Sandra O. Archibald, Evans School dean and professor, has been elected to the National Academy of Public Administration, an independent, nonprofit coalition of top public management and organizational leaders who address the nation's most important public policy matters. Membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors in the field of public policy and recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding professional achievements as well as commitment to service.
Since Archibald's arrival at the UW, the Evans School has risen 12 places in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of schools of public affairs. It is now sixth among peer programs at public universities. This fall, the school welcomed a record-breaking 162 new students to its master of public administration program. Under Archibald's leadership, the size of the Evans School faculty and student body have doubled, and the school added doctoral and executive master of public administration programs.
Earlier this year, the Municipal League of King County, Washington recognized Archibald and the Evans School with the Warren G. Magnuson Award for Contributions to the Enhancement of Local Government.
As a researcher, Archibald's interests focus on the intersection of economics, institutions, and public policy, including water issues, food safety, and management in higher education. She was the first woman promoted to a professional management position in the University of California system. There she overhauled planning and budgeting for the nine campuses. The Ford Foundation recognized this work with funding for "Management and Leadership in Higher Education," a 1982 book Archibald coauthored with Chester O. McCorkle, Jr.
Before coming to the UW in 2003, Archibald was associate dean, interim dean and deputy associate dean in the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
In 1993, Archibald's first year at Minnesota, she received an Outstanding Teaching award while also serving as an administrator. More recently, Archibald was named the 2009 Public Administration Educator of the Year by the Evergreen Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration.
In 2007, Archibald's peers at the UW elected her chair of the UW Board of Deans and Chancellors. She has been active in both national associations of schools public affairs, holding leadership positions at the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) and the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM).
She holds a doctoral degree in agricultural economics from the University of California, Davis as well a master's degree in public administration and a bachelor's degree in history from the University of California, Berkeley. Archibald graduated from UC Davis with high honors and won an Outstanding Dissertation award from its Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.
National Academy members are sought by Congress, state and local governments, foundations and academics regarding such matters as budgets, human resources and strategic planning. Academy fellows, who currently number about 650, choose new fellows each year based on contributions to public administration. The fellows include current and former governors, Cabinet officers, members of Congress, business executives, academic leaders, and foundation managers. Mark Emmert, president of the UW, was elected to the academy in 2008.
New fellows will be introduced to the Academy during the 2009 fall meeting November 19-20 in Washington, D.C.
Published on October 6, 2009
