John Chamberlin holds a special affinity for the University's School of Public Policy.
"It was what originally attracted me to the University," said Chamberlin, who has been with the University since 1970, and became interim dean of SPP on Monday.
The SPP - the smallest of the University's 19 schools - was formed in 1995. Before then, public policy was studied from 1914-1968 in the Institute for Public Administration, and then in the Institute for Public Policy Studies until 1995.
"There is a sense of community at this school within a large university. The students get to know each other, and it is not just a bunch of two-person conversations in classrooms," he said about the 125-student school.
Many of Chamberlin's colleagues said yesterday that he was the best choice for the job.
"He will do a terrific job," said Doug Ross, an SPP lecturer and a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination for governor. "He has real community experience, and his ability to relate to people is very strong."
Chamberlin was asked to lead the department in late June after President Clinton's July nomination of Dean Edward Gramlich to the Federal Reserve Board, the nine-member oversight agency that controls money supply, interest rates and inflation in the United States.
Gramlich is currently in Washington, D.C., preparing for Senate confirmation hearings, and Chamberlin said the time frame for the search for a permanent dean is uncertain. While Chamberlin said he is confident Gramlich's nomination will be confirmed, if the nomination fails, Gramlich will return to SPP as dean.
For the permanent dean position, a search committee will be formed this fall by Provost Nancy Cantor, which will look at candidates from both within the University and from other institutions.
Chamberlin said he expects to remain as interim dean throughout the academic year and is unsure if he would like to be considered for the permanent post.
"I haven't yet resolved that in my mind," Chamberlin said. "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Cantor said she is pleased with the selection of Chamberlin as interim dean.
"He is an excellent political science professor and he will be an excellent interim dean," Cantor said.
In addition to teaching at the SPP, Chamberlin has taught undergraduate political science courses, and many of his students said they are sad to see him give up undergraduate teaching to become interim dean.
"He was a great professor to work with," said LSA senior Carrie Auster, who took a political science honors class with Chamberlin. "It's a loss to us. He is very supportive, and he goes out of his way to help us."
Chamberlin said that the upcoming academic year will be a crucial time in the school's continued transition to self-sufficiency since it became an independent unit in 1995. Last year, the faculty brainstormed many ideas to broaden and enhance SPP's curriculum.
"This is the year to take good ideas and put them to the test," Chamberlin said.
Those ideas include expanding SPP's career placement program and utilizing more hands-on exercises in policy problems. To devote more time to practical applications, students will spend the first week of classes during the second semester solving policy problems instead of in typical classroom settings.
Students also will now choose a second-year concentration and work with policy makers in Ann Arbor, Bay City and Grand Rapids.
"It will allow them to get real world experience," Chamberlin said.
Chamberlin also has served as interim chair of the communications department, associate dean of Rackham and LSA associate dean for undergraduate appointments.
- Daily Staff Reporter Heather Kamins contributed to this report.
JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily
John Chamberlin became dean of the School of Public Policy on Monday. He has taught at the University since 1970.