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The Gerald R. Ford
School of Public Policy
Presentation to the
Business & Finance Forum
May 2009
Susan M. Collins
Joan & Sanford Weill Dean
Professor of Public Policy & Economics
www.fordschool.umich.edu
The Ford School’s Mission:
To offer outstanding education for
leadership in public policy analysis
and public management and to excel
in social science research that
illuminates public issues and
promotes better public policy.
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Great Time to be a Policy School!
• Aftermath of presidential campaigns
& Obama election: Renewed
excitement about and commitment
to the importance of public service;
• But People Still Ask: What does a
school of public policy do, anyway?
– Brings inter-disciplinary tools of social science
to bear on important public issues.
– Trains students for careers in public, private &
non-profit sectors.
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Ford School: Brief History
• 1914: Institute for Public Administration established
– One of the first programs of its kind; train professionals for
public service, primarily in state and local government.
• mid-1960s, Institute of Public Policy Studies (IPPS)
– Masters Program re-oriented: rigorous quantitative analysis
of economic, political, and organizational questions; Add
focus on national and international issues.
• 1995: School of Public Policy established
• 1999: School named for Gerald R. Ford
!!GROWTH!!
• 1999-2009: Many Successes, but also new challenges
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Still Small BUT:
Dramatic Growth in Size &
Complexity since 1999
• Educational programs: (130 to 350+ students)
– PhD (est. 2002) 50 students;
– Undergraduate (est. 2007) 100+ students
– 60% increase in Masters students (130 to 200+);
• Doubled Faculty
– 2/3 have joint appointments with other UM units
• Greatly expanded Staff
• 3 research centers (NPC, CLOSUP, IPC);
– New (UM) Ethics Center; Launching Diversity Center
• Budget more than tripled
• Space: Move into Weill Hall (2007)
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Who Are We Now? Faculty
• 37 tenure, tenure-track & research faculty
(20 FTE; 2/3 have joint appointments)
– economics, political science, sociology, math,
information, law, business, social work, history,
education, natural resources, the Institute for Social
Research, pediatrics, and urban planning.
• 15 + others typically teach for us, incl:
– 2 visiting faculty from Renmin University in China
– Towsley Policy Maker(s) in Residence
– John Hieftje, Mayor of Ann Arbor
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Who Are We Now?
Degree Programs and Curriculum
• Master of Public Policy (MPP) Primary Degree
– Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• 14 formal Dual Masters Degrees with other U-M
schools and departments, several individualized
dual degrees
• PhD in Public Policy and Social Science (with
Economics or Political Science or Sociology)
• BA in Public Policy
• Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and
Public Policy
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Who Are We Now?
Expanding Outreach & Events
• Public Events enhance our
curriculum, raise visibility, connect
students & faculty to current policy,
engage the broader community
– High Profile Citigroup Lectures
• Marian Wright Edelman
• Paul Krugman, Jeff Sachs, Chuck Hagel
– Topical panels
• Future for Michigan, Charter Schools, etc.
– Partner throughout campus
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Multi-Disciplinary &
Inter-Connected
• Multiple disciplines function as a single
‘department’ – must work together
• Most faculty have allegiances to multiple
units
• Need to work effectively with many ‘unit
& department cultures’
• Opportunities for collaboration &
interaction for students, faculty, staff, the
Dean
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Budget:
• Revenues
– 2000-09 growth in tuition, research funding &
gift/endowment income helped offset state
revenue cuts
– Currently MPP tuition the main resource
engine – re-energizing research funding and
development strategy in difficult climate
• Expenditures
– Faculty retentions remain a challenge
– Exploring ways to allocate resources more
efficiently and reduce expenses
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Some Indicators of Success
• Faculty:
– Distinguished & Engaged; Award winners,
incl. 3 Distinguished UM Professors
– retention issues for >25% of governing faculty
• Applications:
– 120+ PhD applications for 6-8 slots/yr
– 30% rise in MPP applications, quality rising
– 120+ & growing BA applications
• US News Ranking: (peer reviews)
– #3 Public Policy Analysis; #7 Overall
• Raised $51 Million since 2000 for building
& programs (minimal prior development activity)
www.fordschool.umich.edu
5-Year Goals – Enhancing Success
• Visibility: Increase the perceived stature of the Ford School
as one of the very best public policy schools, in terms of both
research and academic programs.
