F ROM THE M.P.A. PROGRAM

Balancing Professional Passions: The Exemplary Path of Deil Wright’s Life Brendan Burke

s the twentieth century ended, many fields of endeavor engaged A in self-reflection, considering their achievements over the previous 100 years. Various organizations compiled lists, identifying their greatest successes of the century. The American Film Institute cited Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Schindler’s List among its “100 Greatest Movies.” The Modern Library Association placed The Great Gatsby, The Sound and the Fury, and Catch-22 near the top of its “100 Best Novels” for the period. Public administration did not produce a list of its most enduring and powerful works. But in the fifty-four book excerpts and articles included in Shafritz and Hyde’s Classics of Public Administration, the field has a relatively widely accepted indicator of its best offerings.1 Happily, the work of one of UNC Chapel Hill’s own appears in all recent editions of the Classics: a portion of Deil Wright’s Understanding Inter- new and highly appropriate direction. aging a program for the governmental Relations. At its 2001 annual conference, the UNC Rehabilitation Commission. He also At the close of the twentieth century, Chapel Hill Master of Public Adminis- began studying for an M.P.A., but the the American Society of Public Admin- tration (M.P.A.) Alumni Association transition was not easy. “Those first istration recognized Wright with two of honored Wright for his career and readings [in Introduction to Public its most prestigious awards: service. The full measure of a public Administration] didn’t really impress administration scholar is to be highly me,” he said. “The papers seemed too • The Dwight Waldo Award, for career favored by his or her academic peers, as obvious or too circuitous. But when we contributions to the literature of well as by the successful public servants got to the Federalism/Intergovernmental public administration. In this who have sat in his or her classroom. Relations section, Deil Wright’s essay achievement, Wright joined the likes My own recent experience as a teacher was the first thing that made sense of of Aaron Wildavsky, Herbert in an M.P.A. program five hundred my complex situation and that would Kaufman, and Herbert Simon. miles removed from Chapel Hill has help me with my work.” • The 1999 William E. and Frederick C. shown me that Wright’s work has been Mosher Award, with coauthors significant in the advancement of Jeffrey Brudney and F. Ted Hebert, The author is an assistant professor in the government professionals across the for the best paper by academics in Master of Public Administration Program at nation and the world. Two examples Public Administration Review.2 Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts). already stand out for me. He earned an M.P.A. and a Ph.D. from Early in the twenty-first century, the Mark Cowell made a mid-career UNC Chapel Hill. Contact him at bburke accolades for Wright are moving in a change from being an attorney to man- @bridgew.edu.

