I'm proud to serve as chair of Augusta University’s Department of Social Sciences and professor of public administration. My research focuses on the administrative features of health policy, community development, and public finance and budgeting. The research has appeared in journals such as American Journal of Public Health, Public Administration Review, American Review of Public Administration, and Journal of Public Affairs Education.
William Hatcher, PhD
Professor and Chair
Department of Social Sciences
Augusta University
p: 706-667-4423
a: 2500 Walton Way, Allgood Hall N312 | Augusta, Georgia 30904
e: wihatcher@augusta.edu
Twitter: @profhat
Recent Publications
The Cybersecurity of Municipalities in the United States:
An Exploratory Survey of Policies and Practice
The Danger of Presidential Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic
A Content Analysis of Misleading Statements
The Ryan White Care Program is Vital to End the HIV Epidemic
American Journal of Public Health
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Hatcher, William and Martha Ginn. (forthcoming). Covid-19 and 2020 Presidential Election Speeches: A Content Analysis of Pandemic Campaign Rhetoric. World Medical & Health Policy.
Hunter, Lance, Martha Ginn, Wesley L. Meares, and William Hatcher. (forthcoming). Telework and Work Flexibility in the United States Federal Government Post-Pandemic. Public Administration Quarterly.
Norris, Donald, Laura Mateczun, William Hatcher, Wesley L. Meares, and John Heslen. (2023). Local Government Cyber Insecurity: Causes and Recommendations for Improvement. Public Administration Review.
Hatcher, William, Beth Rauhaus, and Wesley Meares. (2022). The Career Paths of the Chief Administrative Officers of U.S. Cities: A Survey of City Managers and Content Analysis of how they Discuss their Careers. Local Government Studies
Farrell, Catherine, William Hatcher, John Diamond. (2022). Reflecting on Over 100 Years of Public Administration Education. Public Administration.
Hatcher, William, John Heslen, and Wesley Meares. (2020). The Cybersecurity of Municipalities in the United States: An Exploratory Survey of Policies and Practice. Journal of Cyber Policy, 5 (2), 302-325.
Hatcher, William. (2020) President Trump and Health Care: A Content Analysis of Misleading Statements. Journal of Public Health, 42(4), e482-e486.
Hatcher, William. (2020). Voicing the Problem of Administrative Burnout and the Solution of Caring Organizations. Public Voices, 16(2), 79-93.
Hatcher, William. (2020). A Failure of Political Communication not a Failure of Bureaucracy: The Danger of Presidential Misinformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic. American Review of Public Administration, 50(6-7), 614-620.
Hatcher, William, Augustine Hammond, and Wesley Meares. (2020). The Effect of Town and Gown on Local Economic Development: An Analysis of Partnerships, Planning and Policy. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, 24(1), 35-54.
Hatcher, William. (2020). The Ryan White Care Program is Vital to End the HIV Epidemic. American Journal of Public Health, 110(1), 51-52. (peer-reviewed editorial)
Hatcher, William. (2019). Teaching Curiosity in Public Affairs Programs. Teaching Public Administration, 37(3), 365-375.
Hatcher, William, Lance Hunter, Wesley Meares, Mary-Kate Lizotte, and Dustin Avent-Holt. (2019). Community-Level Internet Connectivity and Mental Health: An Analysis of United States Counties. Journal of Mental Health, 28(5), 490-494.
Meares, Wesley, William Hatcher, and Courtney Roberts (MPA alumni). (2018). Merging During a Time of Fiscal Crisis: A Financial Condition Analysis of the Augusta-Richmond City-County Consolidation. Public Administration Quarterly, 42(4), 92-121.
Holland, Joseph H., William Hatcher, and Wesley Meares. (2018). Understanding the Implementation of Telemental Health in Rural Mississippi: An Exploratory Study of Using Technology to Improve Health Outcomes in Improvised Communities, Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 41(1), 53-86.
Holland, Joseph H., William Hatcher, and V. Brooks Poole. (2018). Social Entrepreneurship in Trujillo, Peru. The Case of Nisolo. Community Development, 49(3), 312-323.
