COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SIPAnewsspring 2002 / VOLUME XV NO. 2 On the Inside: SIPA Students Help Out at the World Economic Forum SIPAnews spring 2002 / VOLUME Xv NO.2 1 From the Dean New Programs and Curriculum Reforms 2 Faculty News Serving the Public: SIPA Faculty 3 Alumni Profile Julie Rasmussen: Zen Coffee Brews in Russia, Thanks to SIPA Alumna 4 Alumni Profile Ibrahim Gambari: The Twists and Turns of a Distinguished Career 5 Senator Mitchell Joins New Center for International Conflict Resolution 6 On the Inside: SIPA Students Help Out at the World Economic Forum 10 Six Months After: Response, Rebuilding, Reconciliation 11 SIPA and CUNY Establish Scholars Program 18 12 MPA Program News Alumni News An Alumna on the Edge. of Hope 14 MIA Program News 15 Picker Center News 19 16 PEPM Program News 20 Development News Alumni News SIPA Students Learn the Art of Interviewing from a Pro 22 Class Notes From the Dean: Lisa Anderson SIPA Inaugurates New Programs and Approves Curriculum Reforms he spring semester of detail elsewhere in this issue, the con- importantly, the MPA program was 2002 was a remarkable ference — like all the work done by originally designed for a student body time at SIPA, as the this group — was the product of good that was overwhelmingly American, students and faculty judgement and hard work, exercised and overwhelmingly destined for exhibited all the com- in this instance as mid-terms loomed. employment in the public sector. Nei- mitment, capacity for The conference program reflected the ther of those characteristics pertains any Thard work, and intelligence that we myriad local, national, and international longer. Today’s students come from so prize at the School. issues that September 11th represents dozens of countries, and they aspire to We began by inaugurating two to New Yorkers, and was a very elegant work where they will find the most new programs. On Thursday, January expression of the merits of having both leverage for social change — which is 24th, Senator George Mitchell gave a MPA and MIA degree programs at a often in the private and not-for-profit public lecture as we announced his single school. The global and the local sectors. Where once a limited number joining our new Center for Interna- are inextricably entwined in the twenty- of choices served the vast majority of tional Conflict Resolution as a senior first century, and nothing illustrated the students, today we need to permit fellow. This center, the successor to better the crucial role an institution students to tailor their programs to our very vibrant International Conflict like SIPA will play in shaping that their academic backgrounds and pro- Resolution Program, already has pro- relationship and how we understand fessional aspirations as public servants, jects around the world, from Northern it than this conference. advocates, analysts, managers, and Iraq to East Timor, and continues to Two weeks later, on Monday, administrators. The reforms are designed train future policymakers, analysts, March 25th, the School’s Committee to address some of the weaknesses of and managers while working in real on Instruction authorized a series of the existing MPA program but, more time to mend torn societies. reforms of the MPA program curricu- decisively, to enhance the variety of On Monday, February 25th, Con- lum. As many of you may have heard, opportunities available to today’s gressman José Serrano of the Bronx, the idea of reforming the MPA pro- exceptionally diverse student body. and University President George Rupp gram generated a great deal of contro- Many people worked long and joined us in celebrating the establish- versy. Some of the debate around the hard to make possible the remarkable ment of the Serrano Scholars Program, proposed reforms took on an intem- work of this semester. Andrea Bartoli, an initiative designed to create a perate and intolerant tenor, but I was director of the Center for International pipeline of American minority students nonetheless profoundly gratified by Conflict Resolution; Assistant Dean for careers in international affairs, par- the commitment to the MPA program Nancy Degnan, our point-person for ticularly the Foreign Service. A collabo- exhibited by its students, alumni, and the Serrano Scholars; SIPA Responds ration among Hostos Community faculty. In all the conversations and members Kavitha Rajagopalan, Oliver College, which is in Congressman Ser- communications I had about the pro- Smith, and Matthias Wabl; MPA Direc- rano’s district, and Columbia’s Schools posals, with people of very varied opin- tor Chuck Cameron; Rodrick Dial, of General Studies and International ions, I have encountered no one who SIPA’s acting director of Alumni Rela- and Public Affairs, this is a project that did not care deeply about the program. tions; Bill Eimicke, director of the could only have happened in New York, This commitment reflects the Picker Center and long-time MPA with