New minor may focus on Amer. public policy

A new American Public Policy minor, combining classes from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School of Business, is likely to be approved by the schools' faculty for next semester. The requirements for the minor will include four courses from Political Science and four from Public Policy and Management. Students will also take classes in American government processes, public economy of government and Legal Studies, according to Public Policy and Management Professor Howard Pack. The joint minor program is designed to encourage students to focus on activities within all spectrums of public policy, Undergraduate Political Science Chairperson Henry Teune said. "Graduates of the University of Pennsylvania with an American Public Policy minor are expected to be in great demand by government agencies at all levels, consulting companies and government relations departments of private sector firms," Teune wrote in a proposal to the Political Science department. Although excited about the new minor, Teune said his department is in desperate need of additional staff. "We don't have anyone to teach the American presidency and the American legislative process," Teune said in an interview. "If worse comes to worst, I could teach it, or we could hire someone part time." He explained that if the minor fails to garner approval, he will recognize it within the Political Science department. Teune encouraged students to start taking classes toward fulfilling the minor this spring. "We'll tell students it's pending approval," he said. "Taking one or two courses in a track won't kill you." Teune said he hopes to work with Wharton to create an International Public Policy joint minor, which would study management and development in third-world countries. "They are not going to swallow two of them in one year," he said, adding that he believes that proposal will come up for discussion sometime next year. Teune also expressed interest in a joint minor with the Annenberg School for Communication. College Dean Robert Rescorla said Teune and Pack came to him with the idea for the minor. He also mentioned that other possible minors in development include a Law and Society joint minor with the Law School and a Film Studies minor within the College. Students greeted news of the American Public Policy minor enthusiastically. "It sounds like a good idea," said College senior and Political Science major Josh Fineman. "Right now, there is not enough business interaction with political science."