This has been a transformative year for our nation and for our school. Before you dig into the articles about all the good work being done by the SPEA community, I’d like to share news about two major, recent developments at our campuses in Bloomington and Indianapolis.
In Bloomington, Secretary Paul H. O’Neill, David Wang, IU President Michael A. McRobbie, and many other dignitaries joined us for the formal dedication of the long-awaited Paul H. O’Neill Graduate Center. It was worth the wait. The ceremony was inspiring. It was heartwarming to greet so many of you and the Distinguished Alumni Council, the Alumni Board of Directors, our Dean’s Council, and other members of our SPEA community. The building is beautiful and hums with activity. Paul’s gift, David’s gift, and your gifts are already paying enormous dividends for SPEA and its students. You have my gratitude.
In Indianapolis, this year has seen a transition in leadership. Professor Thomas D. Stucky, who has been with SPEA at IUPUI since 2004, is the new executive associate dean. Accompanying my note, you can read Tom’s inaugural message to you.
He replaces Lilliard Richardson, who has completed a successful five-year term in the role. Lilliard will be taking a research leave in the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health and serving as a faculty fellow in the Center for Health Policy before returning to the SPEA faculty as a full-time policy studies professor.
Suzann Lupton, who came to the SPEA at IUPUI public affairs faculty in 2010, is joining Tom in the leadership transition as assistant dean. A former attorney with Baker & Daniels, Suzann is responsible for a variety of areas, including public affairs education, diversity promotion, and student services.
With those changes in place, our 2017-18 school year is off to a strong start. As always, we’re looking ahead. We’re making plans to include SPEA in IU’s bicentennial celebration in 2020 and we’re organizing a major event to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Environmental Protection Agency and SPEA’s significant role, then and now, in stewardship of the world around us. And we’re not too far from celebrating SPEA’s 50th anniversary in 2022. But I’m getting ahead of the story here. Enjoy the magazine and let’s keep in touch.
