On Friday, The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees approved a groundbreaking plan to establish a School of Leadership and Policy at The University of Alabama, which is on track to begin offering undergraduate and graduate degrees as early as next fall.
Creating a new, dedicated school is a rare step for the University. It’s been decades since a new school was founded by UA that did not live under an existing college.
In Tuscaloosa, it arrives in a space long defined by heavyweight brands: Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy, and others, like the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs.
University of Alabama President Dr. Peter Mohler told trustees on Friday the school is intended to be “a nationally recognized” hub for practice-oriented leadership and policy education that binds coursework with internships through partnership with local, state and federal agencies, along with UA’s top-notch private sector partners.
Mohler outlined four priorities for the new school: Advancing educational excellence by “combining theory with practical policy application,” cultivating leadership development “rooted in knowledge and ethics,” promoting service and impact “through strong partnerships with local, state and federal agencies,” and contributing to economic development by preparing graduates to address challenges “facing Alabama, our region and our nation.”
“Beyond the classroom, those principles will travel with them,” Mohler said.
“Students will engage directly with public institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations and private-sector partners through internships, policy labs and community-based projects, ensuring they graduate ready to solve complex challenges with tangible solutions.”
The new school is set to scale up infrastructure that is already well at work on campus.
Since 2024, the Shelby Institute for Policy and Leadership, an interdisciplinary initiative training undergraduates for public service, has served as a credit-bearing leadership track at UA that has attracted some of the nation’s top decisionmakers to speak on campus.
The UA School of Leadership and Policy, approved by trustees on Friday, will be headquartered in historic Farrah Hall on the Quad, the former home of UA’s law school, which is slated for a full interior renovation and modernization.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt, a 2004 graduate of UA, and protege to legendary former U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, addressed the board in a video on Friday with a message of pride for the forthcoming work of the school and its students.
“As I look to the future, there is absolutely no doubt that this University has an incredible opportunity to educate and empower the next generation of leaders,” Senator Britt (R-Montgomery) said.
“By establishing the school of leadership and policy, UA is taking a bold step in equipping future policymakers and public servants with the tools and the resources they need to succeed. I am confident that through this program, our university will become a national model for leadership development and applied policy education.”
Because the School of Leadership and Policy is a new academic unit, UA must submit the proposal to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) for review.
“Through rigorous interdisciplinary studies rooted in the foundational principles of American democracy, The University of Alabama’s School of Leadership and Policy will educate and empower our students to become effective and principled leaders equipped to improve lives across Alabama and beyond,” UA System Chancellor Sid J. Trant said.
“I am very excited for the role this school will play in the future of our state and nation.”
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
