Students at the LBJ School of Public Affairs are buzzing with excitement at the thought of taking a class with former presidential advisor.
Dan Bartlett, former President George W. Bush’s counselor and the school’s Center for Politics and Governance fellow, is the newest adjunct faculty member at the LBJ school. Bartlett will be teaching a seminar, “Public Affairs Media in Politics and Policy,” during the spring semester with assistant dean Jeffery Patterson.
“I love outsiders,” said public affairs graduate student Nadia Bobb. “Since the school tends to be more liberal, I’m looking forward to hearing another opinion.”
During his time with the Bush presidency, Bartlett was responsible for all aspects of communication for the president and his administration. He was also responsible for the White House press office, speech writing and the communications office.
According to the College of Communication Web site, Texas Monthly once described Bartlett as “the linchpin of the most far-reaching, tough-minded, and technologically advanced government communications operation in history.”
“Dan Bartlett is a wonderful, wonderful person, dedicated to the issues,” Patterson said. “He has a broad range of experience at a level few people have experienced in doing communications.”
Bartlett helped elect Bush in 2000 and was responsible for message development, speech writing and press strategy during his 2004 re-election campaign.
“In the Bush White House,w Bartlett’s level of experience was crucial,” Patterson said. “He has a level of experience that will give students insight into topics no one else could.”
Before Bartlett joined Bush’s political team in 1994, he worked at Karl Rove & Company, a political and direct-mail consulting firm that advised dozens of candidates for state and federal office, according to his biography on the UT Web site.
“[Bartlett] provides unique opportunities for students to learn from what he has experienced from working at multiple levels of government,” said Veronica Stidvent, director of theCenter for Politics and Governance.
“We love hearing from practitioners,” said public affairs graduate student Erin Boeke Burke. “His experience in the White House will be good for bringing in diverse perspectives.”
Bartlett graduated from UT with a bachelor’s degree in political science and currently serves on the advisory board of the College of Communication.
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