Hatcher, William and Augustine Hammond. (2018). Nonprofit Economic Development Organizations and the Institutional Arrangement of Local Economic Development. Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 4(1), 21-40. *JPNA Best Paper Award for 2018
Hatcher, William and Allison Vick (MPA student). (2018). Public Health Issues in 2016 Presidential Campaign Communications. American Journal of Public Health, 108 (2), 191-192. (peer-reviewed editorial)
Hatcher, William, Wesley Meares, and Victoria Gordon. (2017). The Capacity and Constraints of Small MPA Programs: A Survey of Program Directors. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 23 (3), 855-868.
Hatcher, William and Allison Vick (MPA student). (2017). Promoting your Community on the Web: An Exploratory Analysis of the Web Presence of Cities in Georgia. Georgia Journal of Public Policy.
Hatcher, William, Britten Pund, and Giorgi Khatiashvili (MPA student). (2016). From Compassionate Conservatism to Obamacare: Funding for the Ryan White Program during the Obama Administration. American Journal of Public Health, 106 (11), 1955-1957.
Hatcher, William. (2016). Using the Asset-Building Model of Development in Teaching the Politics of Community Development in Appalachia, Journal of Appalachian Studies. 22 (1), 113-120. (teaching note)
Hatcher, William. (2015). The Efficacy of Public Participation in Municipal Budgeting: An Exploratory Survey of Officials in the Government Financial Officers Association’s Award Winning Cities. Public Administration Quarterly, 39 (4), 99-117.
Hatcher, William. (2015). Community Development in NASPAA Programs: Teaching the Importance of Community Betterment to Public Managers. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 21(2), 165-178.
Hatcher, William and Gerald Andrews Emison. (2014). Reprofessionalizing Planning: A Pragmatic Model for Planners. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 140 (1), 0251400-1.
Hatcher, William, Matt Oyer (MPA student), and Roberto Gallardo. (2011). The Creative Class and Economic Development as Practiced in the Rural U.S. South: An Exploratory Survey of Economic Development Professionals. The Review of Regional Studies, 41 (2, 3), 139-159.
Buchanan, Robert, Sarah L. Minden, Bonnie J. Chakravorty, William Hatcher, Tuula Tyry, and Timothy Vollmer. (2010). A Pilot Study of Young Adults with Multiple Sclerosis: Demographic, Disease, Treatment, and Psychosocial Characteristics. Health and Disability Journal, 3 (4), 262-270.
Buchanan, Robert, Bonnie J. Chakravorty, Tuula Tyry, William Hatcher, and Timothy Vollmer. (2009). Age-Related Comparisons of People with Multiple Sclerosis: Demographic, Disease, and Treatment Characteristics. NeuroRehabilitation, 25 (4), 271-278.
Buchanan, Robert and William Hatcher. (2007). Compassionate Conservatism: Federal Funding for the Ryan White CARE Act During the Bush Administration. American Journal of Public Health, 97 (11), 2013-2016.
Books
Hatcher, William. (2023). The Curious Public Administrator. New York, NY: Routledge
Hatcher, William and Wesley Meares. Work-Life Balance in the Public Sector: Burnout, Public Service, and the Search for Compassionate Organizations. Due to the publisher by November 2025.
Hatcher, William, Beth Rauhaus, and Bruce McDonald. Editors. The Craft of Teaching in Public Affairs. Under contract with Routledge. Due to publisher by April 25, 2024.
McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. Editors (forthcoming). Teaching Your First Class: Research for New Faculty Members. New York, NY: Routledge
Hatcher, William and Bruce McDonald. Editors. (2023). International and Comparative Public Administration Education. New York, NY: Routledge.
Abbott, M. E., McDonald, B.D. and Hatcher, W. Editors (2023). Social Equity in the Public Administration Classroom. New York, NY: Routledge.
McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. Editors. (2022). Work-Life Balance in Higher Education. Routledge.
McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. Editors. (2020). Public Affairs Faculty Manual. Routledge.
Editor with Bruce McDonald of the Public Affairs Education book series with Routledge.
