Law school dean Stephen McAllister to serve as interim director of Dole Institute

LAWRENCE -- Stephen R. McAllister, dean of the University of Kansas School of Law, will serve as interim director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway announced today.

McAllister, who grew up in Lucas near Dole's hometown of Russell, temporarily succeeds Richard Norton Smith, who is resigning to oversee the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. McAllister, who will continue his duties as law school dean, will work closely with Smith until his departure Dec. 1 and then will manage the facility and programs until a permanent director is named next year.

"Richard Norton Smith has done an absolutely superb job at KU's Dole Institute," said Hemenway. "Under his direction, it advanced from groundbreaking to dedication in less than two years and is now poised to become a significant addition to the academic life of the university and the cultural heritage of Kansas. The best way to show my appreciation for the superb work Richard has done at KU is to offer my assurances that what he began will continue and prosper under new leadership.

"We are fortunate to have someone as talented and experienced as Steve McAllister step in at this key time."

Dole congratulated Smith, who worked for the senator in the 1970s as his speechwriter and later collaborated with Dole on several books.

"In becoming executive director of the Lincoln library, he has reached a pinnacle," Dole said. "I could not think of a more fulfilling assignment, nor a more appropriate steward. I thank Rick for the superb leadership he provided in making the Dole Institute of Politics a reality. No doubt about it, his departure leaves very big shoes to fill. I look forward to being closely involved in the upcoming search process and am confident that we will find an individual who will provide the leadership necessary to keep the Dole Institute at the center of today's political debates."

Smith, a nationally recognized authority on the American presidency and previous director of the Ford, Reagan, Hoover and Eisenhower presidential libraries, has been Dole Institute director since Dec. 1, 2001. He succeeded interim director Burdett Loomis, professor of political science at KU and nationally known authority on Congress.

During his tenure, Smith dramatically reshaped the plans for the 28,000-square-foot Dole Institute building on KU's West Campus, including the addition of the university's first satellite uplink. He directed development of the institute's state-of-the-art exhibits and displays, including the world's largest stained-glass American flag and a memorial to the World Trade Center towers.

Smith also oversaw this summer's four-day dedication celebration, which drew national political leaders including former President Jimmy Carter. He initiated two lecture series, drawing C-SPAN co-founder Brian Lamb and several nationally known presidential historians to KU, and inaugurated a Sept. 11 tradition of hosting a naturalization ceremony inside the institute.

"I take with me warm memories of the many Kansans, on campus and off, who have offered personal encouragement and provided tangible support during the last two years," Smith said.

"I want to thank Senator Dole for his confidence in me and his friendship over a quarter-century. With his continued personal involvement, and vigorous leadership from Strong Hall, I know that the Dole Institute will fulfill its mandate of service to all Kansans."

McAllister, law school dean since July 2000, served nearly three years as a clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Clarence Thomas and Judge Richard Posner of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. McAllister also was in private law practice in Washington, D.C., before joining the KU law school faculty in 1993.

As Kansas' first and only state solicitor from 1999 through 2003, McAllister monitored, supervised and participated in important constitutional cases involving the state. He has briefed six and argued three Supreme Court cases.

McAllister, who served on the search committee that selected Smith as director, also serves on the 11-member Dole Institute Academic Advisory Board. The board is helping develop student civic engagement activities, academic connections and progams and is exploring ways to use the Dole archive materials in classes. Diana Carlin, dean of the Graduate School and International Programs, is board chair.

"The Dole Institute is a wonderful resource for the state of Kansas," McAllister said. "As we build on the momentum of the dedication events, my immediate goal is to start developing substantive programming that engages the students and citizens of Kansas, while at the same time bringing national attention to Kansas and enriching the intellectual life of the university."

The Dole Institute, established at KU in 1997 to honor the former Kansas senator and KU alumnus, is designed to foster new thinking on major policy issues and encourage student participation and citizen involvement in public service. The facility houses the world's largest Congressional archive as well as meeting spaces. Among its many distinctive architectural features is a 12-foot replica of the Capitol dome in Washington, D.C., accompanied by a multi-screen video "tour" of the legislative process, narrated by Dole.

Programs scheduled for the institute this fall include hosting a forum on the U.S. Patriot Act on Oct. 25 and sponsoring the Presidential Lecture Series, featuring Robert Caro on Nov. 2, Roger Wilkins on Nov. 9 and David Gergen on Nov. 16. The Dole Institute is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (785) 864-4900 or visit www.doleinstitute.org.