The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com - 7A
ATHLETICS
Schlissel to gear
up for Big House
presidential role
On Campus Issues
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esident-elect to scheduled projects are ongoing,
kle larger focus including renovations to Schem-
bechler Hall and the Donald R.
sports at the 'U' Shepard Softball Building.
The total cost of all 14 of the
By GREG GARNO scheduled projects at the start of
Daily Sports Editor the new school year was estimat-
ed to be $341 million, though that
versity President-elect number can easily change.
Schlissel has an M.D. and In his press conference Friday,
but he may have some stuff Schlissel focused on the amount
n about football Saturday. of attention athletic teams have
University's Board of received at the University.
ts voted unanimously Fri- "You Google 'Michigan' and
o name Schlissel the 14th the first 10 stories you get are
ent of the University of about athletics," he said. "We've
gan, succeeding current got to find ways to leverage that
ent Mary Sue Coleman. level of public attention onto the
selarrives withbackground other wonderful things that are
hing and university admin- happening on campus as well."
on, but has not assumed Schlissel hopes to keep the
gh of a position so far in his focus on academics, while sup-
porting athletic development to
viously (athletics are) an an appropriate level. He said stu-
hat I do have to learn a lot dents still come to the University
Schlissel said. "At my primarily to be educated and that
it institution, you'd be sur- athletics should compliment that
to know athletics is a big desire, not overpower it.
f the campus's life, but it Schlissel will follow a president
t happen at the national who has been active in the athlet-
very often." ic community, During her tenure,
not that sports don't per- Coleman was a driving force inthe
the campus; it's just at a dif- hiring of currentAthletic Director
level" Dave Brandon and has denied the
ugh the Athletic Depart- raising of Final Four banners from
remains autonomous and the 1992 to 1993 seasons in which
nded, Schlissel will be booster Ed Martin admitted to
sible for overseeing a bud- laundering money to athletes.
$111 million for athletics last Brandon, a former regent,
ccordingto the U.S. Depart- refused to raise the Final Four
f Education's Equity in Ath- banners from the 1992 and 1993
Data Analysis. In contrast, basketball seasonsinwhichsports
operated with an athletic booster Ed Martin admitted to
t of $18 million in 2013. laundering money to athletes.
wever, Brown also boasts 37 "Some day, I won't be president
ollegiate sports, more than anymore, and maybe someone
niversity currently has to else will have a different view,"
With the addition of wom- Coleman said in 2011. "ButI think
crosse this year, the Univer- you have to reflect on the larger
w has 27 varsity sports. meaning and that we want to hold
Athletic Department is ourselves to a higher standard."
tly in the midst of expand- Coleman was also at the helm
e athletic campus, creat- when the University faced alle-
gations of "failing to promote an
atmosphere of compliance within
the football program."
OnFriday,BrandonpraisedCole-
man's tenure while also expressing
his supportfor Schlissel.
"President Coleman has been
engaged and helpful and been a
pattern of Michigan Athletics -
loves and respects the role it plays
on campus," Brandon said. "And
I'm sure the new president will
have the same point of view. And
that's what I heard in his remarks
today at the press conference."
Brandon added that he looks
forward to meeting and working
with Schlissel in the future.
In the press conference, the
president-elect said the Athletic
Department maintains a strong
reputation for the University.
"It's important that our sports
programs operate at the highest
level of integrity," he said. "And
that we practice in public the
greatest level of sportsmanship to
serve as a role model."
The biggest difference between
the Brown and Michigan athletic
departments for Schlissel might
not be the budget or the number
of programs to monitor. Perhaps
it's the number of people Michi-
gan Stadium can hold - 90,000
more fans than Brown Stadium
currently seats.
And it's the atmosphere, the
one that shuts down campus on
Saturdays or keeps students out in
the cold waiting to fill the Crisler
Center that Schlissel has come to
embrace early in his transition to
Michigan.
"I think the great thing about
intercollegiate athletics at a place
like the University of Michigan
is that it's part of the culture; it
brings the community togeth-
er," Schlissel said. "It's the band,
it's the Saturdays in the stadium,
it's the feeling the vibration in
the stands at a basketball game. I
think it's a big piece of the institu-
tional culture."
Campaign to continue
under Schuissel's gaze
Letting voices be heard
The president is ultimately responsible for
important institution-level decisions that take
place both in response to activism and otherwise.
I don't think it's the responsibility of the president
to immediately meet with every group that's upset
about something. But I think it is the responsibility
of the president to make sure that every group
that has concerns that should be known by the
administration of the University, has a pathway to
make those concerns known. A lot of what I want
to do is listen in the first months of my presidency
but also on an ongoing basis. I want to find ways
not just to engage with students bringing forth an
advocacy position, but also more generally with
students regarding their experience and their take
on the environment of the University overall.
After trenendous
start, $4B goal to
be met under
new leadership
By YARDAINAMRON and
CLAIRE BRYAN
Daily StaffReporters
When he arrives on campus in
July, University President-elect
Mark Schlissel will undertake
the remainder of the Universi-
ty's $4 billion Victors for Michi-
gan fundraising campaign - the
largest such effort in the history
of public higher education.
For the past two months, Jerry
May, vice president for develop-
ment, and his team have been
preparing a plan to maintain
University President Mary Sue
Coleman's relationships with
important donors once Schlissel
takes over.
"We have a national plan
to take him to different cities
and different groups of donors
around the country," May said
in an interview Friday morning.
"We've set this up for a seamless
transition from one president to
the other."
Over the next year, May has
planned meetings with Schlissel
and key donors around the coun-
try to ease the presidential transi-
tion process.
Though Schlissel has not had
immense experience with fund-
raising in his current position as
Brown University provost, May
said he has experience from his
time as dean of biological scienc-
es at the University of California,
Berkeley.
When Schlissel takes office,
May said the campaign will have
already collected roughly $2 bil-
lion - about 50 percent of the
campaign's goal.
"The most important thing is
that a president has is vision and
a willingness to listen," May said.
"Those are the two qualities he is
going to do great at as we move
ahead."
At a press conference in the
MichiganUnionFridaymorning,
Schlissel said he understands
the importance of fundraising at
a public institution like the Uni-
versity, and is grateful for his
predecessor's skill with donors.
"To be honest, I'm very privi-
leged because President Coleman
has established relationships and
a culture where successful alum-
ni feel part of the institution and
they want to help," Schlissel said.
"I feel that my job is transferring
to them the excitement of our
mission and helping figure out
how to take the kinds of things
they're interested in and match
them to the great things we want
to do."
In his address, Schlissel also
praised the University's commit-
ment to affordability, noting the
campaign's $1 billion goal for stu-
dent support.
May said Schlissel has already
shownhe has what it takes to lead
the remaining phase of the cam-
paign.
"He is going to come in and
listen to them and inspire them
and show them things that are
important for the rest of this
campaign and for this universi-
ty," May said. "Like Mary Sue,
he has the qualities of being able
to listen, he has the qualities of
being able to tell a great story, I
could just see it today."
DESIGN BY KRISTEN CLEGHORN