summer 2002 web supplement 1 Wright’s Journey Hill. From there, his career diversified. NON–U.S. CITIES Wright’s life serves as an example of the He continued his work with the ASAP HERE EIL RIGHT way for a professor to promote his survey, taught undergraduate and W D W scholarly ideas and to influence the doctoral students, and wrote about HAS TAUGHT OR world of public administration. In 1948 public finance. But he also pursued LECTURED he went from a small town in Michigan several new challenges. He started to the state’s flagship university in Ann working with the fledgling UNC Chapel Dublin, Ireland Arbor. Early in his academic career, he Hill M.P.A. Program. He became an aspired to become a city manager. Nine important name in the study of inter- Swansea, Wales years later, he held a B.A., an M.P.A., governmental relations, and the topic London, England and a Ph.D. from the University of began to turn up in his writings more Basel, Switzerland Michigan; had performed several grant- frequently at that time. funded community studies around the Further, he began a period of high- Berne, Switzerland state; had published his first article in level political and policy involvement. Duisburg, West Germany Public Administration Review; and had During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Nuremburg, West Germany served as an instructor at both the he served as an adviser to Richard West Berlin, West Germany University of Michigan and Wayne State Nixon before the Nixon presidency and University, in Detroit. From the outset also to North Carolina Governor James East Berlin, East Germany he found a place in academe but with Holshouser. He spoke about revenue- Madrid, Spain steady involvement in the workings and sharing policy before U.S. House commit- Trieste, Italy the issues of local governments. tees on two occasions. His consulting By the early 1960s, Wright had work was of national prominence. In Bangkok, Thailand published an assortment of articles and advisory roles he consulted with the Chejudo, South Korea several books, moving on a fast track U.S. Advisory Commission on Inter- Seoul, South Korea toward tenure at the University of Iowa. governmental Relations, the Brookings Taegu, South Korea As if this were not a sufficient contribu- Institution, and the U.S. Office of tion, he continued his consulting work Management and Budget. He also Fukuoka, Japan with communities and regional served as an official member of the Kobe, Japan commissions in and Pennsylvania, Director’s Advisory Committee of the Kyoto, Japan supported a tax study for the Michigan National Institutes of Health, the North legislature, and served in research Carolina Council on Goals and Policies, Naha, Japan institutes in Iowa and at the University and the North Carolina State Internship Osaka, Japan of California, Berkeley. Council. In 1975 he was elected to the Sapporo, Japan While at the University of Iowa, National Academy of Public Adminis- Tokyo, Japan Wright started a major project that will tration and has served that prestigious serve as a lasting contribution to organization in several capacities. Along Jakarta, Indonesia professionals’ understanding of state the way, he had time for his family, golf, Jogjakarta, Indonesia government officials. He began his softball, UNC Chapel Hill basketball, Ife, Nigeria research on American state administra- and ongoing service to the Rotary Club. tive officials with a grant from the Relm How could Wright top the services Melbourne, Australia Foundation. This effort later became the he had performed in the early 1970s? Perth, Australia American State Administrators Project, By becoming a leader of two profes- ASAP for short. This lengthy survey of sional organizations; by carrying his all state agency heads throughout the teachings and ideas about intergovern- Sue Keenan, a property manager for country (approximately 3,600 possible mental relations to other nations; and a nonprofit community action agency respondents) probes their backgrounds, by writing the first edition of what is outside , experienced something policy stances, and working environ- arguably the leading text in intergovern- similar. Her work environment involves ments. The ASAP data have been mental relations. Wright served as several governmental regulatory collected twice every decade since the director of the M.P.A. Program at UNC agencies, several overlapping political 1960s with the ongoing financial Chapel Hill from 1973 to 1980, when processes, court-ordered mandates, and backing of the Earhart Foundation. The the program educated some of its most the lack of a coherent mission—the survey results form an important successful graduates. Immediately substance of about four chapters of longitudinal source on change in the afterward, he served as president of the Understanding Intergovernmental American states, with data on nearly Southern Political Science Association. Relations. She too has been able to 10,000 state agency heads. Starting in the 1970s, Wright make more sense of a confusing inter- Wright, his wife, Pat, and their four traveled to more than a dozen countries governmental environment because of children came to Chapel Hill in 1967, to lecture on intergovernmental rela- Wright’s writings. he as a full professor at UNC Chapel tions (see the sidebar, this page), and to

2 popular government many American states as part of programs sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and other agencies. Understanding Intergovern- mental Relations was not his first or last book.3 But its three editions stand out for the kind of work that he always has pursued in the classroom: effective, creative synthesis and conceptualization of the complex theory and activity of decentralized governance.

