Committee chooses new dean to lead SPEA

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs announced April 17 that John Graham will become its new dean this fall. \nGraham, currently the dean of the Pardee RAND Graduate School in Santa Monica, Calif., is a former Harvard faculty member and previously served as the top official at the White House Office of Management and Budget. \n“My five years of experience at (the Office of Management and Budget) was an eye-opener that reaffirmed my conviction that government needs an influx of well-trained, public-spirited professionals,” Graham said. “SPEA can help meet that need.” \nA search committee consisting of 15 members, some SPEA faculty and some non-faculty from around the state, chose Graham. The committee looked for someone who could take SPEA to the next level and ultimately help it become the best program in the country, according to an IU press release.\nSearch committee member Charles Schalliol looked for someone who had national and international experience as well as success and a good track record. \n“He has a good vision,” Schalliol said. “He is thoughtful and has asked many questions about students’ needs.” \nGraham’s main focus for the new year is to center on some urgent issues he sees on the the school’s agenda. Those issues include health care reform, energy, the environment, the future of manufacturing in Indiana and the measurement of performance at government and nonprofit agencies. \nUpon entering campus in the fall, Graham plans to meet faculty and students at informal breakfasts, lunches and dinners and get right to work. \n“(I am looking forward to) working to connect SPEA with urgent policy issues at the local, state, national and global levels,” Graham said.\nSPEA’s primary goals are education, teaching and outreach, Schalliol said. He said he believes Graham has clearly established his academic credentials and is a world-class leader.