Last Thursday, George W. Bush outlined his plan for his on-campus institute. He intends for the think-tank to focus on four major areas: human freedom, economic growth, education, and global health. The inclusion of the latter two suggests that the institute will shy away from the more controversial aspects of the Bush presidency and focus on continuing the most successful-and nonpartisan-work Bush did while in office.

Early in his first term, Bush signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act, which passed with bipartisan support thanks to the help of the late liberal lion Ted Kennedy, and targeted the achievement gap between students of different socioeconomic backgrounds. Although some argue that No Child Left Behind shifted too much attention to standardized testing, it also held schools accountable for student performance. Over the next few years, the Bush Institute should continue studying how to best help low-income students succeed.

Some of Bush’s greatest achievements in office were a result of his global health initiatives, in particular his work to combat the spread of AIDS in Africa. Bush should use the institute to continue raising awareness of global health issues, promote engagement with them, and find solutions to the many problems endemic to both developed and developing nations.

Many people, myself included, have publicly expressed concern that Bush will use his policy institute and library to propagate the partisan tone and to defend the most controversial policies of his administration. While this remains a legitimate concern, Bush’s speech was a promising indication that he will resist this temptation and focus on continuing his humanitarian work around the world.