Y2K and Wright Wright did not slow his pace in the 1980s and 1990s. This brief description leaves out countless activities, including editorial stints for many major political science journals and two prestigious visiting professorships. It names only The Wright family at the 2001 M.P.A. Alumni Association celebration. one of the numerous books and one Seated: Merri (daughter-in-law), David (son), Lindsey (granddaughter), Pat (wife),The Wright and Deil. family Standing, at the 2001 left to M.P.A. right: AlumniMatthew Association (son), Lois celebration.(daughter), Mark of the many articles he wrote during Seated: Deil and Pat (wife). Standing, left to right: Matthew (son), Susan five decades of professional service. It (son), and Susan (daughter-in-law). In August 2009, a new family photo was placed(daughter-in-law), in the online Mark edition (son), of this David article (son), that Pam differs (Lois's from partner),the photo and in the Lois does not give credit to dozens of co- (daughter). Missing: Merri (daughter-in-law) and Lindsey (granddaughter). authors, nor does it reflect the apprecia- original article posted online in 2002. tion that those coauthors felt for student from the Political Science work, and whether its philosophical working with Wright. But four endea- Department. Since the 1960s, Wright base was superior or inferior to pre- vors that thrive into the new century has trained a number of capable public existing public administration theory, need to be described to help the reader administration professors. A sampling Wright was one of the first to move into understand Wright’s current influence of the Ph.D. candidates he supervised at the practical realm, asking the question, on the academic and practical side of UNC Chapel Hill, one from each of the Who is actually pursuing the model? public administration. four decades, includes Nelson Dome- The ASAP surveys in 1994 and 1998 What began as a few lectures in Japan trius, who has been influential in the included questions about the extent of and Korea in the 1970s has turned into M.P.A. program at Texas Tech implementation of various aspects of an ongoing effort to enhance the two University (Lubbock) and has served as reinvention. Jeffrey Brudney, F. Ted countries’ administrative capabilities. the dean of the College of Arts and Hebert, and Wright gave us the earliest Not only has Wright traveled to the Far Sciences there; Elaine Sharp, a leader of and most comprehensive understanding East to teach at Yonsei University in the University of Kansas’s M.P.A. of the implementation of these new Korea, Meiji University in Japan, and program; Carol Weissert, director of reforms. They found that reinvention several other schools in these countries, Michigan State University’s Institute of was just getting under way at the state but he has been influential in bringing Public Policy and Social Research and level in 1994, but by 1998 many states many Far Eastern scholars, especially an M.P.A. faculty member; and Cynthia were actively implementing a number of Koreans, to UNC Chapel Hill to study Bowling, a recent graduate who already the ideas from Osborne and Gaebler’s public administration. His UNC Chapel has been director of the Auburn Reinventing Government and Vice Hill students in more advanced courses University (Alabama) M.P.A. program. President Al Gore’s National may find themselves sitting with the full Wright helps his Ph.D. students succeed Performance Review.5 range of Korean government participants, not only by teaching them well but by The trend toward “devolution,” or from activists to conservative high- supporting their efforts to obtain movement of power from the national level officials. Three times during the fellowships, opening up the ASAP data level to the American states, was over- 1990s, Wright organized international set for use toward dissertations and stated during the late 1990s, except forums to study global governance, other papers, and collaborating on possibly in welfare reform. But another enabling American, Japanese, Korean, articles for publication. major trend in that decade went largely Chinese, and Australian public admin- One of the most heated debates in unreported: cost-cutting conservatives istrators to share ideas and learn from public administration during the 1990s dismantled several important national one another.4 revolved around the suitability of the policy resources, including the Advisory Occasionally, UNC Chapel Hill “reinventing government” model. Commission on Intergovernmental M.P.A. students find a different kind of Although prominent scholars debated Relations and the Office of Technology student in the room with them—a Ph.D. whether the model could or should Assessment. With less capability for