Columbia. The first cohort of fact that, as we all knew, there is much faculty member; and Jess Horan and students is already enrolled, and we of quality and value in the existing Raissa Smorol, the MPA student repre- look forward to welcoming them to program. The past leaders of the MPA sentatives to the Committee on Instruc- SIPA in a few years. program did a remarkable job, often tion, all worked particularly hard and On Monday, March 11th, we with very limited resources. Few acad- particularly effectively on the projects marked the six-month anniversary of emic programs are perfect, however, which made this such a satisfying semes- September 11th with a day-long and no one associated with the MPA ter. They represent the students, faculty, conference organized by the leaders program (or anything else at the and staff which make SIPA what it is, of SIPA Responds. Described in more School!) claimed it is flawless. Most and we are all the better for their efforts. SIPAnews 1 “Both governmental and non-governmental organizations are always looking for talented people to add value to their mission....and SIPA provides the necessary skills.” Richard K. Betts Faculty News Serving the Public: SIPA Faculty Richard H. Clarida By Joya Rajadhyaksha ost academics number of issues impacting New York both MIA and MPA, are trained for a “ can’t dip their City — from health to homelessness to wide variety of public service careers, toes into policy education — and she is a welcome ranging from security to economic practice without addition to the administration.” policy, environmental protection to side-tracking Cohen is director of the Execu- urban planning. They praise SIPA for their academic tive Master of Public Administration providing its students with theoretical careers,”M says Professor Richard K. (EMPA) program, as well as the foundations as well as practical skills. Steven A. Cohen Betts, director of SIPA’s International Graduate Program in Earth Systems “It’s Ivy League, but not ivory tower,” Security Policy Program and the Insti- Science, Policy, and Management, says Cohen. tute of War and Peace Studies. Luckily, a collaboration between SIPA and Clarida agrees. “Both governmen- Betts is not one of those academics. Columbia’s Earth Institute. He also tal and non-governmental organizations Neither are his colleagues Richard H. serves on the Board of Directors of are always looking for talented people Clarida, Ester Fuchs, and Steven A. Homes for the Homeless, and is on to add value to their mission,” he says, Cohen, all of whom have successfully the EPA Administrator’s National “and SIPA provides the necessary skills.” combined professorial duties with Advisory Council on Environmental These professors also agree on careers in public service. Policy and Technology. In the past, he the need to begin public service educa- “Academic politics is not bad has been responsible for the Haz- tion at a very young age. Clarida still Ester Fuchs preparation for Washington politics,” ardous Waste Management Project of remembers enjoying civics and history quips Clarida, who is taking a break the National Academy of Public classes he took as a young schoolboy, from chairing Columbia’s economics Administration (1985) and a specialist and Cohen reminisces about having run department to serve in the Bush for the U.S. Environmental Protection for student government in sixth grade administration. In his new position as Agency (1980-81). “If you like what — and having won. “Children should assistant secretary of the Treasury for you do it doesn’t always feel like be taught the rules of civil society and economic policy, he provides eco- work,” he says, of his twelve-hour the importance of democracy as soon nomic policy advice to the Treasury days. “It’s engaging, not drudgery.” as they can read,” Cohen says. Likewise, secretary and the deputy secretary, Long hours and multiple com- Betts asserts the need for “a considera- and supervises an office that analyzes mitments are things that Betts is used tion of policy applications throughout domestic and foreign economic issues to as well. In between teaching classes an education in social sciences.” as well as monitors financial markets. on U.S. Foreign Policy and War, Peace Clarida advises students who seek Meanwhile Fuchs, who is on leave and Strategy he is able to meet with jobs in public service to tailor a “rigor- from directing the Center for Urban the House (Congressional) Permanent ous and useful” program from SIPA’s Research and Policy and chairing the Select Committee on Intelligence to wide range of classes, and to “leverage Urban Studies program, is New York discuss intelligence reform, and testify off something [they’re] already good City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s before the Senate Governmental at.” Cohen entreats them not to be special advisor for governance and Affairs Committee about the need for disillusioned by the sometimes modest strategic planning.