8 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 18, 1996
THE FINAL FOUR
Candidates'
race, sex not a concern
By Alice Robinson
Daily Staff Reporter
With the anxious eyes of college
administrators across the country on the
University yesterday, the Presidential
E Search Advisory Committee took a step
toward a new president - and a step
away from diversity.
PSAC submitted the names of 302
potential candidates to the Board of
Regents yesterday, presenting its four
finalists for consideration. Another can-
didate who was expected to be in the
top five dropped out after learning of
the outcome of the lawsuit filed earlier
this week by Detroit-area newspapers
against the University.
Minority candidates are noticeably
absent from the final four list, which
includes one woman - Vice
Chancellor Carol Christ of the
University of California at Berkeley.
The three other hopefuls are Lee
Bollinger of Dartmouth College,
Stanley Chodorow of the University
of Pennsylvania and Larry Faulkner
of the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign. The next presi-
dent will most likely come from this
short list.
Some students were satisfied to find
out there is one woman on the short
list. "I'm happy to see there's a woman
on that list - but I'm also happy there
are three very qualified men there
too," said Fiona Rose, Michigan
Student Assembly president. "I don't
want to put a quota on University lead-
ership."
Fifty-three of the 302 candidates
nominated for the position were women.
"Whoever is most qualified - be it a
man or a woman," should be chosen,
said Heather Polsen, a third-year
Nursing student. "I'm just tired of
everything being a racial or a gender
issue."
Doneka Scott, a Pharmacy graduate
student and member of the Presidential
Search Advisory Committee, said the
committee found the most qualified
applicants around.
"I feel that the four that we have
come up with are extremely talented
and intelligent. I feel very strongly for
the four people that were put forward,"
she said.
Other students said they felt the com-
mittee did not make a strong enough
effort to recruit women and minorities
for the list.
"Basically (the list) doesn't surprise
me,' said LSA senior Jahna Berry, an
editor at Hear Us Emerging Sisters
(HUES) magazine. "I don't think that
they ever really consider women and
minorities - not as serious candidates. I
think they just throw some on there ..."
One student agreed and said that
women and minority candidates don't
necessarily have to be tokens.
"I'm sure that they could have found a
qualified candidate that would have been
able to do service to the University and
also fit the bill as a minority or a
female" said LSA junior Peter Tate,
president of the Black Greek
Association.
But Tate said being a minority isn't
necessarily a requirement to be an
effective president. "He or she doesn't
have to be of a certain racial or sexual
background - (they) just have to hold
certain views," he said. The president
should be "a person who respects all
people and who understands the needs
of all people," Tate said.
Other students agreed that race
shouldn't necessarily be the deciding
factor.
"I don't think (being a minority)
makes you more qualified to deal with
minority issues," said Christina Ryook
of the Asian American Association.
"But it tends to make you more aware*
she said.
Students: Finalists' lack of
'U'
connections troubling
But new blood may bring fresh ideas, some say
By Will Wissert
Daily Staff Reporter
The University employs more than 2,400 faculty members
- but not one of them is among the top prospects for the next
University president.
This lack of ties to the University has some students a lit-
tle skeptical.
"Obviously it's
important that the 'lr:..,
next president have Pfgsidente
an idea of how this >r...
university wbrks, M:re th...2........t....
said Law first-year the Ranmond r{
student Raymond acdem are~ alay
Lara. "The position prefIde{ tst {lher
shouldn't be trial by instittOn ..... 4..
fire."
Of the University
Board of Regents'
top four candidates
for the University ,
presidency, none of
the four come from
University ranks --
and just one has any
University affiliation at all.
Lara said he was surprised that none of the top presidential
prospects come from the University. "It makes you wonder
about the qualifications of the internal candidates," he said.
LSA sophomore Natashia Hill said a president's knowl-
edge of the University is crucial.
