At the head of each department is a director, who is appointed by the governor, is responsible to him, and whose term of office is the same as that of the governor.
Each department is organized into various bureaus, or other subdivisions, with officers in charge who are directly responsible to the director of the department. Thus, in the department of agriculture there is an assistant director, a general manager of the state fair, a superintendent of foods and dairies, a superintendent of animal industry, a superintendent of plant industry, a chief veterinarian, a chief game and fish warden, and a food standard commission of three members.
All subordinate employees in all departments are appointed under a civil service law which requires competitive examinations.
Associated with most of the departments are "advisory boards" consisting of citizens who serve without pay. Thus, the department of agriculture has a board of agricultural advisers composed of fifteen persons, and a board of state fair advisers of nine persons, not more than three of whom shall be appointed from any one county.
The things aimed at in this reorganization are: (I) fixing responsibility for the entire service-organization in one place— with the governor; (2) responsible, trained leadership in each department of service; (3) responsiveness of leadership to the people's wants, as provided for by the advisory boards; (4) a system of accounting and records that will make for efficiency and economy, and that will inform the people as well as the officers of government.
Investigate and report on:
The name of the governor of your state, his political party, when elected, for how long a term.
Advantages and disadvantages of a long term for the governor.
The constitutional powers of the governor of your state.
The influence of the governor of your state with the people.