Tuesday, July 30, 2002

WRITER: Sharron Hannon, 706/583-0728, shannon@uga.edu
CONTACT: Karen Holbrook, 706/542-5806

THOMAS P. LAUTH APPOINTED DEAN OF
UGA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

ATHENS, Ga. — Thomas P. Lauth has been appointed dean of the University of Georgia’s new School of Public and International Affairs, effective immediately pending approval of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. He has been serving as interim dean since September 2001, while a national search to fill the position was conducted.

"Sometimes in these situations, a national search simply confirms that the most qualified candidate was right in front of us," said UGA President Michael F. Adams. "Tom Lauth’s leadership as interim dean of the School of Public and International Affairs bodes well for its
future at UGA."

Lauth has headed UGA’s political science department since 1988. The department was reorganized to create three units in the new school: political science, public policy and administration, and international affairs. The school also includes two noted UGA centers — the Center for International Trade and Security (CITS) and Center for the Study of Global Issues (GLOBIS) — and operates joint programs with the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Social Work, as well as maintaining a cooperative relationship with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

The school, which was approved by the board of regents in June 2001, will implement new degree programs in addition to current offerings. Already UGA is recognized as having one of the nation’s top master’s programs in public affairs, ranking sixth in U.S. News and World Report’s 2002 guide to "Best Graduate Schools."

"I am delighted that we have the opportunity to continue working with Tom Lauth," said Karen Holbrook, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. "He has demonstrated his value as a leader for his new school and is working effectively with his fellow deans. Tom has the credibility nationally, internationally and internally to be the first permanent dean of this school and get if off on the right foot. I could not be more pleased."

Lauth recently completed a term as president of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration and has previously chaired that group’s Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation.
He was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 2000 and is the recipient of a lifetime scholarly achievement award from the Association for Budgeting and Financial Management.

Lauth also has been an invited lecturer with the Korean Institute of Public Administration in Seoul, Korea, and a lecturer and consultant with the Center for Public Administration Reform at Uzhgorod State University in Ukraine.

Lauth came to UGA in 1981, after six years in the political science department at Georgia State University. He directed UGA’s Doctor of Public Administration program from 1982 to 1988, and also was a member of the political science department’s Faculty Executive Committee during that time.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

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