"I think it's very important - the president needs to be
familiar with the administration and have an idea of what
problems may arise,"
Hill said. "He needs
to have an idea of C~fdidIteS With
what the students
expect of him and :..
how to meet their
concerns."
But Michigan 27
Student Assembly
President Fiona ' >Y
Rose said experience
at other universities
should carry over
well to Michigan.
"I think that all of
these candidates
have been effective
leaders and made-
significant accomplishments at their respective institu-
tions and in the academic world," Rose said. "They all are
more than qualified to serve as president of the
University."
Other students agreed that past University affiliation was
not an important concern.
"I think having worked at Michigan, like (Lee)
Bollinger did, is helpful, but not necessary," said LSA
senior Mary Vetting. "As long as a candidate has good
leadership skills and qualifications, they can catch on and
learn the job."
Bollinger, the provost and a government professor at
Dartmouth, was a University Law professor and served as
Dean of the University Law School before leaving for
Dartmouth in 1994.
Other students said outside candidates would bring fresh
ideas to the University.
"I don't think it's too important that the next president
be someone who has worked for the University," said LSA
junior Basil Alwattaw. "Outside perspective will be good
for the University and can bring new ideas to this cam-
pus."
LSA Rep. Dan Serota agreed. "The University needs
someone to take a
fresh look at this
campus," Serota
said. "I don't think
anyone who works
for the University
can provide the new
ideas we need."
Students did agree
that finding a perma-
nent president as
soon as possible was
a good idea.
"The sooner we
have one, the better
- it seems kind of
chaotic without a
full-fledged presi-
Occupational
Distribution
Areas of occupations of the
302 candidates ,..
JENNIFER BRADLEYSWIFT/Da"
PSAC members Nathan Norman (left) and Allan Gilmour speak to the regents, while members of the faculty, administration
and student body look on.
Faculty lus SCchoices
0 0
0 E
0 """ D
MAI
. , , 0
dent running the university," Vetting said. "Having a defin
leader would make me feel better."
Alwattaw said a permanent president would help answ
some questions about the University's future.
"I think this is good news - all of the people on this li
look like qualified and intelligent people," Alwattaw sa
"Having any of these candidates will be better than the unc
tainty we have now with no definite leader."
The regents' top choices were released yesterday - l
than a week after a court-ordered injunction froze the sear
process last Friday.
Rose said the fact that the University was able to movec
with the search process after only a three-day delay sho
that University leaders are committed to finding a new pre
ident as soon as possible.
"The process was able to continue this quickly because t
University was motivated enough to change its process a
get on with the search," Rose said. "We are now finished w
all the scandals and delays and are committed to finding
qualified and effective leader."
By David Rossman
Daily Staff Reporter
Last winter, members of the faculty
stood up in public forums to voice their
expectations for the 12th University
president.
Now, with the final list of four in
hand, faculty members said they are
pleased with the outcome.
"I think they're good candidates who
ite are knowledgeable of higher education,
and have a history of excellence behind
ver them," said Thomas Dunn, chair of the
Senate advisory committee on
ist University affairs.
id. Recommended by the Presidential
er- Search Advisory Committee, the list of'
candidates includes former University
ess Law School Dean Lee Bollinger,
ch University of Pennsylvania Prof.
Stanley Chodorow, University of
on California at Berkeley Vice Chancellor
ws Carol Christ, and Vice Chancellor for
es- Academic Affairs at the University of
Illinois Larry Faulkner.
he The names, along with a list of about
nd 300 potential candidates, were presented
ith at a regents' meeting yesterday morning.
g a "This brings a very positive outlook,"
said SACUA Vice Chair Lou D'Alecy.
"I was pleased to see that they all appear
to have credible academic credentials."
Dunn said the list, which was the cul-
mination of a lawsuit and emergency
injunction, is a step in the right direction.
"Congratulations should go to all of
the candidates," Dunn said. "The same
goes to (Provost) Bernard Machen, who
did a wonderful job of picking the
(search) committee."
