Is the U.S. Public Service Academy a Reality?
The first 100 days of the Obama administration could see the approval of a new public service academy fashioned after West Point but designed to produce professionals in homeland security, education, energy, and foreign service. The U.S. Public Service Academy is the brainchild of Chris Asch, who says legislation will be introduced to create the new school and that Obama has pledged his support. "He has said he would sign it if it came to his desk," says Asch, who describes Obama as "gung-ho" on it. He compared the Public Service Academy's work to that of the Peace Corps, and he even has a home for it in Washington: Walter Reed Army Medical Center, slated to shutter in 2011.
Tags: Barack Obama | Obama administration
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Bad and Expensive Idea
There are thousands of public administration majors at private and public colleges and universities throughout the United States. Some have leadership training programs as well. We do NOT need a federal public service academy. If money is appropriated for this idea, it should be in the form of scholarships for those who major in public administration and leadership at colleges and universities where these programs already exist. A public service academy would also likely create an enlitist group of people who would NOT represent the people of our nation.
More than meets the eye...
Yes, lots of schools throughout the country teach these courses; however, what these traditional colleges don't possess is the intensive leadership/character development AND overall mission for public service. Additionally, with the high cost of tuition at many colleges in the US, many students who would be enthusiastic about going into government work typically do not choose to do so because the government work pay is comparatively low to civilian pay - good luck paying off that college loan working for the gov't. The USPSA would be be modeled somewhat after the military service Academy system - 5 years of service in return for 4 years of an outstanding education...This would attract those high achievers who would like to go into public service.
I'm a West Point graduate and I think this is a fantastic idea that is long overdue. Those who say that a PS Academy is unnecessary because there are colleges that already fulfill this duty should also argue that the military academies are unnecessary since ROTC and OCS also fulfill the requirement for commissioned officers. Yet, those who would argue this fail to see the intangibles of service academies - strong focus on developing society's leaders, emphasis on character development, and shared values of service amongst ALL students at the institution. You won't find this at a "normal college." As is the case with many military academy graduates, I envision that USPSA graduates would go on to be inspirational leaders not only in their local communities, but within the national and global spheres as well.
I hope to see this pull through. It's much needed now more than ever.
US Pork Service Academy
There could be a more irresponsible way to spend the taxpayers money, like an auto bail-out I guess, but this will become the worst. Duplicate efforts at triplicate the cost. Sounds like Obama to me! Go DEMOCRAT HOUSE< SENATE< PRESIDENT!!
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