• Diversity: Establish the Ford School as a center of excellence
related to diversity and public policy, and enhance the
diversity of our community.
• International: Expand the cross-national and global
dimensions of Ford School activities, including research and
educational programs .
• Financial Strength: Develop new sources of funding and
increase the usage of multi-year budget planning to allocate
resources strategically
– esp. difficult given very challenging financial environment.
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Strategy for Achieving Goals
• Focus INSIDE the Building: people, systems &
programs
– Adjust to past growth, nurture community
– Update & Enhance Systems: Strategic Tools
• Curriculum Review
• Broader Strategic Assessment:
– Balance ‘Full Service’ & ‘Signature Specialties’
– Balance Academic Research & Policy Engagement
– Enhance Visibility & Our Resource Engines
• New Center: Public Policy in Diverse Societies
• Craft & Leverage International Programs
• The Process is part of the Point!
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Strategy for Achieving Goals:
Curriculum Review
Best Public Policy Educational Program
(over a decade since last curriculum review)
• Objectives:
– clarify educational goals
– Identify strengths & weaknesses
– Involve faculty, staff, students, alumni,
employers
– Craft & Implement Curricular Revisions
www.fordschool.umich.edu
MPP Curriculum Review (cont)
• 1st year focus: core requirements &
practical engagement opportunities
– Faculty identify/discuss learning objectives
– Survey faculty, students, alumni; focus group
discussions for employers
– Strengthen cross-disciplinary understanding
• 2nd year focus: electives & international
dimensions (& dual degrees)
www.fordschool.umich.edu
What Do We Think Makes Us
Distinctive as a Policy School?
From Faculty Survey & 1st Retreat Discussion
• Grounding in top notch social
science research
• Analytic focus of our programs
• Multi-disciplinary & Linked to UM
(breadth & excellence)
• Collegial & Diverse Community
www.fordschool.umich.edu
New Center on Public Policy in
Diverse Societies
• Only Research Center on Diversity issues
based in a Policy School
– Will also develop educational programs
• Diversity defined broadly to include race,
ethnicity, gender, religion, culture,…
• Intended to leverage long-standing
commitment at the Ford School & UM
– (NPC) National Poverty Ctr., (CLOSUP) Ctr. on
Local, State & Urban Issues, (IPC) International
Policy Ctr.
– Partner with NCID
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Many of our Strengths are also
Challenges:
• Flexibility Vs. Managing Change
• Balance: External (UM) Links Vs.
Internal Collegiality & Culture
• Balance: Small Size Vs. “Full Service”
Aspirations
• Excellent Faculty Vs. Retention
Challenges
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Perspectives on Staffing a
Small But Complex School: (1)
• Our Staff must be Jills & Jacks of All Trades
– Interesting positions but challenging to fill
– Limited opportunities for promotion within the school
may imply more staff transitions & disruptions
• Our small size enables us to be more
flexible in some ways (less hierarchy, easier
to ‘turn the ship’)
• Fewer strategic thinkers to manage change,
less depth for delegating such activities
– May need more outside support and/or longer
transition time to implement multiple or
significant changes
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Perspectives on Staffing a
Small But Complex School: (2)
• Encourage Central UM Offices to
explore types of support most
helpful for small units:
– Mutually beneficial engagement: you can help
us train & mentor staff, while we provide
learning opportunities for you
– Recognize difficulties of in-unit staffing for
activities that require redundancy
www.fordschool.umich.edu
Thank You for the
Opportunity to meet with
Business & Finance!
www.fordschool.umich.edu