Political Science Dept. has more changes in store

Despite the addition of one professor, the department is still looking to improve through a major recruitment initiative. Last January, the Political Science Department announced an initiative to improve its visibility by hiring several full-time, senior faculty members. But although a task force of professors from across the University has been meeting for the past nine months -- consulting with top experts and discussing the state of the field -- progress on implementing the initiative has been slow, according to Political Science Department Chairperson Ian Lustick. The department recently hired Professor Marie Gottschalk from Yale University to teach a course entitled "The American Presidency," but this junior authorization was not part of the original initiative. "It is extremely difficult to recruit at the senior level, especially when you're going after the best people in the world," Lustick explained. The recruitment initiative is part of an agenda the College of Arts and Sciences drafted last year in accordance with the administration's Agenda for Excellence, which was released in November 1995. Committee Chairperson and History Professor Richard Beeman said the committee is searching for scholars who demonstrate "an intellectual vision" consistent with that of the existing department and the administration's agenda. Since the search committee has advertised in several academic newsletters and already received a number of proposals, Lustick said he was confident the department will hire at least one professor by July and another three or four professors by next fall. Penn's department currently includes only 21 faculty members. The nation's top-10 political science departments, by contrast, have a median of 42 faculty members. "Small departments in small colleges are nice," Political Science Professor Jack Nagel said, adding that a large university of Penn's caliber demands a big department to meet its students' needs. According to popular ranking scales, the department is ranked significantly lower than other top research institutions. While the department has a fairly strong base in International Relations and Comparative Politics, Lustick attributed the relatively low standing to the slim offerings in the area of American Democratic and Legal Institutions. "We need to be competitive with other Ivy League schools," he said. Additionally, since Philadelphia is considered by many to be the birthplace of liberty, it would be "appropriate" for an institution like Penn to have a strong program in American Democracy, Beeman said. To this end, the department approved an American Public Policy minor last spring. But the new minor requires more courses in the American presidency and the legislative process. And more courses means more professors. Despite the slow progress, Lustick applauded his department for its efforts towards achieving national exposure. The initiative represents "an unprecedented effort to strengthen research on American democratic institutions that will increase the profile and vigor of the department," he said.

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