Good afternoon! We have exciting news about the future of the USC Price School.

 

In this special edition of The Price Post, USC receives a $59 million gift to establish a public policy institute in Washington, D.C. – which will have significant benefits for the Price School.

 

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Leonard D. Schaeffer is the namesake of the new USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.(Photo/Rex Gelert)

 

You may have seen USC's announcement of a transformative gift to expand the reach and influence of the Sol Price School of Public Policy.

 

Leonard Schaeffer and his wife, Pamela Schaeffer, are donating $59 million to establish the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service, which will be anchored at USC and the university’s new Capital Campus in Washington, D.C. 

The mission of the Schaeffer Institute is to produce research that informs evidence-based policymaking to address our nation’s most pressing issues and to educate students to be responsible and involved citizens of a true, functioning democracy.

 

What it means for the Price School: The Schaeffer Institute will benefit the Price community in several important ways, said Dana Goldman, dean and C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper chair of the USC Price School. The institute will: 

• Serve as a policy laboratory to develop and test ideas generated by Price School faculty, staff, and students; 
  
  
• Provide a forum to reach federal policymakers in D.C.; 
  
  
• Build our capacity to offer government service opportunities to our students. 
  
  

In his words: “Just as Keck Hospital of USC complements the Keck School of Medicine by providing real-world training, the Schaeffer Institute will complement the Price School,” Goldman said.

 

Inside the Institute: The institute will house two successful programs, the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service. It will also pave the way for more programs to support an evidence-based approach to public policy. The Schaeffer Center, which was established in 2009 and reflects Mr. Schaeffer’s lifelong commitment to solving healthcare issues and transforming the healthcare system, will remain a collaboration between the Price School and the USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The Schaeffer Institute will be anchored in D.C. (upper left) and at USC (lower right) and will support education and evidence-based research.

The Schaeffer Institute marks a major expansion of USC’s presence in the nation’s capital.

It is the first major research and education facility to be located at the USC Capital Campus, which opened in Dupont Circle last spring.

The institute builds on the USC Price School’s growing influence in federal policymaking. Our faculty have been invited to congressional hearings and private meetings, sharing insights on topics ranging from biomedical innovation to drug distribution chains.

By expanding two programs — the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service — USC’s new institute will significantly increase the university's national and international impact.

In her words: “There are times in the life of a university when a vision and an opportunity align to become a powerful force to serve the public good,” USC President Carol Folt said. “And our students and our nation need this now more than ever.”

In his words: “Our country is experiencing a series of challenges that are unique in our history,” Leonard Schaeffer said. “The institute will have the faculty, students and postdocs to provide the analysis and facts necessary to counter erosion in public discourse and promote more effective policy solutions.”

Dean Dana Goldman with a USC Price student at the opening of the USC Capital Campus in Washington, D.C.

Dana Goldman will serve as the Schaeffer Institute director. As a result, he will step down as dean of the Price School when the institute opens on July 1.

 

Upon assuming his new role, Goldman will rejoin the faculty of the USC Price School, while serving part-time in the Office of the Provost as an advisor on special projects.

 

The provost will appoint an interim dean to start upon Goldman’s transition and will initiate a national search for his successor.

 

“I want to thank you for the opportunity and privilege to serve as dean the last four years,” Goldman said. “I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate in a new capacity in the coming years.”

Los Angeles Times: “USC is opening a public policy institute — just in time for the 2024 elections — where students can immerse themselves in learning about the national and political issues that will affect their lives.”

 

Washington Post: “One of the new institute’s goals: promoting policies and education that help shore up democracy at a time when trust in government has faded, Leonard Schaeffer and school officials said. It’s the California university’s latest bid to influence policy discussions in Washington.”

 

Politico: “As political tensions reach new heights around the globe, one California university is leaning in.”

 

Forbes: “In addition, the Schaeffers’ gift will be used to endow additional funds for the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service, a program that provides paid fellowships for undergraduates to work in local, state and federal government offices.”

 

Washington Business Journal: “This is about bringing students to Washington and providing opportunities to work in government and hopefully inspiring public service," Goldman said. "It's also a way for us to look at programs in health policy, where public policy meets evidence-based health care experience."

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