Wilson School Dean Michael Rothschild announced yesterday that he will step down this summer, after six years as head of the School of Public and International Affairs. He will return to a full-time teaching and research position at the University.
A professor of economics and public affairs in addition to his administrative responsibilities, Rothschild said that though he enjoys his current job, he misses the intellectual challenge and satisfaction of teaching and research.
"I thought about this hard," Rothschild said. "Basically, I'm going to be 60 next year. Although it's been enormous fun being an administrator, I also loved being a teacher and scholar. The more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that if I didn't get back in soon, I wouldn't ever get back in."
Rothschild added, that he believes the change of leadership is a necessary transition that will rejuvenate the Wilson School.
"Institutions refresh themselves by changing and the Wilson School needs that change," he said.
During Rothschild's tenure, the Wilson School paved the way for the improvement and expansion of the University's study abroad program, made its curriculum more interdisciplinary and added a psychology requirement for the undergraduate degree.
Rothschild said one of the most substantial changes that took place under his leadership was the addition of a one-year master's program for mid-career professionals. The program, which began in 1998, was intended to bring more of a professional edge to the traditionally scholarly Wilson School.
"Princeton has by a fair margin the most academic of the public policy schools," Rothschild said. "The question was how to bring the real world into the classrooms and, from the beginning, that was a challenge. One solution was to rejuvenate the mid-career program."
The Wilson School also created several programs following the trend of modern policy research, including the Program in Law and Public Affairs and the Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child Well-Being.
In addition to guiding changes in the graduate and undergraduate programs, Rothschild has overseen the completion of Wallace Hall and the renovation of Robertson Hall, an extensive construction project scheduled to finish next summer.
While he said he will miss some of the privileges he enjoyed as dean of the Wilson School, such as meeting with foreign dignitaries, Rothschild is looking forward to spending more time in the classroom.
"I won't be able to have a one on one meeting with Kofi Annan anymore, but I will participate much more seriously in seminars," he said.
Wilson School professor Stanley Katz expressed astonishment at the announcement and explained that Rothschild, who has been extremely busy overseeing the renovation to the school, gave no indications of wanting to resign.
"I was surprised. No one anticipated this," Katz said. "He has been actively involved in the school, and he has devoted his last several years to the physical expansion of the school, and I think that will be his most significant contribution to the Wilson School."
Katz added that the quality of the school and faculty will provide a smooth transition.
"It is a very strong, fine school with terrific faculty," Katz said. "The faculty will be prepared to embrace whoever comes in next, and we will not lose any momentum because of this."
The University will soon begin a search for a successor to Rothschild, whose resignation will become effective June 30, 2002.
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