2025 -- H 5408

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LC000770

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE HONORABLE AARON LEY, PH.D. ON THE ACCREDITATION

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND'S MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

PROGRAM BY THE NETWORK OF SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC POLICY, AFFAIRS, AND

ADMINISTRATION (NASPAA)

     Introduced By: Representatives Donovan, Fogarty, Chippendale, Tanzi, Shekarchi,
Blazejewski, Spears, McEntee, Kennedy, and Ajello

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2025

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, In 1961, the University of Rhode Island initiated a Master of Public

Administration program. Twenty years later, the program’s faculty aspired to become an

accredited program, which led to a collaborative effort by myriad past and present faculty

members, alumni of the program, and ultimately current students, under the guidance and

direction of the University of Rhode Island’s Master of Public Administration program, Director

Aaron Ley, Ph.D.; and

     WHEREAS, In preparation for a career in education, Dr. Ley attained his Bachelor’s

degree in Political Science from Concordia College, his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Political

Science from Washington State University, and in 2014, he joined URI’s faculty where he is

currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, as well as the Director of

the Master of Public Administration; and

     WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Dr. Ley’s focus has included myriad research

interests which led to publications in Law & Society Review, Society & Natural Resources,

Review of Policy Research, Environmental Politics, Law & Policy, Journal of Policy History, and

numerous additional journals and reviews; and

     WHEREAS, In 2025, the University of Rhode Island Master of Public Administration

program, under the direction of Dr. Ley, achieved the significant distinction of becoming the first

MPA program in Rhode Island to receive accreditation from NASPAA; and

     WHEREAS, NASPAA is the “global standard in public service master’s degree

programs.” Accreditation from this prestigious organization requires a university’s deep

commitment to upholding rigorous standards based on principles of public service, ethics and

transparency; and

     WHEREAS, The essential goal of the curriculum for the NASPAA program is to prepare

students for accountable, competent, ethical and efficient careers in public service; and

     WHEREAS, Achieving NASPAA accreditation is a “critical resource for the State of

Rhode Island” and a symbol of URI’s “constant effort towards self-improvement” and its ability

to fully prepare future public administration leaders for our State; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

congratulates Aaron Ley, Ph.D. and the University of Rhode Island on the accreditation of the

University’s Master Of Public Administration program by the Network of Schools of Public

Policy, Affairs, and Administration; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Aaron Ley, Ph.D.

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