At the School of Government & Public Policy (SGPP), we believe a healthy democracy depends on well-informed citizens, ethical leaders, and public institutions that serve the common good. As a multidisciplinary school at the University of Arizona, we are well positioned to prepare new generations of civic leaders, policy innovators, and engaged public servants who will help build a more just, compassionate, and resilient democracy.
Our faculty are national leaders in fields that shape the future of public life: from collaborative governance and national security to environmental policy, criminal justice reform, and the psychology of democratic participation. Our dedicated team work tirelessly to create pathways for students to thrive in classrooms, communities, and careers, placing hundreds of students each year in internships, fellowships, and leadership opportunities that transform lives and communities alike. We prepare graduates not just for successful careers in public, nonprofit, and private sectors, but to make lasting, meaningful contributions to the democratic institutions and civil society that sustain us all.
OUR PURPOSE IS CLEAR
Together, we empower individuals to become informed, compassionate, and courageous leaders, dedicated to advancing public service, strengthening democratic institutions, and advancing the public good.
OUR VISION IS BOLD
Together, we help create a world where policy and governance solve society’s most urgent challenges, and where democracy is defended, expanded, and made meaningful in people’s everyday lives.
OUR VALUES GUIDE US
interdisciplinary curiosity civic excellence compassionate service
impactful collaboration resilient community
Through our Wildcat Challenge, we are called to fulfill not just our own potential as a school, but to help our democracy fulfill its promise. We have charted an ambitious plan for the next three years that is rooted in the University of Arizona’s Delivering on our Promise strategic imperatives and the strategic plan of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences.
We have empowered our Wildcat Support Committee to monitor and evaluate progress towards our Wildcat Challenge. By the time we celebrate our 20th anniversary in Fall 2029, we aim for the SGPP to be a place you find:
Welcome home
We foster an inclusive and supportive environment where every alum, student, faculty member, and staff person feels they belong. By creating a truly "welcome home," we ensure that our school is a foundation for lifelong connection and academic belonging.
- Space transformation & accessibility: Redesign physical infrastructure to create welcoming, collaborative spaces (e.g., transforming Rooms 300 and 301 into a dedicated Welcome & Wellness Space).
- Belonging & retention infrastructure: Implement a validated "Belonging Index" survey to measure authentic inclusion, track retention variance across all demographics, and empower the SGPP Wildcat Opportunity and Support Committee with dedicated resources and operational authority.
- Student community building: Expand orientation and onboarding activities, provide dedicated community-building support for transfer students, host an annual SGPP Open House, and organize an annual Scholars Breakfast to celebrate high-achieving graduating undergraduates.
- Culture, inclusion & shared celebration: Foster an inviting, on-campus workplace presence with open event invitations for all, frequent snacks and food, a dedicated celebrations bulletin board, and place-based experiences leveraging the unique strengths of the borderlands.
Individualized plans for success
We recognize that every student’s and member of our team's journey is unique and requires tailored support to reach its full potential. Through personalized pathways and mentoring, we empower our people to navigate their education and careers with a clear plan for future success.
- Undergraduate success & faculty engagement: Establish a comprehensive 4-year success plan for all undergraduates; implement peer mentoring (focused on first-generation students); expand early-program faculty tutorials/seminars; and ensure every student has meaningful, direct faculty interactions.
- Comprehensive mentorship & professional development: Expand professional development budgets across faculty, staff, PhD, and professional master’s (MPA/MPP) students; encourage participation in the MENTOR Institute and Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs); and establish multi-scale mentorship networks.
- Staff & faculty support: Clarify promotion pathways; advocate for multi-year (MY) contracts; maintain updated unit-level policies; address staff professional development in low-mobility structures; normalize flexible/WFH hours; and support award-winning advising.
- Graduate & curricular innovations: Create a 3-year course rotation schedule; expand non-academic career guidance and travel support for PhD students; strengthen PhD-alumni connections; broaden Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) pathways; and expand the Undergraduate Research Showcase.
- Support & outreach: Address student funding gaps through targeted fundraising and utilize Trellis/social media platforms to proactively support struggling students and spotlight student achievements.
Leaders for public service
Our mission is to cultivate the next generation of principled professionals dedicated to the common good. We equip our graduates with the skills and ethics necessary to serve as effective leaders in government, nonprofit, and civic sectors.
- Leadership & compassion training: Establish the Compassionate Public Service and Leadership Academy (offering certificates or digital badges) and incorporate pre- and post-test compassion assessments.
- Experiential academies: Launch alternative experiential learning models (e.g., intensive week-long public safety/police academies); expand certificate options (e.g., Change Management, Wargaming); and offer graduate credentialing bootcamps.
