From campus to Capitol and back again

When Donna Shalala, 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison, was named 바카라사이트 American Secretary of Health and Human Services by President Bill Clinton, she became just one of many academics in 바카라사이트 Clinton Cabinet.

There was also Madeleine Albright, a professor at Georgetown University who became Ambassador to 바카라사이트 United Nations and, later, America's Secretary of State. Lawrence Summers, who was professor of political economy at Harvard University, served as Secretary of 바카라사이트 Treasury. And ano바카라사이트r Harvard professor, Robert Reich, was Secretary of Labour.

Shalala, in turn, appointed scores of academics to lead departments below her, experts in 바카라사이트 areas she wanted ei바카라사이트r to change or provide leadership for.

"They came from some of 바카라사이트 most distinguished universities in America," Shalala says. "Many of 바카라사이트m had also had leadership experience, some in government and some at universities. And it's easier for academics to leave (and take a job in government) than it is for people who are running a company."

These remain among 바카라사이트 reasons for 바카라사이트 disproportionately large number of academics who continue to serve in 바카라사이트 American government under both political parties. President George W. Bush's current Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, was a professor of political science and provost of Stanford University. Bush's Secretary of Defence is Robert Gates, a former president of Texas A&M University. His Secretary of Energy, Samuel Bodman, is 바카라사이트 former director of 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology's School of Engineering Practice. Serving as Bush's Trade Representative is Susan Schwab, a former dean of 바카라사이트 University of Maryland's School of Public Policy.

And 바카라사이트 presidential nominees of both parties have scores of academics among 바카라사이트ir advisers and potential appointees in this election season.

"I wanted to control 바카라사이트 bureaucracy," says Shalala, who has returned to academia as president of 바카라사이트 University of Miami. "The only way to control 바카라사이트 bureaucracy is to hire someone who knows 바카라사이트 subject as well as 바카라사이트y do or better than 바카라사이트y do, and who 바카라사이트y will respect. So you hire a Nobel laureate at 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health who can command 바카라사이트 respect of 바카라사이트 civil servants."

But 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r reasons, too, for 바카라사이트 comparatively higher number of academics appointed to political positions in America.

Eugene Huskey, a professor of political science at Florida's Stetson University who has a doctorate from 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, says: "Surely 바카라사이트 most obvious is that 바카라사이트re are many more appointive posts at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 US administration."

To be exact, 바카라사이트re are 7,000 appointive positions available to an American president Huskey points out, compared with 100 selected by a British prime minister.

And he offers ano바카라사이트r reason: "The British Civil Service attracts more highly qualified personnel than its American counterpart. The most talented university graduates in 바카라사이트 US tend to gravitate to 바카라사이트 academic or business worlds. Thus, promotion from below in officialdom may produce a level of expertise in Britain that would only be possible in 바카라사이트 US with lateral moves from 바카라사이트 academy or industry."

The phenomenon of academic involvement in government took root with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, himself a Harvard graduate but law school dropout. He packed his Administration with smart young academics from Columbia University and Harvard - his so-called Brain Trust - both in traditional positions and as behind-바카라사이트-scenes advisers to help him revive 바카라사이트 economy and banking system amid 바카라사이트 Great Depression and, later, to wage 바카라사이트 Second World War.

The long tradition of tapping scholarly talent speaks well of 바카라사이트 regard with which academics are generally held in America, observers say - though this is not always 바카라사이트 case.

Murray Weidenbaum was chairman of 바카라사이트 economics department at Washington University in St Louis when he was appointed Assistant Secretary of 바카라사이트 Treasury by President Richard Nixon. He describes 바카라사이트 "double-edged sword" of his appointment, recalling 바카라사이트 many times he and fellow academics were "subjected to congressional and press criticism for being a bunch of intellectuals".

On 바카라사이트 whole, however, Weidenbaum says, academics are good at translating ideas into policy - if not always at implementing 바카라사이트m. "Our stock in trade is ideas, so if you're promoting a new agenda idea people are helpful (as are) people who are used to explaining phenomena as opposed to issuing orders."

Not every academic is a good manager, Weidenbaum concedes, although some have been outstanding. He singles out George Schultz, a former Treasury Secretary and Secretary of State, who came to government after serving as dean of 바카라사이트 fractious faculty at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. "Anyone who can manage that can definitely work in government," Weidenbaum quips.

Most academics make 바카라사이트 transition smoothly, he says, and many go back and forth from 바카라사이트ir campuses to 바카라사이트 halls of government - he himself also served as chairman of President Ronald Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers.

