Dear Friends,
It is always exciting to sit on the brink of a new year and anticipate
what successes and challenges await us over the next twelve months.
I believe that 2006 heralds particularly good things, because
with it comes the celebration of the School’s 75th year
of serving public officials in North Carolina.
We look back with admiration at Albert Coates’s visionary
and entrepreneurial launch of the Institute of Government in 1931
and his steady progress over and around obstacles to serve local
and state government for the next 31 years. John Sanders followed
Mr. Coates with equally strong dedication and care for the Institute’s
mission over a tenure as director that spanned nearly 25 years.
Henry Lewis devoted a successful five years to guiding the Institute’s
continued growth in the changing environment of the 1970s. These
directors, and the expert faculty and staff they led, built an
impeccable reputation for quality of service, political neutrality,
and reliability that continues to this day to make the School
a trusted resource for public officials across the state.
It is important to celebrate what this institution and its remarkable
faculty and staff have done and continue to do for North Carolina.
It is just as important to use this occasion to look forward.
Our state and its governments face issues, pressures, and challenges
that are unique in our history. The
job of the School—and all who work here—is to help
our clients in local and state government identify these challenges
and work collaboratively with you to find ways to meet them.
In our 75th year, we are looking to the future and want to hear
from you. Already, new programs in public technology, community
and economic development, environmental finance, public leadership,
and others are being offered and are growing in response to needs
we have heard you express. The role of our faculty and staff is
to help you obtain the knowledge and information you need to serve
your community well.
Thank you for attending courses, purchasing publications, calling
for advice, and supporting the School financially. Please continue
to let us hear from you about how we can serve you better.
Sincerely,
Michael R. Smith
Dean, School of Government
