Frank Batten Sr. has given the university $100M to start a School of Leadership and Public Policy, UVa reports in a press release. It was just a few months ago that they announced their five-year masters of public policy program, making this a big step forward in very little time. I was surprised to learn a few years ago that UVa had no public policy department, something remarkable for its absence. They intend to hire a dean to start in the fall, and accept their first incoming class in the fall of 2009.
Call me slow to take a hint, but I’ll be applying to this program. I’d love to get a masters in public policy from the university.
Waldo, you are *fast*. I got Casteen’s email 5 minutes ago, came over here, saw no story about it, figured I’d drop a note about it, and by the time I logged in and refreshed the page there it was. You’re almost as good as the Wikipedia editors who hover over their keyboards waiting for someone to die so they can update his or her entry with a death date…
On topic: will a school of leadership and public policy be helpful to the commonwealth (in the largest sense) in the long run? I mean the question in the sense that people sometimes ask whether having schools of education has done more good than harm to the concrete task of educating children.
Since that 5-year program was announced, I have kept one ear to the ground waiting for news of a dedicated master’s program. Two people contacted me literally within a minute of Casteen’s e-mail. Since I already have my undergraduate degree (PSCI, VT), their five-year program does no good. Two weeks ago I resolved to get together with the head of the program and convince him to let me and my wife apply to be among their guinea pigs for what I assumed to be an eventual tentative expansion into offering a two-year master’s program. Turns out they’re going gangbusters.
My wife, what with working for UVa’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, probably has a decent shot. I work for Virginia Quarterly Review which, while very much focused on policy and politics, doesn’t have quite the same glow, I expect. Also I’m, y’know, me. I’m not sure I’d accept me into UVa. :)
Now see here, Waldo! I don’t like that kind of talk!
I knew you’d be a student here eventually. :)
Oh, Waldo. If anyone in Charlottesville deserves to get into UVA, it’s you. Definitely deserve it more than some people going there from my high school…
Does anyone know when the school will open. This fall or next?
Fall of 2009, assuming by “open” you mean will have students.
Hey, I did discover today that Leonard Sandridge and I are cousins, oddly enough. Maybe that’ll get me in. :)
Hey, get a job in a rich enough department at UVA and they may actually PAY for you to get that degree. Worked for me. Albeit not at UVA.
Hey I need to get in touch with Luis Parada, can someone give him email? nelsonsilva10@hotmail.com
He has absolutely nothing to do with this blog. He’s never been mentioned here, never posted a comment here and there’s no reason to think that he’s aware that this blog exists. In short, you might want to check some place else. :)