2025 -- H 5408
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LC000770
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
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 NETWO RK 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 1
Administration program. Twenty years later, the program’s faculty aspired to become an 2
accredited program, which led to a collaborative effort by myriad past and present faculty 3
members, alumni of the program, and ultimately current students, under the guidance and 4
direction of the University of Rhode Island’s Master of Public Administration program, Director 5
Aaron Ley, Ph.D.; and 6
WHEREAS, In preparation for a career in education, Dr. Ley attained his Bachelor’s 7
degree in Political Science from Concordia College, his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Political 8
Science from Washington State University, and in 2014, he joined URI’s faculty where he is 9
currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, as well as the Director of 10
the Master of Public Administration; and 11
WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Dr. Ley’s focus has included myriad research 12
interests which led to publications in Law & Society Review, Society & Natural Resources, 13
Review of Policy Research, Environmental Politics, Law & Policy, Journal of Policy History, and 14
numerous additional journals and reviews; and 15
WHEREAS, In 2025, the University of Rhode Island Master of Public Administration 16
program, under the direction of Dr. Ley, achieved the significant distinction of becoming the first 17
MPA program in Rhode Island to receive accreditation from NASPAA; and 18
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WHEREAS, NASPAA is the “global standard in public service master’s degree 1
programs.” Accreditation from this prestigious organization requires a university’s deep 2
commitment to upholding rigorous standards based on principles of public service, ethics and 3
transparency; and 4
WHEREAS, The essential goal of the curriculum for the NASPAA program is to prepare 5
students for accountable, competent, ethical and efficient careers in public service; and 6
WHEREAS, Achieving NASPAA accreditation is a “critical resource for the State of 7
Rhode Island” and a symbol of URI’s “constant effort towards self-improvement” and its ability 8
to fully prepare future public administration leaders for our State; now, therefore be it 9
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 10
congratulates Aaron Ley, Ph.D. and the University of Rhode Island on the accreditation of the 11
University’s Master Of Public Administration program by the Network of Schools of Public 12
Policy, Affairs, and Administration; and be it further 13
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 14
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Aaron Ley, Ph.D. 15
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LC000770
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