Letter: Professors of the practice important to PPS, Duke

In its Dec. 2 staff editorial, The Chronicle endorsed what it took to be the recommendation of the external review committee that public policy studies reduce the number of professors of the practice--in part, the editors opined, because "focusing on exposure to real-world problems and building contacts in professional fields is not the mission of this University." I find this view of undergraduate education remarkably narrow.

While a sound liberal arts education requires a grounding in the disciplines, only the most avid supporters of the 19th century Ivory Tower approach believe that the real world should be ignored.

Public policy has from the beginning committed to bridging the gap between theory and practice. And in recent years, University officials, including President Nan Keohane and William Chafe, dean of the arts and sciences, have recognized and endorsed the importance of experiential education as part of the undergraduate experience, with public policy as one important model. Our "of the practice" faculty have led the way.

More than that, these faculty bring extraordinary experience, credentials and expertise to the University community. Their contribution starts but does not end with the classroom.

Ambassador James Joseph provides an important connection to South Africa; William Raspberry (Pulitzer Prize winning columnist) and Susan Tifft (acclaimed journalist and biographer) consult with student publications and represent the University in a variety of forums; Alma Blount and Tony Brown have helped forge important connections between the University and the community through the Hart Leadership Program's research service learning model.

Of course the public policy curriculum also offers the grounding in theory and methods necessary for sophisticated policy analysis. We are committed to increasing the number of advanced electives. But there is no reason, financial or otherwise, why this commitment should come at the expense of real-world engagement.