Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

As we all eagerly await the arrival of spring and the changing of the seasons, we at CIPA are currently undergoing some administrative and organizational changes of our own.  We’re excited about the change in the air because we know they will make our program even stronger and more easily accessible to all aspiring future public affairs professionals.

First and foremost, CIPA is moving forward with plans to formally join Cornell’s College of Human Ecology. Beyond giving Fellows the advantages of access to the faculty, physical space, technological and other resources of the College of Human Ecology, this transition represents an opportunity for CIPA to strengthen its curricular offerings by developing courses for CIPA Fellows that are designed specifically for building capability in the areas of public management and policy analysis.  Further, an affiliation with the Department of Policy Analysis and Management will enhance CIPA’s visibility and recognition nationally in the field of public affairs/administration/policy.   You can check out the full press release about this process here.

Additionally, as part of the administrative transition into the College of Human Ecology, annual tuition for students enrolled in the Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program will shift in fall 2014 from a Tier 1 to Tier 2 level, as approved by the Board of Trustees at its January meeting.  For the 2014-15 academic year, this will shift MPA tuition down from $47,050 to $30,785 annually, in line with other public-service-oriented graduate degree programs.  We will continue to offer limited fellowships to qualified students as further tuition assistance.  We are very excited about this change as we believe it will more easily allow our graduates to enter careers in public service without worrying about excessive debt.

All in all, there are exciting changes in the air here in Caldwell Hall!  We are looking forward to growing as a program and continuing to expand our offerings.  As always, please don’t hesitate to send us any questions you might have!