The largest gift in University history will go to support the creation of a school of leadership and public policy, University President John T. Casteen, III announced yesterday.
The Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, which is expected to be fully operational in 2009, will be fully funded by a $100 million gift from College alumnus Frank Batten Sr. His donation will be used to hire a dean and faculty as well as construct a new building.
Batten said he feels it is important that a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders be developed, noting that interest in this type of public service is growing at the University.
"Never has there been a greater need for the University's most important product: enlightened and ethical leaders who leave the Grounds prepared for public life in their communities, in their professions, in the world at large," Batten said. "I hope and expect that this new school will flourish at the University."
Casteen said the University anticipates about 390 students will enroll in the school: 225 undergraduate students and 165 graduate students. The school will also hire 18 full-time professors.
The search for the school's dean will begin immediately, with the hope of appointing one during the 2007-08 academic year, Casteen added.
The search "is going to be difficult because the dean will be asked to come to create the new school," Casteen said.
Plans for the school began to take shape in 2003, when a committee of faculty and administrators organized by Provost Gene Block decided to create the five-year master's in public policy program, according to Casteen.
The master's program, which accepted its first class of 30 undergraduate students in early March, will be one of the many programs offered through the new school.
Other programs will be offered for undergraduates, including the Leadership Scholars program, which will allow students from any major to concentrate in public leadership beginning in 2008. Second-year students will be able to apply to a public policy major beginning in 2009.
Graduate students will be able to earn a master's degree in public policy starting in 2009 and a master's degree in foreign service or global affairs starting by 2011.
Batten, former president and CEO of Landmark Communications Inc., also gave a gift of $60 million in 1999 to found the Batten Institute, which promotes entrepreneurship and innovation in the Darden School.
According to Casteen, the new school is the first of a series of changes that the University can expect in the near future.
"The creation of this school will serve as a catalyst within the University, causing change in schools that already exist and bringing in gifts that could start other schools," Casteen said. "The next 5 or 6 years will be years of dramatic change."
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