Chapters in Edited Books
McDonald, Bruce, William Hatcher, and Michaela Abbott. (2022). History of Public Administration Education in the United States. In Bottom, K. A., Dunning, P, Elliot, I., & Diamond, J. (Eds.), Handbook on the Teaching of Public Administration. Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham, UK.
Hatcher, William. (2020). Managing Your Public Affairs Program. in McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. (eds). Public Affairs Faculty Manual. Routledge.
Hatcher, William and Martha Humphries Ginn. (2020). Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Student Body. in McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. (eds). Public Affairs Faculty Manual. Routledge.
McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. (2020). Conclusion. in McDonald, Bruce and William Hatcher. (eds). Public Affairs Faculty Manual. Routledge.
Hatcher, William. (2018). Defining and Aligning Community Development and Public Administration: Using Administrative Practices to Design Better Communities. in Nickels, Ashley and Jason D. Rivera. Community Development and Public Administration Theory. Routledge. 49-67.
Hatcher, William and Erica Childress (MPA student). (2016). Town and Gown Relationships: The Extension of the University into the Community. in Devitis, Joseph L and Pietro A. Sasso eds. Higher Education and Society. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang Publishing. 99-117.
Editor Refereed Journal Articles, Encyclopedia Entries, and other Publications in Academic Outlets
Schafer, Josephine Gatti, William Hatcher, and Bruce McDonald. (2020). Academics of PA or: How We Learned to Stop Working and Find Some Balance. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 26(3).
Hall, Jeremy L., William Hatcher, Bruce D. McDonald III, Patricia Shields, and Jessica E. Sowa. (2019). The Art of Peer Review: Toward an Effective Development Process. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 25(3), 296-313
Hatcher, William. (2019). The Curious Public Administrator: The New Administrative Doctrine (invited guest editorial). Public Integrity, 21(3), 225 – 228.
Hatcher, William, Bruce McDonald, Lori Brainard. (2018). How to Write a Case Study for Public Affairs. Journal of Public Affairs Education, 24(2), 274 – 285.
Hatcher, William and Shannon Cooper (MPA student). (2016). Law and Public Administrator’s Commitment. Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Farazmand, Ali (editor). Springer International Publishing.
Hatcher, William. (2006). Introduction: Fiction and Leadership. Public Integrity, 8 (3), 201 – 206.
Trade Journal Publications
Hatcher, William, Donald F. Norris, Laura Mateczun, Wesley L. Meares, and John Heslen. (2024). US local governments often practice cyber insecurity. London School of Economics USA Politics Blog, https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2023/12/20/surveys-show-us-local-governments-must-do-more-to-address-their-cyber-insecurity/
Meares, Wesley, Beth Rauhaus, and William Hatcher. (2022). What are the career backgrounds of city managers in the United States? INLOGOV Blog, University of Birmingham (UK). https://inlogov.com/2022/11/10/what-are-the-career-backgrounds-of-city-managers-in-the-united-states/
Hatcher, William. (2021). A Community-Based Approach to Public Administration Education: The New Big Questions of Public Administration Education. PA Times (invited)
Hatcher, William. (2018). How Internet Based Services Could Help Solve Rural America’s Mental Health Care Crisis. Scholars Strategy Network. Available at https://scholars.org/brief/how-internet-based-services-could-help-solve-rural-americas-mental-health-care-crisis
Hatcher, William. (2018). Public Administration Education in a Time of Crisis. PA Times.
Gallardo, Roberto and William Hatcher. (March 3, 2015). How Do Municipalities of Different Size Use the Internet? Government Technology. Available at http://www.govtech.com/internet/How-Do-Municipalities-of-Different-Sizes-Use-the-Internet.html
Monthly columnist on community development for PA Times online—a publication of the American Society for Public Administration, December 2012 – 2016 (over 30 columns authored)
Hatcher, William. (2012). Municipal Spending in an Age of Austerity. Kentucky City. May/June Issue. Kentucky League of Cities: Lexington, Kentucky.
Beaty, LeAnn and William Hatcher. (2012). Do Cities Save for Rainy Days?
Kentucky City. January/February Issue. Kentucky League of Cities: Lexington, Kentucky.
