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The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, September 3, 1996 - 11A
Presidential search committee seeks out academi
By Jenifer Harvey
Daily Staff Reporter
At least two national leaders in academic
medicine are being considered by the University
for the presidential post that James Duderstadt
left on June 30.
Two medical doctors, E. James Potchen and
. David Low, have been approached by the
niversity regarding the presidency, The
Michigan Daily discovered in an independent
poll last month.
Potehen is the chair of radiology at Michigan
State University. Low is the president of the
University of Texas Health Science Center in
Houston, Texas.
"People have discussed (the University presi-
dency) with me," Potchen said. "I've had discus-
sions with people party to the process."
Law School Dean Jeffrey Lehman, chair of the
9 sidential 'search advisory committee, said he
would neither confirm nor deny any reports or
speculation about presidential candidates.
Potchen said he had been asked by several.
individuals to submit his curriculum vitae to the
cortfmittee. "I understand my c.v. has gone for-
Hospital administration skill called valuable asset
ward to the search committee;' Potchen said.
Potchen obtained a bachelor's of science
degree from Michigan State University in 1954
and a master's degree from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 1973. He received a
medical degree from Wayne State University in
1958 and a law degree from the University of
Michigan in 1984.
Potchen said he is not actively pursuing the
University presidency. He did, however, say, "I am
eager to help my alma mater in any way I can.
"Michigan is a great place. I like it a lot,"
Potchen said.
N. Reed Dunnick, chairman of radiology at
the University, said he has known Potchen for a
long time. "He understands the big picture of
medicine," Dunnick said.
"Having both medical and law degrees gives
him a better (presidential) perspective than
someone coming from a single-discipline back-
ground," Dunnick said.
Low said he had been contacted by a "coin-
mercial head hunting firm" about his willing-
ness to become a candidate for the University
presidency.
Malcolm MacKay, managing director of
Russell Reynolds Inc., a New York-based con-
sulting firm, was hired earlier this year to help
with the search.
Low has degrees from Queens University and
Baylor University.
Low said he had not sent his c.v. to the
University committee, saying he, too, was not
actively pursuing the University presidency.
However, Low said "it would be magnificent"
to be president of the University. He said he told
the firm he was not interested because "being a
candidate to be a University president is an
excruciating process to go through."
Low said if he were to consider being a uni-
versity president, "Michigan would definitely be
the place to be one. It's such a great institution."
Both Potchen and Low were nominated for
the presidency of Michigan State University
several years ago. Both said they were willing to
be considered for the MSU position at the time.
At the July meeting of the University Board of
Regents, hospital administration experience was
singled out as an important criterion for the indi-
vidual who will become the next president.
Law School Dean Jeffrey Lehman, who chairs
the search committee, told the regents in July
that the search for a new University president
was progressing as scheduled, continuing to
make "excellent progress" in finding candidates
possible for the position.
Regent Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek), co-
chair of the Presidential Search Committee,
reminded Lehman of some of the traits the
regents would prefer to see in the next
University president.
McFee said the next president should be an
academic with business savvy. She said, given the
downsizing challenges facing the University
Medical Center, the next president should have
"knowledge of health care facility management."
ic doctors
Regent Philip Power (D-Ann Arbor) sa(
knowledge of hospital administration wouldbe
tremendous asset in a president. He said becauSe(
the Medical Center is such a massive budg-'
expenditure and generates such a large amounr
of revenue, the next leader of the Universit'
should understand how the processes of acade
mic teaching hospitals work.
Members of the University Board of Regents
said they were pleased to learn that at least twc
national leaders in academic medicine are being
considered for the presidential post.
Regent Daniel Homing (R-Grand Haven) sai
he is "certainly happy" that the committee is.
apparently following the regents' advice.
Regent Nellie Varner (D-Detroit) said she &Id
not think the doctors' candidacy indicated t1ta
the regents were influencing the search process
"The regents, at this point, have nothing to d:
with the search," she said.
