Biden on UD students: “They have an obligation, an opportunity…”

Monday was a historic day for the Blue Hens, with the University of Delaware ('UD') formally unveiling its Biden Institute to members of the press and guests.

"This is a truly historic for the university and I might say, for our nation," says UD President Dennis Assanis.

Named after former Vice President Joe Biden, who serves as founding chair, the institute is a part of the university's School of Public Policy and Administration which serves about 700 undergraduate and graduate students.

At a press conference Monday, former Vice President Biden stressed the Institute will be non-partisan and will focus on domestic issues including economic reform, environmental sustainability, criminal justice and civil rights.

"We'll be a research as well as a policy institute," Biden says. "We intend to write and produce the policy, work on issues that have quite frankly characterized my entire career."

School officials say the institute will initially be located at 44 Kent Way on the university campus, directly across the street from the Roselle Center for the Arts.

Biden praised the university, his own alma mater, as a significant factor in his choice to enter national politics when he was 29 years old. To a crowd of about 200 people Monday, he said he hopes the institute will encourage other students to realize their potential. 

"They need not share my political view on any of the issues, but I hope I can convince someone to share my view that they have an obligation," he says. "They have an obligation, they have an opportunity, and they have the capacity."

The former Vice-President also heads the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Pennsylvania. That center is focused on foreign policies.

When asked whether he would consider teaching at the University of Delaware , Biden says he would like to be a part of classes from time to time; however, he says teaching is not something he can commit to at this point.

"I'm still going to be traveling around the world, I still have a significant portfolio that I have to be engaged in beyond the University of Delaware and so I could not tie myself down to saying I'd be in class 10 to 11:30 two days a week or 9 to 10 ten days three days a week," he explained.

 Biden named his sister as vice chair of the institute at UD.