐Based and Community Initiatives." PA Times, 2001.
• Newsletter
  • Brown, . ., Potoski, . and Van Slyke, D., "Government Contracting’s Ills and Cures: Rules and Relationships." ESADE: Newsletter of the Institute of Public Governance and Management, 2012.
• Note, Journal
  • Van Slyke, D., Roberts, A., "A poorly designed solution for a misdiagnosed problem." Administration and Society, 2009.
• Review, Journals
  • Van Slyke, D., Brooks, A. C., "Why do people give? New evidence and strategies for nonprofit managers." American Review of Public Administration, 2005.
  • Horne, C. S., Johnson, J. L. and Van Slyke, D., "Do charitable donors know enough - And care enough - About government subsidies to affect private giving to nonprofit organizations?." Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 2005.
  • Van Slyke, D., Roch, C. H., "What do they know, and whom do they hold accountable? Citizens in the government-nonprofit contracting relationship." Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 2004.
  • Van Slyke, D., "The Mythology of Privatization in Contracting for Social Services." Public Administration Review, 2003.
• Technical Reports
  • Van Slyke, D., "We Need An Infrastructure Bill for the Future." US News & World Report, 2019.
  • Van Slyke, D., "Decentralization of Service Delivery Systems." World Bank and Russian Ministry of Finance, 2014.

NASPAA Annual Conference, "Government Partnership at the Intersection of Technology and Policy – Changes in Public Administration Education" (2019)

NASPAA Annual Conference, "Whither Public Management and Administration Education – What will the next 50 years bring?" (2019)

Huitink, Z., Van Slyke, D., Public Management Research Association, "Contract Design in Variable Environments: Integrating Transaction Cost Economics and Resource Dependence Theory" (June 12, 2018)

Lecy, . D., Santamarina, F., Van Slyke, D., Holm, E. V., Public Management Research Association, "The Political Economy of Nonprofit Mission" (June 12, 2018)

NASPAA Annual Conference, "Big Data and Beyond: Reexamining NASPAA Curriculum Standards on Technology 16" (2018)