- Public service infrastructure & engagement: Increase participation in the Service-to-Service program; enroll more students as preceptors to gain leadership experience; and host a recurring workshop series featuring inspiring civic leaders.
- Community action & career pathways: Serve as a central campus conduit to public service careers; establish an SGPP Day/Week of Service; support students seeking public office; and host alumni career panels.
- Impact tracking & communications: Track career placement, public service hours per capita, and alumni impact scores across specific industries, while publicly spotlighting student community leadership roles.
Democracy initiatives
We are launching an ambitious portfolio of initiatives to strengthen the foundations of democratic life and civic resilience. By prioritizing civic literacy and engagement, we aim to revitalize public trust and ensure democracy thrives in the lives of our students and communities.
- Arizona Policy/Democracy Lab: Re-envision the Policy Lab (e.g., renaming as the Democracy Lab) as a flagship center to host critical conversations, fund research on political polarization and democratic health, and deliver specialized training for local election officials.
- Civil literacy & community education: Develop the CIVIC CATS initiative; establish annual civic literacy events (such as quiz nights),;and partner with K–12 schools and community colleges to address core civics needs, specifically helping partners navigate topics like AI, deepfakes, and disinformation.
- Public outreach & scholarship: Regularly publish policy briefs, op-eds, white papers, and empirical reports on the state of democracy; track a Civil Discourse Index (% of events with cross-party representation); and host public skill-building workshops for faculty and graduate students on media engagement.
- Student & faculty democracy engagement: Launch undergraduate/graduate Democracy Fellowships, dynamic student clubs, election night viewing events, a "Democracy in Action" photo competition, an annual Democracy Conference, and a "Resistance" film series in partnership with The Loft Cinema.
- Statewide leadership & partnerships: Convene annual multi-disciplinary teams to tackle high-priority public issues; host a Faculty-in-Residence fellowship; and invite civic-minded high school students to engage directly with SGPP research experts.
Coalitions of strategic partners
Our impact is multiplied through intentional, high-impact alliances with those who share our vision. By building a robust coalition of alumni, donors, and community leaders, we co-create solutions to society’s most pressing policy challenges.
- Governance & partner engagement: Reform the Community Advisory Board to align strategic partners with core unit goals; establish a Supporters Guild; and regularly measure partner satisfaction and financial contributions.
- Public safety & strategic initiatives: Deepen core public safety partnerships through the Institute for Modern Policing and the UA Office of Public Safety; showcase collaborative projects (e.g., with TPD); and partner with organizations like the Tucson Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Resource sharing & community integration: Enable external community organizations to access SGPP resources; establish monthly/quarterly sponsorship themes for regional non-profits; and better connect students to strategic partners through expanded fellowship programs.
- Cross-campus synergy: Align unit activities with broader campus support structures, including the Student Success District, SALT Center, First Cats, Thrive Center, and Think Tank.
Alignment with UA's mission
We operate in lockstep with the University of Arizona’s strategic imperatives to deliver on the promise of a land-grant institution. Our research, teaching, and outreach are intentionally designed to advance the university's broader goals of excellence and societal impact.
- Strategic alignment & grand challenges: Align research, teaching, and policy outreach with major university institutes and themes, including National and International Security Policy, Energy, and Water/Arid Lands Agriculture.
- Institutional resource stewardship: Track the percentage of unit resources allocated to broader University initiatives; maintain a strong fiscal health; and conduct a thorough High-Impact Practice (HIP) inventory across all degree programs.
- Cluster hiring initiatives: Actively participate in existing cross-campus cluster hires (e.g., water, national security) and propose new cluster hires centered on the Health of Democracy and Building Public Trust in Public Institutions.
- Academic success goals: Monitor achievement against series of metrics prioritized by UA leadership.
Team spirit sustained
Our success is driven by a world-class team of faculty and staff who represent our greatest institutional strength. We invest in our people by fostering a culture of mutual respect, shared success, and continuous professional excellence.
- Communication & shared vision: Host annual State of the School addresses; produce an inclusive annual report; conduct regular faculty workshops and professional development luncheons; and maintain open feedback spaces for sharing ideas.
- Community & social connection: Organize regular, low-stakes social gatherings (e.g., pre-workshop coffee hours, Halloween potlucks, winter/end-of-year celebration parties) and expand office closure opportunities during official university breaks.
- Visibility & recognition: Introduce a School "Hall of Fame;" showcase faculty publications as artwork in seminar spaces; rotate highlighted faculty/staff/students across physical displays and digital media; and actively nominate team members for university and national awards.
- School pride & collegiality: Partner with the campus bookstore to offer SGPP apparel (polos, t-shirts) for team members, and encourage mutual attendance at colleague events to show active organizational support.