Native American issues the top priority of new Udall director

"I think they were looking to bring someone with more understanding of policy issues that concern American Indians," said Stephen Cornell, currently the sociology department head at the University of California at San Diego.

He will be replacing Robert Varady, interim Udall Center director. Michael Cusanovich, vice president for research and graduate studies, said Cornell will introduce important programs addressing American Indian tribal issues.

Cusanovich was on the national-search committee that chose Cornell.

"We knew the applicant had to be talented and able to deal with complex issues in the public arena," he said.

Jay Stauss, American Indian Studies director, said Cornell will bring a lot of American Indian public policy knowledge to the UA.

"From our perspective, that's an outstanding hire," he said. "We look forward to strengthening the relationship between our program and the Udall Center."

Stauss said Cornell is well known for his work on a 1986 Harvard University project involving economic development on reservations. Cornell worked on the project with Joseph Kalt, an American Indian Studies Center professor at the University of California at Los Angeles.

"They (Cornell and Kalt) were working out ways to overcome barriers that many tribes face," Stauss said. "He's well known around Indian Country."

Cornell, who has lived in San Diego, Calif., the past nine years, grew up in Washington, D.C. He has also lived in Tucson and graduated from Catalina High School in 1966.

"I think we've found a nice fit from both viewpoints," Cornell said. "It'll be nice to get back to Arizona."