Lugar to join IU faculty, donate papers to school

Former Sen. Richard Lugar is expanding his academic duties, joining former Rep. Lee Hamilton as a distinguished scholar at Indiana University's new School of Global and International Studies, the university announced Thursday.

The former Senate Foreign Relations chairman, who earlier announced an affiliation with the University of Indianapolis, also will donate his Senate papers to the Herman B Wells Library on the Bloomington campus, joining Hamilton's in a modern political papers collection there.

The school, approved last fall, expands IU's opportunities for international education, including greater foreign language proficiencies, better understanding of how societies are developing worldwide and deeper knowledge of globalization, IU said.

"IU is now positioned to leap into the very top tier of American universities studying foreign policy," Lugar said.

Lugar, who left the Senate this month after 36 years representing Indiana, also will co-chair IU's International Advisory Committee with Hamilton. The panel will advise IU on its international engagement strategy and the development of the School of Global and International Studies.

Hamilton, a former House Foreign Relations chairman who spent 34 years representing southern Indiana in Congress, currently directs IU's Center on Congress. He noted his congressional career and Lugar's overlapped for more than 15 years.

"Dick Lugar occupies a special and significant position in the history of our state and our country," Hamilton said. "He is recognized worldwide as a statesman who searches for bold solutions to our challenges."

Lugar last month announced plans to run a Washington internship program for the University of Indianapolis and to lecture there. He also has joined the trans-Atlantic German Marshall Fund as a senior fellow. Its new Lugar Diplomacy Institute will work to improve communications between Congress and the Washington diplomatic corps.