Jentleson to Step Down as Sanford Institute Director

Bruce Jentleson, professor of public policy studies and political science, will step down from the directorship of the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy when his current term expires on June 30.

In a letter this week to faculty and staff, Jentleson said that after five years as institute director, he would like to focus full time on scholarship, teaching and policy projects, which is why he did not accept a contract renewal offer.

Jentleson, a foreign policy expert, also will relinquish the chairmanship of the public policy studies department. He will remain on the Duke faculty and continue teaching.

At the same time, Provost Peter Lange announced that the university will convene a task force to explore the possibility of creating a School of Public Policy. The group's report to President Richard H. Brodhead and Lange is due by Aug. 15.

"We were pleased with Bruce's performance as director and are disappointed that he has chosen not to continue," Lange said. "We intend to sustain the strong upward momentum of the department and the institute over the coming months."

Lange said university administrators plan to meet with faculty to discuss both the naming of a director within the next few weeks, as well as the charge and formation of the task force.

During his tenure as director, both the institute's undergraduate and master's programs have become more internationally focused, and a new doctoral program is in the works. Peer recognition of the institute "is reflected in our rise to a top ten position" in U.S. News &World Report rankings, Jentleson said in an interview. "If not for these recent successes, we would not be able to take a serious look at becoming a school."

Adam Abram, a member of the institute's Board of Visitors, said although he regrets Jentleson's decision, "I know the momentum and vision he helped establish will be carried on by our faculty and our students."

"Bruce brought a powerful combination of academic excellence and practical experience as an engaged policymaker to his tenure," Abram said. "On his watch, we became an even better institution as measured by our reach, the depth of our faculty and the accomplishments of our students. The institute's faculty and students are making and influencing policy around the globe.

"Closer to home, the institute is leading dozens of campuswide cross-disciplinary initiatives," Abram added. "Rubenstein Hall is just the latest manifestation of the energy and accomplishment of the last several years."

Rubenstein Hall is under construction adjacent to the existing institute building at the corner of Science and Towerview drives. The building adds classrooms, meeting space and research center offices, and is scheduled to open this fall.