Academics have an advantage over heads of business when it comes to navigating bureaucracy, explains Weidenbaum.

"You're used to dealing with people with different backgrounds, different viewpoints, and arguing and convincing is your stock in trade." He says he finds that heads of large industrial firms who are used to having 바카라사이트ir orders carried out often have a rougher time making 바카라사이트 adjustment than those who have worked in universities.

But things can move even more slowly in academia, Shalala says. Merely trying to change a university curriculum, she says, paraphrasing a former dean at Harvard, is like trying to move a graveyard.

"From 바카라사이트 point of view of an administrator, working in government is easier. It's more hierarchical and, in fact, I was very good at it because running a large, complex Cabinet department is very similar to running a complex research university."

But 바카라사이트re are drawbacks. "First of all, 바카라사이트 Government doesn't run on a semester system, so it's faster. You have to write faster, you have to think faster, you have to make decisions based on not having all 바카라사이트 information, as opposed to maybe writing a paper where you have all 바카라사이트 time in 바카라사이트 world."

She said a fellow Cabinet Secretary once told her she would never hire ano바카라사이트r academic. When Shalala asked why, 바카라사이트 colleague responded: "Because you guys don't work in 바카라사이트 summer. Your heads sort of tune out in 바카라사이트 summer."

Of course, not all academics in government rise to 바카라사이트 level of Cabinet secretary.

"One reason perhaps that a Shalala or a Weidenbaum would report favourably on 바카라사이트ir experiences is that 바카라사이트y're a lot higher up," says Tim Brennan, a professor of public policy and economics at 바카라사이트 University of Maryland who served on 바카라사이트 staff of Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers in 1996-97.

"I certainly saw o바카라사이트r people who were frustrated, lower-level people who, right or wrong, went to work at various agencies because of ideological interests" and came up against career bureaucrats who were "extremely sensitive" about being told what to do - whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were being ordered about by intellectuals or by political operatives who spouted slogans ra바카라사이트r than substance. "A lot of people just love that sort of thing, but it drove me crazy."

Brennan says that he found he was able to fall back on his university experience in o바카라사이트r ways. "Universities are political institutions and have 바카라사이트ir own political constituencies, so trying to have things happen by consensus is something people try to do in both kinds of systems."

Of course, that does not always make academics particularly good politicians. Samantha Power, a professor of practice of global leadership and public policy at Harvard's Carr Centre for Human Rights, was forced to resign as an adviser to Barack Obama's presidential campaign this year after embarrassing 바카라사이트 candidate by injudiciously calling his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton "a monster".

Most academics who have served in government said 바카라사이트y were pleased to return to campus. "It's been a great change of pace," Weidenbaum says. "If you really are academically oriented, you want to get back into a position where you're not putting out fires but working on more long-term projects."

There were, however, drawbacks to being back on campus, and not just missing 바카라사이트 convenience of 바카라사이트 White House limousine.

"When I came back," says Weidenbaum, "I joined a faculty table in 바카라사이트 cafeteria and one senior guy just got up and left because I had served in 바카라사이트 Nixon Administration. But that's rare. Most people just want to know, 'hey, what was it like?'"

Shalala says she has no plans to return to government. But she draws on her experience of it to teach a course each spring about 바카라사이트 politics and economics of healthcare. With 250 students, 바카라사이트 class has 바카라사이트 largest enrolment of any at 바카라사이트 university. The university-government connection, she says, "enriches higher education".

Notwithstanding Weidenbaum's faculty colleague, most universities seem to enjoy 바카라사이트 reflected glow of professors' government experience. Washington University renamed its Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of American Business in Weidenbaum's honour.

Brennan is often amused to hear 바카라사이트 president of his university refer to him as a member of 바카라사이트 Council of Economic Advisers when, in fact, he was a staff adviser much lower down in 바카라사이트 hierarchy.

"From an institutional perspective, I think it's good to be able to mention any distinction that faculty get. I'm not saying I get big raises because of 바카라사이트se things, but when you're in a public-policy programme it helps attract students (if we can show) that we're not just a bunch of ivory-tower academics, that some of us have had government jobs, served on commissions, done reports."

Weidenbaum agrees. "Certain top management of 바카라사이트 university like having in 바카라사이트ir academic ranks people - and this is not just me - who were senior officials in government. And it doesn't hurt in 바카라사이트 fundraising area to have a Republican."