Introduction from the Dean
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

The year 2000 saw a payoff on our investment in building the new curricula and courses of study in the Andrew Young School. Credit hours increased by more than 9 percent, and we taught more than 4000 students. We redesigned our undergraduate policy studies major, our global city course was the enrollment winner in perspective courses this fall, and we began certificate courses in non-profit management, airline management, disaster management, and economic development. Our joint program in environmental management with Albany State University continued to develop.

We pushed very hard on the objective of "internationalizing" our student body, and were successful. About a fifth of our student body is international, and our graduate students now come from 35 countries. A new study abroad program in Africa was launched with Morehouse College. Meanwhile our faculty worked in 27 countries this year, and we opened the Ron Brown Institute in South Africa, a joint project with the Robinson College of Business and the University of Pretoria. We have now identified funding for a masters degree program in applied economics for 30 Indonesian students, who will arrive in the summer.

The research work of the faculty and research associates continues at a high level. In 2000, they published or had accepted about 250 scholarly papers, and have another 100 under review. Faculty and research associates delivered papers at 115 meetings, at 10 different universities in faculty seminars, and served on editorial boards of 29 different journals. There is a great deal of excitement in the School about the research underway. External sponsors also seem excited about what we are doing. We raised $9.2 million in new money and were working on a stock of over $41.6 million in external research grants from 86 different sponsors.

Policy Schools should thrive on outreach work that counts, and the Andrew Young School is thriving. We moved forward on the development of a major children's policy initiative, we have been instrumental in assisting the state in its work on water resource planning, our faculty have been key advisors to the Governor and the Legislature on school reform, and our tax advisors are helping the state on a day to day basis.

This was a great year for The Andrew Young School, and 2001 will be even better.