2B - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, November 6, 1996
THE I2TH PRESIDENT
Bollinger is a familiar face for 'U'
officials.
it1 disagree with
him very deeply
on a number of ...
issues."
- Regent Deane Baker
(R-Ann Arbor)
By Jodi S. Cohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Lee Bollinger's old friends in the
University administration are excited
for him to come home.
After two years away from the
University, they look forward to work-
ing with the former Law School dean
once again - this time with Bollinger
as their leader and the 12th University
president.
"I thought this was a wonderful
moment in the history of the
University," said Vice President for
University Relations Walter Harrison.
"Lee has always been one of the people
I most admire."
Bollinger will succeed former
University President James
Duderstadt, who appointed Bollinger
as Law School dean early in his presi-
dency.
"I have always been very fond of
him," Duderstadt said. "I think (he) and
(his wife) Jean will make a marvelous
first couple."
Duderstadt said Bollinger will pro-
vide intellectual leadership for the
University. Bollinger's courage and
strength in his convictions and his
"strong sense of values" will make him
a strong University spokesperson,
Duderstadt said.
"I believe strongly that presidents
should speak out," Duderstadt said.
"That is what higher education needs
right now. People of deep conviction
and courage. Lee Bollinger has both of
these."
Harrison said he has known
Bollinger since 1986 and worked with
him when he was both a faculty mem-
ber and then a dean.
"I have always had a great deal of
respect and affection for him," Harrison
said. "He is wise, considerate, thought-
ful. He has a great sense of humor."
Harrison said that Bollinger's knack
for building consensus led many of the
University's constituencies to support
his candidacy.
"The best thing about Lee is that he is
a good listener and he tries hard to
understand people's viewpoints on a
variety of subjects," Harrison said.
LSA Dean Edie Goldenberg said
Bollinger's leadership skills will be cru-
cial to taking the University into the
bly some things youc
there to here."
21st century.
"He is very
intelligent and
energetic and is
very good at
engaging people
and bringing
them together to
consider where
we're headed,"
Goldenberg said.
"That's the kind
of leadership we
really need."
Goldenberg
said Bollinger
was a "terrific
colleague" whenI
School dean.
education, but there will likely be
more pressing problems in the begin-
ning of his term, including decisions
about the future of University
Hospitals.
Hartford said Bollinger brings with
him experience from Dartmouth
College, one of the pre-eminent institu-
tions for undergraduate education.
"It has been something Dartmouth
has historically taken great pride in,"
Hartford said. "I think there are proba-
"I thought this
was a wonderful
moment in the
history of the
University."
- Walter Harrison
Vice president for
University relations
can translate from
More specif-
ically, Hartford
said she's inter-
ested to hear
his opinions on
the expansion
of living-learn-
ing programs.
Duderstadt
said Bollinger's
love for the
University set
him apart from
the other three
finalists - all
of whom
expressed a
he served as Law
"He was somebody who I think all
of us respected and he was somebody
who, whenever there was a difficult
issue, his views were well thought-out
and well considered," Goldenberg
said.
"I sought his advice and valued it. I
hated to see him leave," she said.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Maureen Hartford said Bollinger has
the potential to improve undergraduate
devotion for higher education in gener-
al.
"While I think the other candidates
were very strong, Lee probably has a
deeper sense of appreciation and love
for the University," Duderstadt said.
Harrison praised the regents for
working through a difficult situation
and uniting to select a first-class presi-
dent.
"We are all winners," Harrison said.
"He is going to be a great, great presi-
dent."
FILE PHOTO/Daily
Former University President James Duderstadt, who is now an Engineering profes-
sor, praised Bollinger yesterday for his "deep conviction" and "courage."
Hhas a
strongcm ten
to academic
freedom."
-Regent Shirley McFee
(R-Battle Creek)
Student gov
1 1
leaars pease
TV~tl Sel~t1w
itLee Bollinger
will be the
intellectual leader
of the University."
