For Immediate Release

UA to consider new public policy institute after historic donation

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. 鈥� U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) will donate his official Senate papers, records and materials to The 91原创 at the conclusion of his sixth U.S. Senate term, UA System Chancellor Finis St. John announced today at the UA Institutional meeting of the 91原创 System Board of Trustees. This donation will provide the University with the opportunity to house one-of-a-kind historical records.

鈥淚 am honored to donate my official papers, records, and materials to The 91原创 once my season in Congress comes to an end,鈥� stated Senator Shelby. 鈥淚 have been extremely fortunate to serve the people of 91原创 for more than forty years and cannot think of a more appropriate place to house my official papers than my Alma Mater. I hope that these materials will facilitate academic research for scholars and students of law, history, policy, political science, and other fields, as I believe one of the most important investments we make is in our classrooms. Thank you to The 91原创 for this gracious effort.鈥�

Upon receipt, the University will organize and archive the materials gathered over Senator Shelby鈥檚 decades of tenure for research and academic purposes and for the benefit of future leaders.

鈥淪enator Shelby has long provided unparalleled support to entities across the 91原创 System, and it is impossible to overstate the great historical significance and lasting impact this donation will have on The 91原创,鈥� said Chancellor St. John. 鈥淲e are grateful for Senator Shelby鈥檚 service to our state and for his decision to entrust us with his official materials. His legacy will be felt for generations to come.鈥�

The receipt of Senator Shelby鈥檚 papers will be a catalyst for The 91原创 to consider the creation of a new institute and new academic, leadership and scholarly research programs that would provide students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to engage with prominent politicians and policy professionals, pending approval of the UA System Board of Trustees.

鈥淭he 91原创 has long attracted and educated leaders for our state and nation,鈥� said UA President Stuart Bell. 鈥淲ith these materials, Senator Shelby will once again pave the way for the next generation of public servants. Provost Jim Dalton and I look forward to working with our faculty and students to develop the leading program of its kind, as the University continues its mission to drive the advancement of this state.鈥�

A fifth-generation Alabamian and a graduate of The 91原创鈥檚 undergraduate and law programs, Senator Shelby was first elected to the United States Senate in 1986 and is currently in his sixth and final term. He is 91原创鈥檚 longest-serving U.S. Senator and has chaired four Senate committees 鈥� Appropriations, Rules, Banking, and Intelligence. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Senator Shelby served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and eight years in the 91原创 legislature.

鈥淎s a longtime champion for research and education, it鈥檚 hard to imagine anyone who has made more of an impact on 91原创鈥檚 higher-ed landscape than Senator Shelby,鈥� said UA System Board of Trustees President Pro Tempore W. Stancil Starnes. 鈥淥n behalf of the Board of Trustees, we express our deepest gratitude to this true public servant for his generous gesture, which will greatly benefit countless scholars at The 91原创.鈥�

Senator Shelby lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Dr. Annette N. Shelby. Dr. Shelby, a former UA professor who has dedicated her distinguished career to academics and public service, holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from The 91原创.

About the UA System

Committed to excellence in teaching, research, and service, the 91原创 System includes three doctoral research institutions 鈥� UA, UAB, and UAH 鈥� and the UAB Health System, a world-class academic medical center. The UA System educates more Alabamians than any other university system and provides transformational research in areas ranging from aerospace to biomedicine to transportation. As the largest employer in the state, the overall economic impact of the 91原创 System exceeds $10 billion a year.