Many members of the University
community, as well as the faculty, are
eager to learn more about the top four
candidates as the final stages of the
search commence.
"I think (Bollinger) is definitely a
pretty good candidate, but until I hear
more, I wouldn't want to rate any of
them (the candidates)," said SACUA
member Ron Lomax.
While eyes are now fixed on the candi-
dates, questions remain about the nature
of recent events surrounding the search.
"I don't think this is a very function-
al approach to the process in the long
run," D'Alecy said.
"Every regent and possible candidate
should be willing to face questions
from the faulty, staff, and students -
that's what they're there for, isn't it'?
"It does not mean we need to know
the details of their personal, intimate
lives," D'Alecy said.
Dunn said the regents' right to alter the
list of candidates concerns the faculty.
"If the regents' original nominations
did not come through, it should be very
important, because they selected an
excellent committee to look at each-,
candidate. That's how the faculty fee*
about it," Dunn said.
"There's a very good slate here, and
the regents' ability to change it should be
of concern."
PSAC speaks out on process, hands over search duties
"We started out as 12
individuals, each with
his or her own
outlook,
experiences,j
By Jodi S. Cohen
and Jeff Eldridge
Daily Staff Reporters
The 12 members of the Presidential
Search Advisory Committee have
logged more than 2,000 combined
hours in the Perry Building since
March.
"For the past 7 1/2 months, we have
worked hard to fulfill (our) responsibil-
ities," said Law School Dean Jeffrey
Lehman, the committee's chair.
On the road to choosing the final four
names, PSAC dug through speeches,
reference letters, newspaper clippings,
resumes and Internet sources. They
journeyed cross-country to meet with
some candidates; others arrived in the
Detroit Metro Airport for two-hour
meetings in a nearby hotel.
Engineering Prof. Fawwaz Ulaby
said the committee became more united
as the process moved forward.
"We started out as 12 individuals,
each with his or her own outlook, expe-
riences, and, yes, biases," Ulaby said.
"Twelve diverse individuals seemed to
gel into a coherent and united entity
passed my entire summer"
Scott said students' role in the search
has just begun. She encouraged stu-
dents to be active in attending the town
meetings with prospective candidates
that are scheduled to be held at the
Gerald R. Ford Library on North
Campus.
"Most importantly, I think students
must go to the town meetings and have
their voices be heard," Scott said.
Lehman said Scott and Norris were
treated as full partners in the process.
"I would go down to the Perry
Building at strange hours and find that
one or both of them were there,"
Lehman said.
Along with two students, a total of
seven faculty members sat on PSAC.
English Prof. Martha Vicinus said the
committee studied the Board of
Regents' candidate descriptions and
"sometimes wondered if every charac-
teristic could be found in one person"
Vicinus said PSAC considered the
integrity and vision of the nominees its
top priority.
"The personal characteristics that
"We'll do our best to deserve your
appreciation."
Economics, Prof. Paul Courant
explained the PSAC's decision-making
process and said the committee tried
not to be overly swayed by personal
interviews. He said interviews some-
times provided disproportionate
impressions of the subject's character,
and that PSAC tried to make sure it
always considered the nominee's entire
record first.
"Interviews tend to favor people who
are quick, who are funny, who are effec-
tive at expressing emotion," Courant
said. "Although all of these things are
pluses for university presidents, none of
them are at the absolute top of the list.
"And I expect all of us can think of
very effective leaders who are not espe-
cially quick or funny, and of ineffective
ones who are."
Medical School Prof. Huda Akil said
she was concerned about the next pres-
ident's ability to deal with the
University Medical Center. Akil said
she was not a single-issue member of
the committee, but that her focus
"We believe it was
Pnportant for
us to be overly
.prepared for
every meeting
and be present
at every
meetin'g.... I realized
that as time went on this
* V t 7
and yes,
biases.
This was a
very
and
humbling
exer i .ncI, i
more importantly, it
A,%.