This summer Jim Steinberg, current deputy secretary of state under Hillary Rodham Clinton, will take over as the dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The decision by the 22-member search committee and the administration marks a great moment in the history of the school, as Syracuse University brings in a versatile and experienced candidate.

With Maxwell’s exceptional reputation, the variety of notable candidates with practical experience in public administration and policymaking is no surprise. But Steinberg’s experience in academia as the dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin gives him the background necessary to guide a school at a pivotal moment in its history.

Since last spring, Maxwell has faced important structural changes to its undergraduate component and its relationship with the College of Arts and Sciences. Steinberg led LBJ to form a new joint program with the UT law school and helped create interdisciplinary research institutes. His experience collaborating with other colleges shows promise as he steps into a somewhat complicated role as a dean of a partially independent school.

When Steinberg spoke with students during his visit to campus, he presented new plans and ideas he had for the school. Among these ideas was a suggestion to open up centers in different regions of the world, including those of less strategic importance to the United States. This idea would attract more international attention to the school and bring in faculty members and students who would expand the variety of expertise at the school.

Steinberg’s commitment to integration at the university and global levels may prove to make the coming years an exciting time for Maxwell and SU.

Published on April 3, 2011 at 12:00 pm
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