Horning said he did not think the next presiw
dent necessarily had to come from the academie
medical community. "The presidency has to b ;
based on the whole institution and not just ong
part of it," Homing said.
NOPPORN KICHANANTHA/Daily
Donning a new role
Dr. A. Lorris Betz, the interim dean of the Medical School, placed a white coat on first-year medical student Ranjive
Advani at the White Coat Ceremony, which was the first time the University performed the nationally common ritual.
ProseCuor dops args
against 'U'
By Jennifer Harvey Matl
wily Staff Reporter ate a ch
The misdemeanor charges against by the p
John Matlock, director of the Office of night of
Academic Multicultural Initiatives, original
were dropped July 12 just before a trial call ma
on the matter was scheduled to begin. crowd-c
Matlock had been charged with assault people
and interfering with an officer. than ext
"This was a very unfortunate inci- Matl
Vient that has impacted a lot of people," at the fr
j atlock said. through
The charges stemmed from a Feb. 17 cate tha
=cident at the Central Campus would
isecreation Building where Matlock when
had a run-in with Michael Kelley and Pressley
Peter Pressley, two Department of Kelley
Public Safety officers. to, and
Washtenaw County Chief Assistant shoved
Prosecutor Joseph Burke said Pressley officers.
and Kelley presented him with a letter on Matl
the morning of July 12, asking him not not
to pursue the charges against Matlock. charged
"In cases like this we keep the wish- an inv
of the victims in mind," Burke said. by the
"If they don't want to come forward, we State P
certainly won't force them.' the requ
Matlock contends that he did nothing Univers
wrong on the night of the incident. state po
Many members of the University that Pre
community have voiced their support of and Ma
Matlock, and the incident stirred debate The
over race relations problems in DPS. Oversig
"You just don't think something like investig
this is going to happen to you until it whole,
-es," Matlock said. mittee
Matlock said he knew "something May, cit
was in the works" the night before the as a reas
jury trial was scheduled to begin, but The
did not know the charges would be its gene
dropped. "I think everybody kind of felt ing that
this wasn't something that belonged in ceived
the criminal court and shouldn't ever rpinoriti
have been there in the first place" in their
Matlock said. "Everybody's trying to Univers
,ove beyond (the incident)" Matl
Michael Vincent, the attorney repre- source o
senting Pressley and Kelley, could not the stud
be reached for comment. and wer
Matlock said he spoke with Pressley tors. "It
and Kelley outside the hearing July 12. control 1
"We talked about people kinds of wish (I
things" he said. "We left with some a great
administrator
Suit in
house fire
names 'U'
negligent
By Laurie Mayk
Daily Staff Reporter
Almost a year after flames destroyed
the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house,
the Continental Insurance Company is
suing the University for negligence.
The company named the University,
the Office of Greek Life, the City of
Ann Arbor, the fraternity's national
organization and "unknown parties in
a suit filed in late March. The company
claims the groups listed could have pre-
vented the fire.
The pending lawsuit is raising more
than financial issues. Continental
Insurance Company is requesting that
the University define its relationship
with the campus Greek system.
"Our theory is that the University has
a connection with the fraternities and
sororities around the University," said
Continental attorney Ronald Mellish.
The University's responsibilities
stem from "the 'in loco parentis' idea,'
Mellish said. "In loco parentis" refers to
the idea that schools have a parental
responsibility to enrolled students in
legal and moral matters.
"My thought is that since ... students
are lodged in fraternities and sororities,
(the University has) some responsibility
to see that the students are safe;" he said.
Former University President James
Duderstadt said the University does not
follow the theory of "in loco parentis"
"Most universities, including this one,
do not view their relationship with their
Greek system in that way;' Duderstadt
said. "If you ask students if 'in loco par-
entis' exists, they'll say, 'Hell no."'
Interfraternity Council coordinator
Terry Landes said that although many
universities have official ties to the
campus Greek systems, the University
does not follow that "norm."