Book Reviews
Hatcher, William. (2016). [Review of How Politics Makes Us Sick: Neoliberal Epidemics by Ted Schnrecker and Clare Bambra] Politics and the Life Sciences, 35 (2), 75-76.
Hatcher, William. (2015). [Review of The Creative Class Goes Global edited by Charlotta Mellander, Richard Florida, Bjorn T. Asheim, and Meric Gertler] Review of Regional Studies, 45 (1), 108-110.
Hatcher, William. (2012). [Review of Handbook of Creative Cities edited by David Emanuel Andersson, Ake E. Andersson, and Charlotta Mellander] Review of Regional Studies, 42 (2), 180 – 183.
Hatcher, William. (2011). Evidence-Based Health Administration. [Review of Medical Governance by David Weimer] Public Administration Review, 71(6), 951 – 954.
Research Reports
Hatcher, William, Michael Badke, Parker Riggs, Mark Harris, and Wesley Meares. (2018) Cyber Institute | MPA Cybersecurity Workforce Study. A report for the Augusta University Cyber Institute. Available at: http://www.augusta.edu/pamplin/mpa/documents/2018cws.pdf
Meares, Wesley, Allison Vick, Mark Harris, and William Hatcher. (2017). Cyber Institute | MPA Cybersecurity Workforce Study. A report for the Augusta University Cyber Institute. Available at: http://www.augusta.edu/pamplin/mpa/documents/2017_augusta_metro_cybersecurity_workforce_study.pdf
Public Budgeting
Summer 2017
This course examines the institutions and techniques of modern financial administration in federal, state, and local government and looks at the principles associated with revenue collection at the local level. The course introduces the terminology and process of budgeting as well as enables the student to gain competence in analyzing budgetary problems and proposing solutions. The role of the budget as a tool in expressing priorities in policy choices is emphasized.
When students hear the phrase, “public budgeting”… they often yawn. The study of public budgeting is considered a dull examination of taxes and expenditures. It is viewed as a highly technical subject. Yes, public budgeting is about understanding tax systems, expenditures, accounting, and other technical topics, but at its foundation, public budgeting is about politics and the allocation of finite resources in our political system. Successful public administrators understand both the technical and political aspects of public budgeting.
This course equips public administrators with the knowledge needed to have this understanding of public budgeting and finance. After discussing the theoretical aspects of public finance administration, students will examine each step of the typical budget process. The course will focus on these steps at the federal, state, and local levels of government. Special emphasis will be placed on the local administration of revenues, expenditures, operating budgets, capital budgets, public accounting, and economic development.
Survey of Public Admin.
Fall 2017
This course is designed to introduce the MPA student to the intellectual tradition of the field of public administration. It will focus on theories, concepts and methods which have become associated with the discipline of public administration.
American Government
Spring 2016
An introductory course covering the essential facts of federal, state and local governments in the United States. A satisfactory grade will exempt a student from the requirement of passing an examination on the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Georgia before graduation.
The goal of this course is to provide students with a broad overview of the American political system. The course seeks to give students an understanding of U.S. political institutions and political actors, so they will be able to critically examine political events in the hopes of being more engaged citizens in their communities, states, and nation.
Public Policy Analysis
Spring 2016
Participants perceive swings in national mood, elections bring new administrations to power and new partisan or ideological distributions to Congress, and interest groups of various descriptions press (or fail to press) their demands on government.
Public policy changes in very large leaps, as in the New Deal of the 1930's, the Great Society of the mid-1960's, and the Reagan revolution of 1981. These spasms of reform are interspersed with periods of rest and stasis, as if the participants are exhausted from their exertion and catching their breath.
--John Kingdon, Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies
Course Description
This course introduces students to the economic, political, and social forces that shape pubic policy along with methods of analyzing policy alternatives.
The course is an examination of the formulation and implementation of public policy and the roles of government institutions and actors in policymaking. This course takes a problem-solving approach to the study of public policy. We will examine the nature of public policy, the theoretical foundations of policymaking, and the effects of institutions and actors on the policy process. Most of the course is dedicated to discussing the tools that are used in the analysis of public policies. Students will apply the information learned to questions of administration. By learning the material and then applying the information, students will be equipped with tools necessary to be effective participants in the public policy process.