A Letter from the Head
Alumni and Friends,
While the admissions problems at the University level dominated local headlines, it has been a summer of transitions for the department. We welcomed some new faculty and said good-bye to some familiar faces.
We celebrate the addition of three new faculty members. Professor
Matt Winters joins us from Columbia University, where he just completed his dissertation evaluating the effectiveness of World Bank lending programs in southeast Asia. Professor Tiberiu Dragu earned
his PhD from Stanford University, where he applied game theoretic models to issues of judicial independence and anti-terrorist legislation. Finally, Professor Bonnie Weir is completing her PhD from the University of Chicago. She has done extensive field research in Northern Ireland, investigating the political conditions under which extremist groups will moderate their behavior to provide an opening for peace. We feature short summaries of their research in this issue.
The Department is fortunate to welcome these new faculty members to campus, especially in era of budgetary restraint. Young scholars provide an energy and vitality to the department’s culture, teaching new courses, asking new questions, and raising the tenor of discussion. We rely on these additions to improve our department’s visibility and to meet the ever-growing demands of our student population. In turn, the Department works hard to provide our new faculty with every opportunity to succeed in their research and teaching. The Department recently revamped its mentoring policies to insure that our hires can navigate the demands of their new positions. Our senior faculty will work closely with Professors Winters, Dragu, and Weir so they understand the University of Illinois’ expectations of excellence in research, teaching, and service. We also cooperate with the LAS Teaching Academy and the Center for Teaching Excellence to help these new professors manage their classrooms, so they can provide high-quality instruction from day one. These new faculty represent an investment in the University’s future, an investment that needs to be patiently nurtured and developed so our future students can reap the full benefits of these scholars’ knowledge, skills, and passion.
At the same as we welcomed these young people, we said good-bye to some departmental stalwarts. Professor Ira Carmen has decided to retire from the University of Illinois. Professor Carmen was a valued member of the department for over 40 years. He began his career with a focus on law and politics. Over the past two decades, Ira has been a pioneer in the field of biology and politics, publishing his most recent book, Politics in the Laboratory, in 2005. His record of teaching excellence—including seven teaching awards—is unsurpassed. His courses touched the lives of thousands of students, providing them with an intellectual challenge and preparing them for demanding careers. Professor Carmen will remain active with his research, but he will have more time for jogging, chess, and sports. While Ira will always remain a part of the Illinois political science community, we miss his daily presence in the department.
Additionally, long-time U of I professor Fred Wirt passed away over the summer. Professor Wirt joined our department in 1975 and worked here until his retirement in 2000. His work focused on American politics, including urban politics, educational policy, and Southern politics. He authored and edited over 15 books during his career as well as numerous articles. He earned the Career Achievement Award in Urban Politics from the APSA in 1993 and the Life Achievement Award from the Politics of Education Association of the American Educational Research Association. His book, We Ain't What We Was, won the V.O. Key Award for the best book on Southern politics form the Southern Political Science Association in 1998.
The long and successful careers of Professors Carmen and Wirt set the bar high for all our faculty. If the Department can insure that Professors Winters, Dragu, and Weir are as successful, then political science at Illinois has a very bright future indeed.
A few announcements to pass along. First, the rumors are true: Lincoln Hall is undergoing renovation. The Lincoln Hall project finally received funding from the state over the summer. The Department moved out in June into our temporary quarters in the Computing Applications Building, 605 E Springfield. The move went smoothly—our staff, led by Margarita Ham and Brenda Stamm, provided outstanding organization and teamwork to get the job done. Next time you’re on campus, please stop by for a visit!
Second, the Department will hold its second annual Homecoming event on Friday, October 9, from 4-5 in Greg Hall. The topic of this year’s faculty forum will be “War, State Building, and Foreign Aid: Lessons for Afghanistan,” and feature Professors John Vasquez, Jose Cheibub, and Matt Winters. This event is free.
Finally, the Department will have its second “Politics for Lunch” forum in Chicago on October 30. Professor Paul Diehl will speak about the politics of the International Criminal Court. As before, the event will be at the Illini Center. You can register for the free event at this online registration page.
I hope to see you at one of these events! And please remember to provide us with information about your activities and successes using our online contact form. The Alumni news has proved to be the most popular part of our newsletter, and it will continue to be interesting only if you write in!
Sincerely,
William Bernhard
Professor and Head
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