summer 2002 web supplement 3 policy analysis at the national level, jokes. One specific: When a leading government. The academic journals of academics had to assess the effectiveness academic is chosen as the president public administration lament the of the new welfare model. The leader of of a political science association, he “intellectual crisis,” the mismatch the “devolved” effort to study welfare or she has an opportunity to speak to between the field’s theory and practice. reform was Richard Nathan, of the the profession about the state of the Yet Wright has kept an appropriate Rockefeller Institute, but Wright was field, rational choice theory, reinvent- focus on governmental applications, not part of the team to help study variation ing government, or some other just theoretical reinterpretations and in reform across the states. North serious topic. When Wright made his restatements. Wright’s work with Carolina has implemented one of the presidential address to the Southern governments and agencies also serves as most innovative welfare reforms by Political Science Association, he gave a model to practitioners; he teaches devolving policy choices to the county forth eloquently and passionately them to be rigorous in their efforts and level. Along with social work professor about—golf. to consider the various angles and Phil Cooke and with Z. Smith Reynolds • Personal generosity. Wright is not a aspects of the situations they face. Who Foundation support, Wright formed a rich man, but he has opened his else would coach them in how to drive a team of twelve public administration house and his wallet to the UNC ten-thousand-pound marshmallow scholars around the state to study the Chapel Hill M.P.A. Program and to down a hill (a metaphor for the public variation in county implementation Korean students over time. Witness manager guiding the American strategies and successes. The Tracking the Hayman-Howard-Wright intergovernmental system)? Responses to Welfare Reform survey Endowment and the M.P.A. Pro- results are just coming out (see the gram’s annual student award for Best project’s Web site, www.unc.edu/depts/ Capstone Paper, two ways in which Notes welfare). Deil supports student achievement 1. JAY M. SHAFRITZ & ALBERT C. HYDE, out of his own pocket. Many UNC CLASSICS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (4th ed. Fort Worth, Tex.: Harcourt Brace College A Living Model for Academics Chapel Hill students have known the way to Wright’s house, to attend Publishers, 1997). and Practitioners 2. Jeffrey L. Brudney et al., Reinventing picnics and courses there in a setting Government in the American States: Since one of Wright’s greatest skills is far more pleasant than the dreary Measuring and Explaining Administrative synthesis of detail, a small summary of classrooms of Hamilton Hall. Reform, 59 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW his qualities to which others might • Enduring personal ties. Wright will 19 (Jan.–Feb. 1999). aspire follows: stick to you like glue. He met Ferell 3. DEIL S. WRIGHT, UNDERSTANDING Heady in about 1950, when Heady INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS (3d ed. • Ability and versatility. Ferell Heady was just starting as a professor at the Pacific Grove, Cal.: Brooks/Cole Publ’g Co., noticed these characteristics in 1988). University of Michigan and Wright 4. Three books have emerged from these Wright early in his undergraduate was about twenty. Since then, each conferences: GLOBALIZATION AND DECENTRALI- career at the University of Michigan. has made a large impact on public ZATION: INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXTS, POLICY Heady taught Wright in the Intro- administration (Heady was the ISSUES, AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS duction to Public Administration president of the University of New IN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES (Jon Jun course in 1950, lost track of him Mexico for several years). They & Deil S. Wright eds., Washington, D.C.: while Wright pursued his M.P.A., but continue a strong friendship, Georgetown Univ. Press, 1996); FUTURE CHALLENGES OF LOCAL AUTONOMY IN JAPAN, then was part of Wright’s disserta- traveling to Mexico together in 2001 KOREA, AND THE UNITED STATES (F. Horie & tion committee. He has enjoyed in conjunction with a public admin- M. Nishio eds., Tokyo: National Inst. for following Wright’s successful career. istration conference. Jeffrey Brudney Research Advancement, 1997); and NATIONAL Heady was one of the first scholars and Wright go back three decades as INST. FOR RESEARCH ADVANCEMENT & of comparative public administration collaborators and friends. F. Ted NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMIN., and saw his student follow with the Hebert was a graduate student of THE CHALLENGE TO NEW GOVERNANCE IN Korea-Japan-America linkage. Wright’s at the University of Iowa. THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: ACHIEVING • Long hours. That Wright works long EFFECTIVE CENTRAL-LOCAL RELATIONS (Tokyo: The two men had a four-decade-long NIRA, 1999). hours should be clear from this professional relationship and 5. DAVID OSBORNE & TED GAEBLER, article, but here is one other personal friendship. Sadly, Hebert did not REINVENTING GOVERNMENT: HOW THE observation. A person who outlive his teacher, passing away ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT IS TRANSFORMING THE collaborates with him on a paper or early in 2001. PUBLIC SECTOR (New York: Penguin Books a project can expect some 10 P.M. USA, 1993); AL GORE, CREATING A phone calls to work out the details. The preceding traits are ones to GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS BETTER AND • Sense of humor. Wright is not all which any public administration COSTS LESS: THE REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW (New York: Penguin work and no play. He enjoys himself practitioner or scholar might aspire. Books USA, 1993). For a more concise while teaching or pursuing research Wright is a model to other academics treatment of the reinventing-government and makes the classroom amusing because he has consistently kept his reform ideas, see Brudney et al., Reinventing with metaphors, allegories, and work relevant to professionals in Government.

4 popular government