Newest School at Rutgers University Gets a Home
of Its Own, the Center for Urban and Public Service

(NEWARK, N.J.) – Members of the Rutgers and Newark communities gathered on the Newark campus Nov. 4 to officially dedicate the Center for Urban and Public  Service, the new home of  the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA).  The spirited, sometimes loud celebration of SPAA’s recent move into expanded facilities at 111 Washington St. was short on long speeches and long on live music.

Newark Deputy Mayor of Community Engagement Margarita Muniz and Newark City Council President Mildred Crump joined in the celebration, bringing with them official congratulations from Mayor Cory Booker and city officials.

At three years old, SPAA is the newest school at Rutgers University and reflects the increased demand to develop leaders who can meet today’s public service challenges.

With the school expected to nearly double its enrollment over the next several years, a larger facility was needed to keep pace with the school’s anticipated growth and the vision of Dean Holzer.  Accordingly, SPAA started the academic year by moving into a three-floor building that formerly housed the Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick, but was vacated when RBS moved into One Washington Park over the summer. 

The new center also houses the Newark Schools Research Collaborative and the Institute on Education Law & Policy.

SPAA offers undergraduate programs as well as one of the nation’s top graduate programs, according to U.S. News and World Report (10th in public management and administration).  It also holds top 20 rankings in public finance and budgeting, city management and urban policy, and nonprofit management.