Dr. Shaun P. Herness

Adjunct Professor


Employer: H&A Inc.

Title: Owner

Dr. Shaun P. Herness received the Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Florida in 1996.  His areas of academic concentration were American Government and Politics, Political Behavior, and Political Theory.  Dr. Herness also earned a Master of Arts in Political Management from the George Washington University, Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) in 1993, a Master of Arts in American Politics from the Catholic University of America in 1991, and a Bachelor of Arts in American Government and Mathematics from Georgetown University in 1986.  He is a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science National Honor Society.    

In addition to his academic interests, Dr. Herness has extensive experience in public relations and consulting at the state and local levels having been actively involved in Florida politics for the past 30 years. He also maintains affiliations with several Presidential Centers and Foundations serving on a variety of councils and committees.
 
Dr. Herness' professional affiliations include membership in the George Washington University Heritage Society at the Tempietto Circle Level, the University of Florida President's Circle, and Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society. In 2010 Dr. Herness was honored as the Citizen of the Year by the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Prior to joining the GSPM faculty, Dr. Herness taught political science and campaign advertising courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels at the University of Florida.


Political management, presidential electoral politics, political philosophy, democratic theory

Fundamentals of Political Management (online)

Principled Political Leadership (online)

State Laws Related to Immigrants and Immigration.  Editor of a series of reports released three times per year summarizing introduced state legislation (spring) and enacted legislation (summer and winter). (2005 - present).

 

Child Migrants to the U.S.  The U.S. is experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of unaccompanied children arriving on the southern border, gaining humanitarian and political attention and challenging federal and state resources and management. As of June 30, 2014, more than 57,000 children have been apprehended, a doubling of arrivals compared to last year. Coauthor Maya Burchette.  July 10, 2014.

 

In-State Tuition and Unauthorized Immigrant Students describe federal and state action related to the provision of instate tuition benefits.  Fifteen states currently provide instate tuition through legislation.  Revised July 14, 2014.

 

Immigration Reform and State Trends.  States, on average, are introducing 1,300 bills and enacting 200 laws each year related to refugee and immigrant integration and immigration enforcement. This two-page brief highlights recent state laws and the current status of immigration reform in Congress.  Coauthor Gilberto Soria Mendoza.  NCSL Legisbrief, January 2014.

 

Driver’s Licenses and Immigrants.  This two-page brief reviews state driver's license requirements and immigrant eligibility after the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy in June 2012. In addition to New Mexico, Washington and Utah, ten states expanded access to driver's license/driver's privilege cards to noncitizens.  NCSL Legisbrief, August 2013.

 

“Bridging the divide: America's immigrants, immigration reform, and what they mean for states.” 2013 American Public Human Services Association.  

 

New Kiwis and New Americans:  Perspectives on Migration, author, Ian Axford Public Policy Fellowship, Wellington, New Zealand, July 2007.

 

“Immigration:  States Take the Lead”, Insights on Law & Society, American Immigration Lawyers Association, 2006, Volume 7, no. 2, pp 11-13.

 

“Oath of Citizenship to Oath of Office”, an article about immigrant state legislators, published in NCSL’s State Legislatures magazine, May 2006

 

America's Newcomers:  Mending the Welfare Safety Net for Immigrants.  Co-author and editor.  Support for research, writing, and publication was shared by the Emma Lazarus Fund, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  (NCSL:  Denver, Colorado, April 1998, 77 pages.)

 

“Framing the Issues:  Immigrant Policy and the Role of State and Local Government”, In Defense of the Alien, Vol. XIX  (Center for Migration Studies:   New York, 1997).

 

America’s Newcomers:  An Immigrant Policy Handbook.  Editor and co-author.  (NCSL:  Denver, September 1994, 120 pages)

Ph.D., University of Florida

M.A., The George Washington University

M.A., The Catholic University of America

B.A., Georgetown University