8 - The Michigan Daily- Monday, June 3, 2002
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She says she is close
with her family, perfers to
start the day by 5:00 a.m.
and end it by 9:00 p.m.
and describes herself as
someone who is open, honest and informal. And while
those things may be up for debate once she arrives, the
most important thing about her is undisputed: She is the
person selected by the Board of Regents last week to
become the 13th president of the University of Michigan.
Mary Sue Coleman will soon be in charge of many
important decisions, including speaking for the University
on issues like affirmative action and the Ed Martin case.
But the University of Iowa president has another impor-
tant decision to make first - who to cheer for during
sports events.
"Well of course, I'll root for Michigan when Michigan
is playing Iowa, and I'll root for Iowa when they are play-
ing anybody else," she said, adding that she believes her
friends and acquaintances at Iowa understand her decision
to leave the state when offered the position at Michigan.
"They understand. Sure they do. They know I'll still love
Iowa too."
Coleman, who is the only woman president of a Big Ten
school - though the University of Illinois at Urbana
Champaign and the Indiana University at Bloomington
both have female chancellors at their campuses - has
had a lot of experience with challenges while working to
combat Iowa's financial problems and other concerns, but
some believe she will face a new set of obstacles in Ann
Arbor - including everything from maintaining the Uni-
versity of Michigan's sought-after level of diversity to dis-
covering the truth about what happened between former
Ford auto worker Ed Martin and the four Michigan players
who he has admitted to loaning illegitimate money during
their high shcool and college careers.
Even size-wise, Coleman has spent the last seven years
heading the 28,768 students at Iowa. The University of
Michigan student body, at 53,000, is almost twice that.
But she showed no fear of the challenge of heading
such a larger school, instead saying that she has a lot to
learn about the University.
"I think I'm very experienced and I look forward to the
challenge. It's a wonderful university," she said, adding
that, as president, "you always have good people around to
help. The president certainly doesn't do anything alone."
"It's a great place. I just want everything getting better."
She said she sees the role of president as having many
facets.
"It's the visible symbol of the University, it can often be
the voice of the University ... (the president) can give the
message of the University to the entire world."
Coleman spoke fondly of Iowa, where she said she has
"loved every day" of being there. She added that "it's bit-
tersweet to leave."
"I am closeto a lot of people here," she said, adding that
during her time at Iowa, she has made a lot of memories
and has faced her challenges. "We've made a lot of
progress ... and it has been great (working at Iowa). I've
really, really enjoyed it."
She said she hopes the legacy she leaves behind at Iowa
and what she will be remembered for after she eventually
leaves the University of Michigan are one and the same.
"I hope I'll be remembered as a positive advocate,
untiring advocate, for the university and what it was try-
ing to accomplish, and trying to help it move forward,"
she said. "And I hope people will think the same thing
about me at Michigan ... I don't think (colleges) can rest
on their laurels. We always have to be looking at ways to
move forward."
She stressed that she would
sity community and academi
plishments as a leader and not
would like to be remember
president"
"I said at the. press confe
absolutely - that being presi
forward to doing it the best I
"I'm going to try to work h
students of Michigan, and we
She added that she tries to li
sible, especially to students.
"I am pretty down to earth
people at Michigan will like th
With regard to moving forw
ing the University, Coleman sa
starting her work on the nms
way, including projects foo
experience and information tec
She said she would like to
biggest projects - the Life <
out and reach not just those is
undergraduates and other del
dealing with ethics and society.
"I think these are going to b
versity, and Iam very excited t
Initiatives are a way to
addressing the fear some h
will become too focused on I
bulk of Coleman's career has
ences - she spent 15 years,
University of Kentucky as a b
three years as a biochemistry
the University of North Caro
beginning her administrative w
I