- Regent Laurence Deitch
(D-Bloomfield Hills)
By Ann Stewart
Daily Staff Reporter
Students who have kept up with the
search for the 12th University president
said they are pleased with yesterday's
selection of Dartmouth Provost Lee
Bollinger.
"He's someone students will really
respect and like to work with," said
Probir Mehta, vice president of the
Michigan Student Assembly.
Many student government leaders
said they felt Bollinger's background
with the University would be an asset
to him as president. Bollinger served
as dean of the Law School for seven
years.
"(He) brings with him an impas-
sioned love for Michigan," said MSA
President Fiona Rose.
Students also said Bollinger's two
years as provost of Dartmouth College
would give him perspective.
"It's important also to come back
with a different perspective on U-M and
implement programs that would
improve U-M," said John Lopez, MSA
Rackham representative and president
of Rackham Student Government.
Some student leaders said they wor-
ried Bollinger's ties to the University
may prevent him from making improve-
ments.
"The other three people came from
different public institutions that have
faced really large cuts in funding that
forced them to re-prioritize what they
were doing as a public institution,' said
Paul Scublinsky, LSA-Student
Government president.
Many said they hoped Bollinger
could re-adapt to a larger, public uni-
versity.
"I would caution him to know that
Dartmouth is not the same as U-M.
Different rules apply in public universi-
ties," said Anne Marie Ellison, chair of
MSA's Student Rights Commission.
Most leaders said they were
impressed with Bollinger's record on
free speech.
"I've seen a number of instances
where Michigan hasn't been a free-
speech-friendly place," Ellison said.
"Having someone who is a First
Amendment scholar may bode well for
the state of expression on campus."
Many students said that whether or
not Bollinger will be an improvement
over former President James
Duderstadt remains to be seen, but in
many areas they were hopeful.
"I think President Duderstadt had a
different emphasis, and I think that both
the liberal arts and discourse on campus
as a whole will be improved (under
Bollinger)," said Sean Byrne, MSA
Law representative.
Many said a
lawsuit against the
University that tar-
geted the search as
violating the Open
Meetings Act hin-
dered the process.
"My concern is
how this will affect
Michigan and
other universities
Mehf'ta in the future when
they search for a
president," Lopez said. "What the judge
ordred basically prohibited conversa-
tion between regents regarding the
FILE PHOTO/Daily
On the eve of her own election last March, MSA President Fiona Rose encourages a student to vote.
finalists."
Most students were satisfied with the
amount of time the regents took to
select a president.
Rose, who attended the Presidential
Search Committee meeting yesterday at
which Bollinger was chosen, said she
felt the Board of Regents was correct in
acting "with deliberate speed."
"There was no point in belaboring
the issue," Rose said.
Scublinsky, however, said he thought
the regents "kind of rushed" the deci-
sion and that they should have "left a
little time to think."
Though they said there was always
room for more, MSA leaders said they
were happy with the amount of student
participation.
However, many students not involved
in student government said neither the
search, nor the decision made a real
impact on them.
"It didn't really have a lot to do with
me personally so I didn't really even
look at any articles about it;' said LSA
sophomore Cindy Apotheker.
Many students said they knew too
little about the candidates to have any
reaction, and with both upcoming
midterms and the national elections
occupying their time, students said
they were too bogged down to pay
attention.
"It's just not something that I think
about because I have a lot to do and that
seems far removed from what my short
term goals are" said LSA senior Amit
Bhatt.
But some students said the preside
of the University could have an impact
on their college careers
"It definitely affects students because
presidents push their agendas as they do
anywhere" said LSA senior Dawn
Osterholt. "Duderstadt was very pro-
infrastructure improvement. That's
where a lot of money went to:'
But some students said they didn't
think the search could contribute 4
improvements in the new president:
"It's all so bureaucratic," said LSA
senior Robert Hunt. "(The University's)
just going to be run the same way."
Provost
Bollinger needs
everyone on this
board to support
him."
- Regent
Andrea Fischer
Newman
(R-Ann Arbor)
i ,: v