Public Service Workshops Program (PSWP) Offerings
Capital Region Mid/Lower Hudson Region Central Region
New York City Region Long Island Region
Northern Region Western Region
Capital Region Top of Page
Computer Security Basics
This workshop provides an introduction to fundamental computer security concepts, focusing on the Windows operating system and personal computers. Topics include basic computer security tools and practices, including the management of user rights and privileges. Participants will understand the current threat matrix targeting workstations, issues in managing security for desktop computers, and effective countermeasures for protecting agency workstations.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 7/20/2009 Registration deadline: 7/6/2009
Location: University at Albany, Albany NY
Cost Benefit Analysis
This two-day workshop is an introduction to the framework and methods of cost benefit analysis (CBA). Topics include the economic reasoning underlying CBA, discounting to calculate present value, program effects that should and should not be counted, and some of the techniques for valuing benefits and costs. The course provides information to participants that enable them to be competent users of CBA. Note that some knowledge of the economic concepts of supply and demand is a prerequisite.
Number of Days: 2
Date(s): 7/22/2009 and 7/29/2009 Registration deadline: 7/8/2009
Location: University at Albany, Albany NY
Accounting Refresher
This workshop is designed for professionals who work in accounting, auditing and other finance-related titles. The workshop provides an overview of the accounting equation and discusses the elements of the income statement. Changes in equity and balance sheets; an explanation of accrual accounting; accounting for deferrals; a synopsis of +/- accounts and the general journal; and a review of depreciation methods will be addressed. Governmental fund accounting and business type accrual accounting including applications of government- wide financial statements will be also be reviewed.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 7/23/2009 Registration deadline: 7/9/2009
Location: Sage College of Albany, Albany NY
Network Basics
This workshop is designed for computer professionals who need a basic introduction to the main components of a computer network. Participants will learn about key terms and services, such as DNS, DHCP, and Active Directory. Participants also will examine network infrastructure components, such as routers, switches, and cabling. Specific troubleshooting techniques will be demonstrated.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/3/2009 Registration deadline: 7/20/2009
Location: University at Albany, Albany NY
Legal Writing for Non-Attorneys
This workshop provides an introduction to basic legal writing principles for employees who are not attorneys but must deal with legal materials and documents. The workshop provides an understanding of legal writing formats, applications of legal rules in a persuasive argument, an explanation of commonly used legal terms and phrases, and how to incorporate a plain English writing style into legal documents.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/7/2009 Registration deadline: 7/24/2009
Location: Albany Law School, Albany NY
Investigative Interviewing
This workshop examines techniques for interviewing subjects for purposes of fact-finding and obtaining information about compliance, fraud, and abuse. It is designed for individuals who testify in administrative hearings or other proceedings. Topics include discussion of legal parameters, strategies for handling reluctant and hostile interviewees, and the importance of accurate field notes. The workshop focuses on interviewing external witnesses involved in underlying cases. Scenarios such as interviewing an office worker in a Medicaid Fraud investigation or the school nurse in a child abuse case will be included.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/13/2009 Registration deadline: 7/30/2009
Location: Albany Law School, Albany NY
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act for Auditors
This workshop will cover the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on New York State employees. It will provide a review of key provisions of the act, including the scope of the term "issuer" (public companies whose stock is traded on an exchange, or "Over-The-Counter"); strengthening of audit committees; improper influence on audits; internal financial controls; code of ethics; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) certification of disclosure; other disclosure enhancements, such as off-balance sheet transactions; substantive transactional provisions, such as forfeiture by an issuer’s CEO and CFO of any bonuses, or incentive compensation; accurate, complete, and timely determination of materiality and disclosure obligations; fair representation of financial condition and results; high quality audit and review of public company financial statements; preventing conflict of interest; and proper retention of audit documents and records.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/18/2009 Registration deadline: 8/4/2009
Location: College of St. Rose, Albany NY
Audit Report Writing
This workshop provides auditors with the skills to produce clear and objective audit reports. Participants will learn how to organize information (facts, conclusions, inferences, and judgments) from audits into reports that are understandable and objective to the reader. This workshop will assist auditors in developing properly written and supported audit findings, and will provide a template of an audit report.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 9/15/2009 Registration deadline: 9/1/2009
Location: Sage College of Albany, Albany NY
Professional Writing: Composition
This workshop provides an overview of essential writing skills that include developing and organizing ideas, choosing a focus for writing, and using appropriate language for the audience. Participants will focus on writing skills within the context of the larger writing process, approaching a writing task from pre-writing through revisions. Writing tone, style, and technique will also be addressed.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 9/15/2009 Registration deadline: 9/1/2009
Location: Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady NY
Professional Writing: Mechanics
This workshop provides participants with a review of the mechanics of writing including word choice and sentence structure. The workshop includes a review of the parts of speech, phrases and clauses, and the use of modifiers. Participants will also review the rules of punctuation.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 9/22/2009 Registration deadline: 9/8/2009
Location: Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady NY
Professional Writing: Reports
This workshop focuses on the role of business reports, how to structure and organize a report, and the purpose and design of status and progress reports. Participants will learn the proper construction and utilization of business charts, graphs, tables, and graphics.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 9/25/2009 Registration deadline: 9/11/2009
Location: Schenectady County Community College, Schenectady NY
Wireless Technology
This workshop provides an overview of wireless technologies and why organizations are choosing to adopt them. The different types and the advantages and disadvantages of wireless technologies will be explored, including security issues and concerns that most likely affect a wireless network. The workshop will also cover what is required to deploy a wireless solution, and how to integrate wireless and wired.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 10/2/2009 Registration deadline: 9/18/2009
Location: University at Albany, Albany NY
Mid/Lower Hudson Region Top of Page
Central Region Top of Page
New York City Region Top of Page
Data Analysis
This two-day workshop develops skills for visualizing and analyzing data. Topics include descriptive statistics, histograms, cross tabulations and pivot tables, correlation and regression, and confidence intervals. Use of graphs to explore patterns and relationships in the data is emphasized. Data sets are provided for practice in building statistical analysis skills. The workshop uses Microsoft Excel 2007 as a tool for learning about data analysis and is held in a digital classroom where each participant has a computer for doing the exercises. Students should bring a USB (flash) drive to class to store the files that they will be using. Prerequisite: Familiarity with Excel, including knowing how to enter simple formulas and use built-in functions. An introductory statistics course is recommended.
