Dean's Corner
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

The advantages of being Young

I sometimes am concerned about the drawbacks of being a new school. The Andrew Young School is only in its fourth year. We have no long history to report or longstanding traditions to continue, etc. By contrast, the newsletters of the long-established policy schools are full of stories about great and enviable accomplishments over past decades. This always impresses me.

But the last four years have taught me that being a young school has some very great advantages. We were able to break down some longstanding barriers and bring the departments of economics and public administration together under one college roof. These two disciplines are the backbone of our approach to policy analysis. Better yet, we have been able to shape both departments to focus on teaching and researching with a policy analysis and policy management emphasis. We also make many of our own rules about how we will do business. Most important, we get to make decisions about the kind of students we will try to attract. The goal we have chosen is to be as inclusive as possible. Our student body is composed of 58 percent women and 49 percent African Americans, and 18 percent of our graduate students are from countries outside the United States. This diversity has made us very rich - and pretty special, we think.

A third advantage of being young is that nothing comes easy. The doors do not automatically open to be involved in the major national and international policy research debates. But having to try harder has made us stronger. We have implemented curriculum revisions and enrollments have grown like crazy. We are breaking new ground by being innovative and taking some risks (read about the Flint River Water Planning and Policy Center and the World Bank training program in these pages); we have hired many excellent new faculty and research associates; and we have become highly leveraged with external funds. For every dollar we receive from the university, we now match it with a dollar of external money.

Another advantage of being young is that we were able to choose a name for our school that matches what we do. Andrew Young stands for good works in teaching and research, and for a lifetime of effort in urban policy, international policy, government and business, and the nonprofit sector. He believes, as we do, that good policy and good economy just cannot be separated. Best of all, he provides leadership and vision on a day-to-day basis for the school, and is a great role model for students and faculty.

You know what, I kind of like the challenges of being a Young School.

Roy Bahl
Dean

Photo above: PLANNING FOR SUCCESS: Dean Roy Bahl (left) reviews program plans with Paul Rosser, chairman of Rosser International Inc. architectural and engineering firm and chair of the Andrew Young School's external advisory board, during the board's September meeting.