Peltason Lecture on Democracy

To honor the contributions of Jack and Suzanne Peltason to higher education in America and the study of the democratic process, the Center has established the Peltason Lecture on Democracy. This named lectureship brings leading politicians and experts on democracy for a temporary residence at the Center. The Peltason Lecture is designed to:

• Build bridges between university faculty who study and teach about the democratic process, and political figures who have dealt with the practical problems of democratic governance at the state, national or international level.
• Enable political figures to share their experiences and insights with UC Irvine students and members of the Orange County community. This interaction enriches the educational experience for our students through guest lectures and seminars by the Peltason Lecturer.
• Assist the scholars of the Center to understand better the problems of democratic governance by discussing these issues with the national and international leaders who confront these challenges on a daily basis.
• Political leaders learn what the academy can offer to improve the democratic process through their interaction with faculty and students who are focused on democracy-building questions and solutions.

The Lectureship was established to recognize Jack and Suzanne Peltason. Jack Peltason served as the 16th President of the University of California (1992-95), after serving as Chancellor of the University of California, Irvine (1984-92) and as Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1967-77). In addition, he was President of the American Council on Education (1977-1984) and is currently Co-Chair of the Western Center, American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Peltason is a fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as a founding member of the Center for the Study of Democracy. Peltason has an equally lengthy and distinguished career as a scholar of American democracy. He is one of the nation's leading experts on the Constitution, and his book is the definitive work in the field. He is a highly regarded scholar on the democratic process in the United States, and the textbook he coauthors on American Politics, Government by the People, is the leading book in the area.

Suzanne Peltason also has made very significant contributions to the spirit and the history of the University of California and the University of Illinois. She was an equal part of the team that helped to build UC Irvine as great university, and played an especially important role in developing a sense of community among the faculty and employees of the University. As UCI celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary, she authored UCI--The First 25 Years as a testament to what had been achieved. And when the Peltasons retired and returned to Irvine, Suzanne has continued to develop the sense of community and spirit that has made the university so successful.

The Peltason Lecture was established in 1999 with a generous initial grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation with the support of David Gardner, the foundation president at that time. The Hewlett Foundation's broad purpose is to promote the well-being of mankind by supporting selected activities of a charitable nature, as well as organizations or institutions engaged in such activities. The Hewlett gift initiated an endowment that will provide continuing support for an annual Peltason Lecturer at the Center. Their investment in this program is greatly appreciated.