UConn President to deliver McBee Lecture on April 25

Susan Herbst, president of the University of Connecticut, will deliver the 30th annual Louise McBee Lecture at the University of Georgia. Herbst will discuss “Division, Incivility, and Fear in American Political Culture: What Does It Mean for the Future of Higher Education?” at 11 a.m. April 25, 2019 in the UGA Chapel.

The lecture is sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education where McBee held faculty rank while also holding many administrative positions at UGA.

Her talk is part of UGA’s Signature Lecture Series, which features speakers noted for their broad, multidisciplinary appeal and compelling bodies of work. The lecture is free and open to the public.

In 2010, Susan Herbst was appointed as the 15th president—and first female president—of the University of Connecticut. A specialist in political science, Herbst is the author of many scholarly journal articles and books, including her most recent book, Rude Democracy: Civility and Incivility in American Politics.

 “Dr. Susan Herbst is a remarkably fitting choice for this year’s McBee Lecturer,” states Interim Director James Hearn. “She is a distinguished scholar contributing to understanding of our current, sometimes disorienting, political climate. Also, like Dr. McBee, she is an accomplished higher-education leader at both the institutional and state level.  Many of us recall her accomplishments here in Georgia, and she has now achieved similar success at the University of Connecticut. We are very fortunate that she will be bringing her insights to this annual lecture.”

During her tenure as president, Herbst has led initiatives to strengthen teaching, research, affordability, and provide an exceptional student experience. Chief among them was her plan to hire 300 new tenured or tenure-track faculty members at UConn across multiple disciplines, including both the sciences and humanities to enhance course offerings and research capabilities. 

Herbst has also led the implementation of two major state investments in UConn: Next Generation Connecticut and Bioscience Connecticut. The cornerstone of Next Generation Connecticut ($1.5 billion) is a major increase in the university’s enrollment and new or updated facilities for enhanced STEM research and teaching. 

Bioscience Connecticut is an $864 million initiative that is revitalizing the UConn Health enterprise, expanding enrollment in the medical and dental classes, building new business incubators, creating centers of excellence with neighboring institutions, and doubling the business incubator space at UConn. 

Prior to her appointment at UConn, Herbst served as executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer of the University System of Georgia.  Before arriving in Georgia, she was provost and executive vice president at the University at Albany (SUNY).