Greenspun Hall Holds First Offical Event

The Greenspun College of Urban Affairs held its first official event in their new building, Greenspun Hall, in September.  Thomas Mann, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution, addressed a group of university administrators, faculty, and state and local elected officials during a breakfast meeting.
Lee Bernick, interim dean of the college, says that Mann is one of the top researchers in the country on topics of campaigns, campaign finance, and elections. Bernick and Brian Greenspun, chairman of the Greenspun Corp. and a benefactor to the college, were delighted to host him at Greenspun Hall.

Mann shared his insights on the upcoming election and the prospect of what he felt the outcomes would be.  He discussed many of the structural issues of the campaign – the economy, the war, and the public’s perception of the current administration – and how these issues could affect the election based on his research.

“We are hoping to do more events like this during the election season,” said Bernick.  After the breakfast, Mann also met with a group of public administration doctoral students to share with them his experience working as a researcher in a think tank like the Brookings Institution.  His insights were appreciated by the students, says Bernick.

This event was the first official gathering in Greenspun Hall, which houses the department offices for the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs, and will begin holding classes in the spring semester. The building, funded by a generous gift from the Greenspun family, uses sustainability and efficiency through the use of alternative and renewable energy.

The building is the fifth-largest academic building on campus, and houses together the departments of journalism and media studies, communication studies, criminal justice, public administration, social work, and environmental studies.