Full Name
Dr. Kirk Randazzo
Job Title
Professor and Department Chair
Company
University of South Carolina
Speaker Bio
Kirk Randazzo is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of South Carolina. Professor Randazzo’s research and teaching interests span the fields of American Politics, Comparative Politics, and Methodology – with a particular focus on law and judicial politics. His work focuses on legal constraints to judicial decision making, strategic behavior among judges, and aspects of judicial independence within fledgling democracies. Additionally, his book Defenders of Liberty or Champions of Security? Federal Courts, the Hierarchy of Justice, and U.S. Foreign Policy (from SUNY Press) examines how federal judges balance competing preferences over liberty and security when adjudicating foreign policy cases. He has also published articles in journals such as the Journal of Politics, American Politics Research, the Justice System Journal, Experimental Economics, and in various law reviews.
Professor Randazzo is also the Director of the Judicial Research Initiative (JuRI) at USC (www.cas.sc.edu/poli/juri). He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2003. Prior to his current appointment at USC, he was a faculty member at the University of Kentucky.
Initiated into the Zeta Chi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi in 1991, Dr. Randazzo served as an officer at the chapter, district, and national levels of the Fraternity. During his term as National President (2001-2003) the Fraternity continued to rely on strategic planning as a primary resource for developing long-term directives. At the 2001 and 2003 National Conventions, several strategic committees worked on creating out-of-the-box solutions to address important topics. Dr. Randazzo led the National Council in reviewing the materials from these committees and incorporating their ideas to further shape an enduring legacy for Kappa Kappa Psi. To this end he organized several strategic planning sessions for the National Council and Board of Trustees, and also organized a session which included the District Governors. During the biennium two new programs were developed by the National Council as a result of strategic planning efforts. First, the Service Showcase was created to recognize chapters’ outstanding service to bands and provide financial awards to those band programs. Second, the Diversity in Music Speaker Series was developed to invite prominent speakers to conventions with the goal of sharing their thoughts on band involvement.
Professor Randazzo is also the Director of the Judicial Research Initiative (JuRI) at USC (www.cas.sc.edu/poli/juri). He earned his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 2003. Prior to his current appointment at USC, he was a faculty member at the University of Kentucky.
Initiated into the Zeta Chi chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi in 1991, Dr. Randazzo served as an officer at the chapter, district, and national levels of the Fraternity. During his term as National President (2001-2003) the Fraternity continued to rely on strategic planning as a primary resource for developing long-term directives. At the 2001 and 2003 National Conventions, several strategic committees worked on creating out-of-the-box solutions to address important topics. Dr. Randazzo led the National Council in reviewing the materials from these committees and incorporating their ideas to further shape an enduring legacy for Kappa Kappa Psi. To this end he organized several strategic planning sessions for the National Council and Board of Trustees, and also organized a session which included the District Governors. During the biennium two new programs were developed by the National Council as a result of strategic planning efforts. First, the Service Showcase was created to recognize chapters’ outstanding service to bands and provide financial awards to those band programs. Second, the Diversity in Music Speaker Series was developed to invite prominent speakers to conventions with the goal of sharing their thoughts on band involvement.
Speaking At
