August 29th, 2007

Infrastructure Expert, Michael Pagano, Named Interim CUPPA Dean

Michael Pagano, professor and director of the graduate program in public administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, has been appointed interim dean of the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, effective Sept. 1st.

Pagano, an expert on infrastructure and city finances, replaces Robin Hambleton, who returns to the University of the West of England as professor of city leadership. An international search for a permanent dean will begin in September.

" The College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs is on an upward trajectory, and I am confident that Dr. Pagano will carry on the college's success as we recruit the next dean," said UIC Provost R. Michael Tanner.

Pagano joined UIC in 2001 as professor and director of the Public Administration program. He led it through its reaccreditation by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration in 2007. UIC's program is Chicago's only accredited program offering a master's degree in public administration.

Over the past several years, Pagano and others spearheaded the design of an undergraduate degree in urban and public affairs that is fully enrolled as it begins this month.

" Although this is the youngest college at UIC, it has evolved into a strong center of engaged urban research and education," Pagano said. "The commitment of students, faculty and staff will help to attract a nationally renowned permanent dean."

Pagano is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. He is principal investigator in the Pew Charitable Trust's Government Performance Project to grade each state's infrastructure management. Since 1991, he has written the National League of Cities' annual "City Fiscal Conditions" report. He is co-editor of the Urban Affairs Review, a leading academic journal in the field.

He has written or edited four books and published more than 70 articles for scholarly journals on urban finance, capital budgeting, federalism, transportation policy and infrastructure.
Before joining UIC, Pagano served as professor of political science at Miami University for more than 20 years. He earned his B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

UIC ranks among the nation's top 50 universities in federal research funding and is Chicago's largest university with 25,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, 15 colleges and the state's major public medical center. A hallmark of the campus is the Great Cities Commitment, through which UIC faculty, students and staff engage with community, corporate, foundation and government partners in hundreds of programs to improve the quality of life in metropolitan areas around the world. For more information about UIC, please visit www.uic.edu