UNIVERSITY The Michigan Daily
r El POWERS TH1IlA11F IE
y - Wednesday, September 3, 1997 - 7C
(egents control
host policy moves
Bollinger
Katie Plona
ly Staff Reporter
From selecting a University presi-
it to giving the final word on the
ag's renovations, the Board of
gents serve the University in many
ys.
T group of eight elected officials
once a month, along with
sident Lee Bollinger and the
iversity's executive officers, to dis-
s, debate and vote on issues
;arding to the University's manage-
To obtain a i
t : at the Our pa
,ent's table for
eight-year backgroui
ach board
Yer won the i eev n
proval of
chigan citi- - Regent Reb
is in statewide
etions.
Re g e n t
becca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor)
d that although each regent brings
ilique perspective on how to best
fill the University's mission, they
-e on fundamental issues.
ce you're governing on the
sr you're obligation is to further
interests of the University of
chigan. That's what you're sworn to
" McGowan said. "You win some,
a lose some. But there's nothing
sonal about it, because you're on
same road."
Regent Daniel Horning (R-Grand
Haven) said the regents sometimes
have differing philosophies on topics
like tuition-rate increases and faculty
tenure appointments, yet said each
regent's foremost responsibility is to
lead the University into the next cen-
tury.
"I think that there are eight people
who deeply care about the
University," Horning said.
Despite the regents' political par-
ties, once elected, the board is bi-par-
tisan, McGowan said.
litial
rids are
ecca McGowan
(D-Ann Arbor)
"Our politi-
cal back-
grounds are
irrelevant," she
said. "We all
share the same
purpose."
Horning
said the
regents' role is
to oversee the
University's
functions without delving into the
intricacies of each department.
"It's always been my feeling that
the regents should not engage our-
selves in micromanaging the
University," Horning said.
Although micromanagement of the
University is important to avoid,
Horning said, this is not to say the
regents restrain from concerning
themselves with the University's
future.
"I do think it's important that the
board has a firm grasp of the overall
BOHDAN DAM1AN CAP/Daily
Regents Shirley McFee (R-Battle Creek), Rebecca McGowan (D-Ann Arbor) and Daniel Horning (D-Grand Haven) listen to
speakers at a faculty forum in 1995 event to gather criteria for the 1996 presidential search.
direction of the University," Horning she said. Regent Philip Power (D-Ann
said. Another responsibility of the Arbor) said the University's atmos-
McGowan said the board serves as regents is the hiring of the phere has improved in the roughly six
a constitutional body responsible for University's president, as well as its months since Bollinger stepped into
determining the policies that govern top executive officers. After former the president's office.
the University, as well as a legal President James Duderstadt resigned "I think the mood is very much
group that owns the University on in 1995, the regents launched a more relaxed and trusting and sup-
behalf of Michigan citizens. national search that culminated in the portive, both between the president
McGowan said every organization hiring of Bollinger. and other components of the
needs a high governing body to give Horning said he anticipates University and between the president
final say on how things operate. "That remarkable things from the Bollinger and the Board of Regents," Power
role falls to the Board of Regents," administration. said.
expresses
hopes to'-.
unify 'U
BOLLINGER
Continued from Page IC
Student Assembly Vice President Olga
Saviccredits Bollinger with bringing a
personal touch to his leadership role.
"I am very glad that we have a pres-
ident that has made these kind of
efforts in his first few months on cam-,.
pus," Savic said. "In the years that 1 ,
have been on campus, I think there has
been alot of distance between the stu
dents and the administration. I think
President Bollinger is trying to bridge.
that distance."
Although uniting the campus may
be one of Bollinger's aspirations, other
tasks require a financial savvy not
necessarily born from philosophical,.
ideals.v
The financial crisis at the nationally
respected University Medical Center
is one such topic. Bollinger has
pledged not to privatize the facility,..
which is in the process of deep bud-,
getary cuts. University leaders hope to
balance the hospitals' budgets without
sacrificing the facilities' the educa-.:
tional quality.
A world away from the surgeryr
room and hospital finances, ethical
allegations against the Michigan'
men's basketball program have cast a
shadow on the University's renownedP
athletic tradition. In early March, te.
Athletic Department admitted to com
mitting two NCAA violations through
its involvement with Detroit booster
Ed Martin. During the following
weeks, the University was plagued
almost daily with new allegations of'-
violations against the team.