Number of Days: 2
Date(s): 7/23/2009 and 724/2009 Registration deadline: 7/9/2009
Location: Pace University, New York NY
Legal Writing for Non-Attorneys
This workshop provides an introduction to basic legal writing principles for employees who are not attorneys but must deal with legal materials and documents. The workshop provides an understanding of legal writing formats, applications of legal rules in a persuasive argument, an explanation of commonly used legal terms and phrases, and how to incorporate a plain English writing style into legal documents.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/3/2009 Registration deadline: 7/20/2009
Location: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York NY
Audit Report Writing
This workshop provides auditors with the skills to produce clear and objective audit reports. Participants will learn how to organize information (facts, conclusions, inferences, and judgments) from audits into reports that are understandable and objective to the reader. This workshop will assist auditors in developing properly written and supported audit findings, and will provide a template of an audit report.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/5/2009 Registration deadline: 7/22/2009
Location: Pace University, New York NY
Professional Writing: Mechanics
This workshop provides participants with a review of the mechanics of writing including word choice and sentence structure. The workshop includes a review of the parts of speech, phrases and clauses, and the use of modifiers. Participants will also review the rules of punctuation.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/6/2009 Registration deadline: 7/23/2009
Location: Hunter College, New York NY
Professional Writing: Composition
This workshop provides an overview of essential writing skills that include developing and organizing ideas, choosing a focus for writing, and using appropriate language for the audience. Participants will focus on writing skills within the context of the larger writing process, approaching a writing task from pre-writing through revisions. Writing tone, style, and technique will also be addressed.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/7/2009 Registration deadline: 7/24/2009
Location: Hunter College, New York NY
Auditing Refresher
This two-day workshop provides an overview of auditing, including basic concepts, techniques, and auditing applications. Topics include the audit risk model, understanding and testing internal controls, substantive testing, fraud, reports on audited financial statements, professional ethics, and an introduction to computer auditing. Topics related to basic financial derivative transactions will also be introduced in the workshop.
Number of Days: 2
Date(s): 8/12/2009 and 8/13/2009 Registration deadline: 7/29/2009
Location: Pace University, New York NY
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act for Auditors
This workshop will cover the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and its impact on New York State employees. It will provide a review of key provisions of the act, including the scope of the term "issuer" (public companies whose stock is traded on an exchange, or "Over-The-Counter"); strengthening of audit committees; improper influence on audits; internal financial controls; code of ethics; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) certification of disclosure; other disclosure enhancements, such as off-balance sheet transactions; substantive transactional provisions, such as forfeiture by an issuer’s CEO and CFO of any bonuses, or incentive compensation; accurate, complete, and timely determination of materiality and disclosure obligations; fair representation of financial condition and results; high quality audit and review of public company financial statements; preventing conflict of interest; and proper retention of audit documents and records.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 8/18/2009 Registration deadline: 8/4/2009
Location: Pace University, New York NY
Investigative Interviewing
This workshop examines techniques for interviewing subjects for purposes of fact-finding and obtaining information about compliance, fraud, and abuse. It is designed for individuals who testify in administrative hearings or other proceedings. Topics include discussion of legal parameters, strategies for handling reluctant and hostile interviewees, and the importance of accurate field notes. The workshop focuses on interviewing external witnesses involved in underlying cases. Scenarios such as interviewing an office worker in a Medicaid Fraud investigation or the school nurse in a child abuse case will be included.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 9/10/2009 Registration deadline: 8/27/2009
Location: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York NY
Long Island Region Top of Page
Communication Skills for Non-Native English Speakers
This two-day workshop is designed to help non–native English speakers master techniques for adjusting accent and non-verbal cues particular to an ethnic background. It explores the fundamentals of presentation skills and delivery techniques, and through exercises and practice sessions, participants learn how to manage the fear of public speaking and how best to present a message.
Number of Days: 2
Date(s): 8/3/2009 and 8/10/2009 Registration deadline: 7/20/2009
Location: Long Island University, C.W. Post, Greenvale NY
Northern Region Top of Page
Western Region Top of Page
Computer Security Basics
This workshop provides an introduction to fundamental computer security concepts, focusing on the Windows operating system and personal computers. Topics include basic computer security tools and practices, including the management of user rights and privileges. Participants will understand the current threat matrix targeting workstations, issues in managing security for desktop computers, and effective countermeasures for protecting agency workstations.
Number of Days: 1
Date(s): 7/30/2009 Registration deadline: 7/16/2009
Location: Canisius College, Amherst NY