Newsworthy by Faculty Member

The LBJ School is pleased to offer nearly 100 classes this fall to equip future public policy professionals with the skills they will need to lead and succeed. Alongside 18 dual degree options, 27 specializations and the vast resources of The University of Texas at Austin, students have endless opportunities to customize their degree.   Here’s a snapshot of a few of our stand out courses:   

In many ways, "public policy" world is as varied as the people who practice it. There is no one path to it; thinkers and doers pursue their passion for service for so many different reasons. The LBJ School was founded to improve the quality of public service in the United States and abroad at all levels of governance and civic engagement. We practice this through interdisciplinary scholarship, hands-on experience and a customizable educational experience that allows students to develop unique skills and expertise.

Retired Navy admiral and LBJ School professor of national security William McRaven gives tribute to the real, everyday heroes he's met over the years, from battlefields to hospitals to college campuses, who are doing their part to save the world in his newly released book, "The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived."

William McRaven, a former head of U.S. Special Operations Command, in a new book describes the “most gut-wrenching tragedy” he faced during his military career and the important lesson he learned from it.

Adm. William McRaven endorses Joe Biden: "Truth be told, I am a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small-government, strong-defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative. But, I also believe that black lives matter, that the Dreamers deserve a path to citizenship, that diversity and inclusion are essential to our national success, that education is the great equalizer, that climate change is real and that the First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy. Most important, I believe that America must lead in the world with courage, conviction and a sense of honor and humility."

Adm. William McRaven endorses Joe Biden: "Truth be told, I am a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small-government, strong-defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative. But, I also believe that black lives matter, that the Dreamers deserve a path to citizenship, that diversity and inclusion are essential to our national success, that education is the great equalizer, that climate change is real and that the First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy. Most important, I believe that America must lead in the world with courage, conviction and a sense of honor and humility."

"For all the challenges the past 20 years brought on this country—for all the loss, the heartache, the hubris and the errant decisions—in times of crisis, the world still looked to America to lead. They believed that in spite of our political differences, our domestic turmoil, the ugliness of our democratic process and some bad decisions, America in the end would do the right thing. That we would stand up to tyranny, lift up the downtrodden, free the oppressed, and fight for the righteous," writes Adm. William McRaven for The Wall Street Journal. 

On Monday, Oct. 12, the LBJ School of Public Affairs presented the first forum of its 50th anniversary celebration. The prime-time presentation, "In the Arena: Defining a New Destiny," featured some of today's most important thinkers and doers sharing their sense of purpose in the fight for racial justice and equity, and discussing the leadership and vision that can lead us forward. 

While this past academic year saw some remarkable changes in the academic process, the continued excellence of LBJ School faculty remained constant. Here is a collection of the recognition that LBJ faculty garnered in 2019–20.

Retired U.S. Navy Adm. William McRaven weighs in on military leaders becoming increasingly vocal against the president and the president's clearing of Lafayette Square for a photo op, which Adm. McRaven says was not morally right.