Mellish said the case is currently in
the discovery process, which requires
each party named to file official state-
ments of its position. The judge presid-
ing over the case will allow up to six
months of discovery, he said.
"We have to find out how much con-
trol the University extends over frater-
nities and sororities - particularly the
Sig Ep house," Mellish said.
Vice President for University
Relations Walter Harrison called the
relationship "complex."
"The Greek system is independent of
the University in property matters," he
said. "(In non-property matters) the
University has influence, not control"
Harrison said the University admin-
istration works with the Office of Greek
Life and the individual chapters on var-
ious issues, but doesn't have jurisdic-
tion over the Greek system as a whole.
"We work with the Greek system
when they affect the Ann Arbor com-
munity," Duderstadt said. "We don't
own their properties. We don't have
rights to appoint advisers to them."
BOHDAN DAMIAN CAO/Paiiy
Demolition of the former Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house began in late summer
In preparation for the construction of a parking lot.
ock had been scheduled to offici-
arity basketball event sponsored
Black Volunteer Network on the
f the incident. DPS officers were
ly called to the scene on a 911
ade by CCRB staff requesting
control help, as the number of
attending the event was higher
pected.
ock said because of the crowding
ont door, he entered the building
an exit door. DPS reports indi-
at Matlock
not stop
officers WAS
y and .Weh
asked him E- --
d that he
one of the eyond
;. .T
ock ws
ck wias officers,
originally
, pending er pi
estigation
Michigan
Police, at Director, Off
uest of the M UItiC
sity. The
lice found
ssley and Kelley acted correctly
tlock was formally charged.
Department of Public Safety
ght Committee also began to
ate the incident and DPS as a
at Matlock's request. The corn-
suspended their investigation in
ting the upcoming criminal trial
son to hold off their proceedings.
oversight committee did pursue
ral investigation of DPS, find-
a great number of people per-
DPS officers as "hostile to
es" and "authoritarian and rigid
dealings with members of the
ity community in general."'
ock said the incident was a
of grief for him, his family and
ents who witnessed the incident
e later questioned by investiga-
I shouldn't have gotten out of
the way it did," Matlock said. "I
and the officers) could have had
er exchange of words so we
of support. He said he has received "well
over 1,000 e-mail messages, cards and
letters of support"
Matlock said he wants to put the inci-
dent behind him. "We have to look
beyond me, beyond the two officers, to
the bigger picture," he said. "We have to
press lorward."
"There -re major problems that are
DPS problems; it's a departmental
problem with relationships to minori-
ties and the campus community in gen-
eral," Matlock
said. "My situ-
to ation brought it
to a head"
7g#r"A"Despite the
Although the University currently
owns the property, Vice President for
Student Affairs Maureen Hartford said
the University had no legal responsibil-
ity when the fire occurred last
September. The incident occurred after
the Board of Regents approved pur-
chase of the property, but before the
University finalized the deal and
acquired the deed.
"I believe the University was named
because (the company) thought we
owned it when the fire took place,'
Hartford said. "Since we didn't own it,
we didn't have responsibility"
In June, the regents voted to turn the
site into a 60-space parking lot for
University faculty and staff. Rain dam'-
age to the floors and walls of the house
were some of the reasons cited for
demolition of the house, which began in
late summer.
Allegations against the Sigma Ai
Epsilon fraternity nationals stem from1
the revocation of the chapter's charterffl-
lowing hazing incidents.
-Daily Staff Reporter Jenntfer
Harvey contributed to this report.
s
he two
to the
rcture°a"
- John Matlock
fice of Academic
ultural Initiatives
things we've
done as an
institution, we
have a long
ways to go
before we are
an institution
that respects
and values all
members of
the communi-
ty," Matlock
said.
Matlock said he sees a lot of room for
improvement in DPS. "I'm not on
expert on police relations, but it gets
down to respect and dignity," he said.
"It's important for us to keep work-
ing," Matlock said. "People jet can't
fold up their tent and gc home."
Matlock said he is looking to commit-
tees investigating DPS to make concrete
suggestions.
1 1
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