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- January 9, 2006
Political science's Alex Tuckness to direct Public Administration and Policy Program
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Alex Tuckness, associate professor of political science, has been appointed
director of the Public Policy and Administration Program in Iowa State
University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences effective Aug. 1, 2006.
Tuckness will replace acting director Robert Lowry, professor of political
science. A national search will be conducted for a permanent director
during the 2006-07 academic year.
"I felt I could help not only keep the program running, but maintain
the positive movement the program has had in recent years," Tuckness
said. "The quality of the students is as high as it has ever been."
New faculty members are scheduled to join the program from partner programs
and departments on campus. Tuckness also hopes to continue the tradition
of the program of recruiting outstanding practitioners from central Iowa
to serve as temporary faculty members.
"This is a really exciting new direction for the department,"
said Steffen Schmidt, University Professor of political science who has
taught classes related to public administration at Iowa State since the
early 1970's. "With new faculty committing to be part of the program
there will be lots of opportunities and innovations that will make this
a truly outstanding public administration program."
Tuckness researches and teaches courses in the area of political theory,
including ethics and public policy. He recently spent a year as a visiting
fellow at the Center for Ethics and the Professions at Harvard's Kennedy
School of Government.
During that fellowship, Tuckness became interested in ethics in public
administration. He is tentatively scheduled to teach an experimental graduate-level
course on the subject next fall.
The Public Policy and Administration Program is located within the Department
of Political Science. The program, which offers a Master of Public Administration
(MPA) degree, is accredited by the National Association of Schools of
Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and is the only NASPAA accredited
program in the State of Iowa.
The program averages around 25 full-time students each semester with close
to 50 part-time students enrolled in graduate level courses.
Faculty in the Public Policy and Administration Program are involved in
a number research projects, including the Olive Tree Project. Researchers,
including Rick Morse, assistant professor of political science, have worked
with county and city officials in Boone and Poweshiek counties in Iowa
to identify core community values and services essential to preserving
community identity.
Yu-Che Chen, assistant professor, worked in conjunction with the State
of Iowa's Information Technology Enterprise to study the demand for the
use of information and communications technologies to improve the efficiency,
effectiveness and accountability of government.
"We have a number of good, young faculty in the program who will
provide a solid foundation for a new director to work with," Tuckness
said.
Alex Tuckness
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