8 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 29, 2002 Interim President B. Joseph White will step down from his position when President- elect Mary Sue Coleman arrives Aug. 1. Oppenheimer Properties, Inc. w Sept. to Sept. 02/03 Leases Still Available...Call Soon! call (734) 995-5575 or email: tparon@earthlink.net 821 Packard (corner of Greenwood) 6 bedrooms large,3 stories lots of parking new carpet & blinds 3 and 1/2 bathrooms + laundry $2900 + utilities S HE PREPARES TO YIELD THE PRESI- So at the same time, we have to focus on the affordability of the education we DENCY TO MARY SUE COLEMAN, PRES- offer, but we (also) have to ensure that we have the resources, and even more ADE NT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, important, the will, tobesuccessful with the best publics and privates in the AND RETURN TO THE BUSINESS SCHOOL, INTERIM world. TMD: Did you want to attain the UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT B. JOSEPH WHITE job permanently? If you didn't, why did you seem to enjoy it so much? TALKED TO MICHIGAN DAILY STAFF REPORTERS BJW: Those are two separate ques- tions. I resolve to make no comment on JEREMY BERKOWITZ AND KARA WENZEL BELOW the search, (but) the important thing about any search is finding a great per- ARE EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERVIEW. son to head the institution. Mary Sue Coleman is going to be a The Michigan Daily: What kind of sion not to fulfill his commitment to great president of the University. objectives and goals do you think the come to the University of Michigan and In regards to why I enjoyed the job so University should look towards in the Jack Dixon's decision - which gen- much, this job has represented a conver- next five years? uinely was for personal reasons, gence for me of doing everything I love. B. Joseph White: Well, the backdrop nonetheless the result's the same - to That's just what it comes to. I love of the answer is that I have very high return to California, which was his serving others, I love leadership work, I confidence in the future of the Universi- home. So if anybody needed a reminder love the University of Michigan. I ty. I think we have every reason to look of what I'm saying is true, those are believe deeply in our missions of educa- forward with confidence to the contin- very acute reminders. That's second. tion, research and service. I've always ued development of the University. Third, I think we have to continue to enjoyed interactions with students. I What we do here (are the) things have a goal and a very high aspiration to mean I've told people when I was dean that are most valued in modern soci- be a highly inclusive community (of the Business School) and interview- eties. We create new knowledge. We (where) what matters is merit and per- ing faculty, if you don't really love help- educate and develop students and formance and contribution and (where) ing educate and developing very adults for a lifetime. And we also everybody - simply because they are a talented young people, this isn't the deliver on a very large scale the member of our community - is treated place for you, that's what we do here. highest quality medical care. with respect. And I do love it. The job, even Now if you ask the question, what are A couple of other things - I think though it has been 15 hours a day, six the things most in people's minds', these we need to play close attention to the and a half days a week, it's never felt are very high priorities in modern socie- affordability of education. Many like hard work to me. I've never felt ty. So I think we have every reason to people, sadly, are seeing the savings stressed, I've never felt harassed, I've look forward with confidence. that they put aside to fund their edu- never felt pressured. And it's simply What are the challenges and goals for cation, or their children's education, because I love doing virtually every the next five years? Well first of all, eroding in the face of the stock.mar- aspect of the job. maintaining existing excellence at the ket retreat. Good news, stock market And so, it is the case that it is sort University. Whether it's in the academic is up 165 points (July 24), by the of hard to leave the job. But I think area, whether it's in the medical center, way. But nonethe- .that's how it should whether it is in the arts or athletics, it less, this is seri- "6 If you really love your be. In other words, takes constant unrelenting effort to ous erosion. And I if you really love develop our own people and to recruit think that because work, it shouldn't be easy your work, it the very best from across the country a high-quality to pack up your last day shouldn't be easy and around the world. education is per- and just walk out the t pack up your So first and foremost for me, is main- haps the most ad w k ut thse t day and just taining existing areas of excellence. indispensable ele- door and never look back. walk out the door And the second thing is developing ment to a success- What kind of a human and never look new areas of excellence. The most visi- ful professional . back. What kind of ble example, obviously, today is the Life personal life being would do that a human being Sciences. We are facing, in the coming today. We've been would do that? year and years, the recruiting challenge entrusted with something extremely It's probably most difficult me for of our lifetimes at the University of precious. And we need to pay close to leave the job because I've really Michigan because the Life Sciences are attention to doing the best we can to bonded with the people I've worked exploding. The best people are much in ensure affordability. with - the executive officers, Erika demand both in the academic world and Finally, there is the issue of our abil- Hrabek (secretary to the president) the industrial world and in the govern- ity to compete. At the University, we outside the door here, the President's ment world - like (National Institu- pride ourselves not only in.competing Office staff, the vice presidents, the tions of Health), for example. So there is successfully with the very best public student leaders, the students I've intense competition for the very best universities in the country, but also the met, people in the medical center. people in the Life Sciences. very best private universities in the I've spent a lot of time in the medical Wherever we want to develop new country. center, I really enjoyed it. It's hard to (aspirations) of excellence in the Univer- And all you have to do is be dean leave the job because I love the job sity, we're going to have to invest heavi- for a day around here, and I was very much. ly. It's expensive. We're going to have to dean for a decade, to learn how At the same time, I made a decision lock arms and do a great job recruiting intense the competition is for facul- two years ago to end my term as dean and retaining the best people. ty, for students, for reputation, for after two terms of service, after a And let's be candid, we've seen how resources and to learn how rich our decade. I did that because I've always challenging itsis, with Scott Emr's deci- best private competitors are. had the dream of finishing my career as 506 W.William 5 bedrooms 2 full bathrooms + laundry hard wood floors between 3rd and 4th streets $1800 + utilities 411 Washtenaw 4 bedrooms across from CCRB parking for 2 1 and 1/2 bathrooms DSL and Cable $1800 + utilities 828 Brown St. 4 bedrooms parking for 8 1 and 1/2 bathrooms + laundry athletic campus location $1700 + utilities 607 Mary Court 4 bedrooms refinished hardwood floors new carpet & new blinds athletic campus location $1995 + utilities