Wednesday, July 9, 1997 - The Michigan Daily - 9
M SIICA L CHAIR
Since the resignation of former University President James
Duderstadt, the administration has been in a state of change.
eWiS
chosen as
" i.
interim.
provost
By Katie Plona
Daily News Editor
When Rackham Dean Nancy Cantor
< ves her post to become the University's
provost, senior associate Rackham Dean
Earl Lewis will fill the office on an inter-
im basis.
"I am delighted that someone of Earl,
Lewis's caliber can step in to fill the
important role of dean of Rackham,"
Bollinger said in a statement released
yesterday. "He is a highly regarded
scholar who will provide strong leader-
*p during this important period.
"I have the greatest admiration for
him both personally and professionally,"
Bollinger said.
Associate Rackham Dean Homer Rose
said he is pleased with Bollinger's deci-
sion to appoint Lewis as interim dean.
"He's a splendid scholar and a splen-
did leader," Rose said. "I'm pleased for
him and the graduate school."
Rose said that although each individ-
l brings their own unique perspectives
a position, Cantor and Lewis agree on
the larger direction of the graduate
school, so a "great deal of continuity"
can be expected.
In addition to the continuation of the
same direction of the Rackham graduate
school, Rose said a solid working rela-
tionship can be anticipated between
CANTOR
Continued from Page 1
In comparison to provost positions
around the nation, the University's office
has often been considered muchmore dif-
ficult because of the depth of responsibili-
ty it holds. Princeton University President
Harold Shapiro, who served as both
University president and provost,
described the University's provost position
as a job of great complexity.
"In the context of the University of
Michigan, the provost is an extremely
important job," Shapiro said. "The over-
all challenge is to provide academic
leadership -to articulate and make real
intellectual leadership and allocation to
the various schools and colleges. They
all look to the provost."
Shapiro, who served on the
University's faculty with Cantor and
appointed her as the chair of the psy-
chology department at Princeton, said
he is confident in her ability to manage
the intricate role.
"I think it's a marvelous appointment"
Shapiro said. "It is a very imaginative
and wonderful appointment. She will
serve the University very well. She will-
bring tremendous wisdom to the job."
Cantor earned her AB from Sarah
Lawrence College in 1974 and her Ph.D
from Stanford University in 1978. She
joined the University faculty as an associ-
ate professor of psychology in 1983. She
was appointed Rackham dean in 1996.
Among her many accolades, Cantor
received the 1979 Dissertation Award of
the Society of Experimental Social
Psychology and the APA Distinguished
Scientific Award. At the University she
was the recipient of the Henry Russel
Award in 1987 and the Faculty
Recognition Award in 1987.
Vice Provost of Academic and
Multicultural Affairs Lester Monts said
he has "nothing but praise for her lead-
ership and her ability to deal with the
complex nature of the University."
"She is a person of high integrity
with superior intellectual abilities and a
dynamic force for constructive
change," Monts said.
Cantor said she is anxious to enhance
the way in which the University can
embrace and serve its community.
"The provost needs to be as open to.
the concerns of the community as possi-
ble, and you get them from all sides so
that can be challenging,' Cantor said. "I
feel very strongly that we have to oper-
ate as a University community, with all
parts working together. The provost is
one person that needs to. help create
these connections between the con-
stituents of the University."
Associate Rackham Dean Steve
Kunkel said Cantor will serve as an
excellent provost, concentrating on the
concerns of the faculty.
"She's an extremely good people per-
son," Kunkel said. "I am sure that she
will be a provost interested in bricks and
mortar, but more interested in making
sure that the faculty are taken care of."
A major responsibility of the provost
is to oversee the Senate Advisory
Committee on University Affairs.
SACUA Chair Louis D'Alecy, a physi-
ology professor, said he is pleased with
the outcome of the search.
"I think the president and search com-
mittee did a really good job," D'Alecy
said. "They looked inside and out of the
University. We've had a really good work-
ing relationship with the current provost.
We hope this will continue with Nancy."
JOE WESIRSTL Dil
Current Rackham Graduate School Dean Nancy Cantor will trade in her Rackham
office for a new one. Cantor was selected as the University's new provost.
Cantor's future office and Lewis's new
Rackham office.
"It's guaranteed that we'll have a cor-
dial and cooperative relationship
between Rackham and the provost's
office," Rose said.
Associate Rackham Dean Steven
Kunkel said Cantor and Lewis share the
same principal visions for the graduate
school and its relationship with other
graduate programs on campus.
"They have very similar philosophies
how the graduate school should be run,"
Kunkel said. "I think the transition will
be very smooth to the interim dean?"
Rose said predicting whether
Lewis, also an Afroamerican and
African Studies professor, will be
Cantor's permanent replacement is
hard to say, but he hopes Lewis will
be appointed to the position.
Kunkel said Lewis would be "No. I
on my list"
"Clearly, he is extremely well quali-
fied to be the next dean of the graduate
school," Kunkel said. "Ie's been here for
a year now too, so his feet are firmly
planted.
"We'll miss Nancy, but I think Dean
Lewis will do a great job," Kunkel said.
Lewis was out of the country and
unavailable for comment.
The changing University administration:
8 7 6 .~ "
1) President: James Duderstadt stepped down in July, 1996.
Homer Neal served as interim president for seven months. Lee
Bollinger took office Feb. 1, 1997.
2) Regent: Shirley McFee's (R-Battle Creek) term on the
University Board of Regents will expire Dec. 31, 1998.
3) Regent: Rebecca McGowan's (D-Ann Arbor) term on the board
will expire Dec. 31, 2000.
Regent: Daniel Horning's (R-Grand Haven) term on the board
will expire Dec. 31, 2002.
5) Regent: S. Martin Taylor's (D-Grosse le) term on the board will
expire Dec. 31, 2004.
6) Chief Financial Officer: Farris Womack stepped down Dec. 31,
II I I I I I II
1996. Chandler Matthews currently serves as interim CFO. A
search is underway to find a permanent replacement.
7) Vice President of Research: Frederick Neidhardt is serving as .
acting vice president, filling in for Homer Neal, who left the posi-
tion to serve as interim University president. Neal's contract
expires in 1998.
8) Vice President for Student Affairs: Maureen Hartford's contract
expires Sept., 1997.
9) University Secretary: Roberta Palmer's contract expires in
2000.
10) Vice President for University Relations: Walter Harrison's con-
tract expires Sept., 1998.
sHARAT RAU/Daily
11) Vice President for Development: Thomas Kinnear's contract
expires Sept., 1997. He does not plan to renew.
12) Provost: J. Bernard Machen's contract expires August, 1997.
Nancy Cantor will the fill the position.
13) Regent: Olivia Maynard's (D-Flint) term on the board will
expire Dec. 31, 2004.
14) Regent Andrea Fisher-Newman's (R-Ann Arbor) term on the
board will expire Dec. 31, 2002.
15) Regent: Laurence Deitch's (D-Bloomfield Hills) term on the
board will expire Dec. 31, 2000.
16) Regent: Philip Power's (D-Ann Arbor) term on the board will
expire Dec. 31, 1998.