In an effort to contain and control
the problem, Bollinger sought outside
assistance and hired the Kansas-based
law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King:
The firm specializes in investigating
issues of NCAA infractions and com-
pliance and is currently looking into
some of the allegations. Beyond this
action, Bollinger has not made any
public decisions regarding the future
of the Athletic Department or the
men's basketball program.
But resting behind all the headlines
is a man whose who calls himself "an
academic at heart.' His erudition is5
well documented - for example, af
last spring's commencement address,
he presented a lengthy analogy
between Michigan's weather and
Dante's "Inferno."
As a First Amendment scholar,
Bollinger has penned several works
himself, including the book "A
Tolerant Society," which argues that
free speech carries intrinsic social
benefits.
'fofessors lend prestige, knowledge to 'U' community
By Janet Adamy
Daily Staff Reporter
High-profile athletic teams often
draw the most media attention to the
University, but a less visible component
makes the institution a prime-time pow-
erhouse - the faculty.
"The University is ranked on the
basis of the faculty and how much they
do," said Prof. Nicholas Steneck.
Steneck, who is co-director of the
Inteflex program, a history professor and
a faculty member of the College of
Engineering, is one of numerous instruc-
tors who juggle teaching and research.
Although the University is often crit-
icized for perceptions that it puts
research ahead of teaching, Steneck
said he feels that the University does a
good job of keeping these two major
faculty duties in balance.
"We're a nice combination of a
research university and a teaching uni-
versity" Steneck said.
School of Education senior Phil
Zuber said it is evident that some teach-
ers only focus on research, but that the
majority of the University's faculty puts
an adequate emphasis on teaching.
"I have had my share of crappy teach-
ers who, you can tell, are here for research
only," Zuber said. "But I have had a lot of
teachers who really care about students
and what they're learning."
The majority of introductory courses
are held in lecture halls, with one pro-
fessor lecturing up to several hundred
students and graduate student instruc-
tors leading mandatory weekly discus-
sion sections.
The best opportunity for students to
have close contact with professors is
through first-year seminars, which are
classes of 20-30 first-year students
taught exclusively by professors.
Despite their busy schedules, most
professors are eager to meet with their
students and hold office hours -
scheduled times when students can
drop by their instructors' offices to dis-
cuss equations and theories, and,
depending on the friendliness of the
instructor, make chit-chat.
History Prof. Sidney Fine, who
speculates that he has taught some
26,000 students during his four-
decade career at the University, said
he encourages students to attend his
office hours.
"I think that one of the big myths is
that because this is a big university, the
faculty are inaccessible," Fine said.
"That's not true. (Students) just have to
be aggressive."
Biology Lecturer Eric Mann said
he agrees that faculty members can be
intimidating, but also stressed that
students need to seek out their
instructors if they want to get person-
al attention.
"What you need to be is politely
aggressive," Mann said. "The faculty
will rarely come to you. U of M is not a
place for passive people. You've got to
go out and get your needs met."
Mann, who was this year's recipient
of the Golden Apple Award - which is
given to the instructor who undergradu-
ate students think has displayed excel-
lence in undergraduate education - is
one of few science lecturers who attend
all of his class's lab sessions.
"We do stuff together - road trips to
the arboretum and the Huron River'
Mann said. "They're down there seeing
me fall in the river. It eliminates that huge
gap between professor and student."
Anthropology Prof. Holly Peters-
Golden said one of the faculty's great-
est assets is its cohesion. Peters-
Golden cited a panel discussion in
which members from seven disci-
plines joined to discuss organ dona-
tion and transplants.
"A university with so many accom-
plished faculty is wonderful, but much
less so if there isn't the ability to tra-
verse the boundaries across fields, and
take advantage of the breadth and depth
of the University's offerings," Peters-
Golden said.
The faculty is governed by the Senate
Advisory Committee on University
Affairs, which is composed of approxi-
mately nine faculty members from vari-
ous disciplines. SACUA members meet
weekly to discuss issues pertaining to the
faculty, and monthly to present these
issues to the approximately 100-person
Faculty Senate.
I
You've got a new home,.-.-
you need to decorate!
liash and religious studies Prof. Ralph Williams looks over a copy of the Bible.
liams, who is famous for his animated speaking style, lectures to packed
Itoriums every semester.
NEED HELP WITH....
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