Clerk Orr appointed Senior Fellow at Harris School

The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy announced Thursday that Cook County Clerk David Orr has been appointed a Senior Fellow. The appointment is effective September 30, 2013, and runs through June 30, 2016. “Policy practitioners like David Orr are able to give our students insight into how local government really works and what it takes to create and change public policy,” said Chicago Harris Dean Colm O’Muircheartaigh. “Moreover, consistent with the mission of Chicago Harris, David has been a leading proponent of transparency and public access to data. Dating back to his days with Harold Washington, he has been a leading force for good government in Chicago. David Orr is a great addition to the Chicago Harris team.” Orr plans to teach a class in the politics of urban policy in the spring. He is also heading up the Leadership Chicago Program, which will bring local leaders like Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Chicago City Colleges Board President Paula Wolff to Chicago Harris for lectures and discussions with students. And he will help coordinate paid internships for students, both around the world and within local government, campaigns and elections. “At Chicago Harris I want to explore how you make good ideas work in a tough political climate,” Orr said. “We have a challenge: can we come up with policies that can be implemented despite the challenges urban areas face?” Orr has been involved in academia since the 1960s. He was an Assistant Professor of History and Urban Affairs at Mundelein College (now part of Loyola University) in Chicago, has been a strong mentor to junior colleges over the years and most recently led a course in urban studies at DePaul University.