4 -The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 29, 1995

State senator:

'U' should close
its next search

By Ronnie Glasberg
Daily staff Reporter
A state senator suggested yesterday
that in searching for President James I
.Duderstadt's successor, the Board of
Regents should ignore a court ruling that
requires university presidential searches
to be conducted in the public eye.
On Sept. 28, 1993, the Michigan Su-
preme Court ruled 4-3 that the University
had violated the state Open Meetings Act
and Freedom of Information Act.
The ruling stemmed from the regents'
1988 presidential search, in which the
Detroit Free Press and Booth Newspa-
pers, which owns The Ann Arbor News,
filed a lawsuit against the University.
"The Booth decision, in my opinion,
was so outrageous that I'd have to be-
lieve I'd keep that alive if I was the one
making the decision," said state Sen.
John Schwarz (R-Battle Creek), a Uni-
versity alum. "It is (the regents') duty to
choose the University president, and
for that reason, I strongly believe we
should leave the regents alone."
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Arbor)
said the board has not yet discussed
whether to follow the court's decision.
"I think it's too early to make a judg-
ment like that," he said.
Vice President for University Rela-
tions Walter Harrison said the regents
will likely discuss the search at their
October meeting. "They haven't even
begun to think about the search," he
said. "I'm sure the regents will abide by
the laws of the state of Michigan."
Schwarz had introduced legislation
last winter that would have amended
the state Open Meetings and Freedom
of Information acts to exclude presi-
Faculty remembers
rcky relationship,
wfihDuderstadt
By Jodi Cohen
Daily Staff Reporter
Often criticized for his lack of com-
munication with faculty members,
President James J. Duderstadt an-
nounced yesterday he plans tojoin them
once again.
After announcing his intentions to
resign in June, Duderstadt said he will
return to teaching.
"I have great relations with Senate
Assembly," Duderstadt said in an inter-
view yesterday. "We have done joint
retreats together. I have a lot of respect
for people who serve on it."
SACUA vice chair Thomas Moore
applauded Duderstadt yesterday in a
statement: "His emphasis on interna-
tionalism, diversity, and gender equity
have been particularly welcome ideas
among the faculty."
Other faculty members were upset to
hear of his resignation.
"I've grown to respect Jim Duderstadt
a lot so my initial reaction is one of
regret," said former Senate Assembly
chair Jean Loup, who worked with
Duderstadt during her term. "I think he
has provided some important leader-
ship for the University in the last eight
years. I think he has a real love for this
University."
. Although he made faculty feel posi-
tive about the University, she said he
sometimes failed to communicate with
his colleagues.
"The negatives relate to personal sorts
of things. If there is a failing, maybe its
that he hasn't always been politically

astute," she said.
History Prof Thomas Collier com-
mended Duderstadt's accomplishments
in the building projects at the Univer-
sity, but said he had limited interaction
with faculty memnbers.
"I saw no evidence of it," he said. "I
never felt I really had any contact with
him."
Although many faculty members
share Collier's sentiments, Moore said,
"We welcome him and wish him well in
his return to the faculty."
- Daily Staff Reporter Amy Klein
contributed to this report.

dential searches. That bill, however,
now is stalled in committee in the House.
Heath Meriwether, executive editor
of the Free Press, said the newspaper is
committed to making sure the search
for the next president is open.
"It's a publicly funded university,
and the selection of the president is
something that needs to be surrounded
by credibility," Meriwether said. "When
we finally got the records, we did a
quite extensive story. The feedback I
got from Walt (Harrison) and others
was that they thought the Free Press
handled it quite responsibly."
In March 1994, the regents agreed to
turn over their papers from the search to
the newspapers, after losing an appeal
to the Michigan Supreme Court.
If the University refuses to abide by
the ruling, Meriweather said, "It would
be unfortunate, and we would review
our options, but the most probable op-
tion would be that we'd probably pur-
sue it in the courts."
The publisher of The Ann Arbor
News, David Wierman, said it is impor-
tant for the regents to conduct an open
search because the selection has a wide
impact on the community.
"I would certainly hope we don't
have to do anything besides report on
an open process," Wierman said. "I
believe it's important the University
follows not only the letter of the law,
but also the spirit."
State Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-
South Lyon) said she wants the process
to be as open as the law requires. "I
think anyone who wants to work for a
public institution should be willing to
submit to public scrutiny," she said.

A graduating
student protests
the University
Board of Regents'
closed search for
President James
J. Duderstadt. The
Michigan
Supreme Court
later found the
regents had
violated the
state's Open
Meetings Act.
FILE PHOTO

Regent prep for Another search

Timetable, risk of
lawsuits crucial
concerns for board
By Amy Klein
Daily Staff Reporter
After the whirl of lawsuits and
secrecy th at surroun ded the
University's last presidential search
in 1987. the Board otf Regent s is"
again faced with the task of finding a
new president.
"What you've got to look for is
someone (who) has the experience to
run a huge university. That can be a
big problem," said Paul Brown, a
former regent who chaired the last
search committee.
"You need someone the board
and Legislature, as well as the fac-
ulty and alumni, can work with,"

he said.
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Ar-
bor) said that while the regents have
not discussed their upcoming actions
yet, he expects that usual procedures
will be followed.
Baker said that, under usual proce-
dures, the regents convene and form
a search committee consisting of all
the members of the board. A series of
sub-groups, including faculty, stu-
dents and alumni, would also meet to
help establish criteria for the search
committee.
An exploratory period would fol-
low, when the committee would ad-
vertise for a candidate and discuss
criteria with other members of the
academic community.
A list of candidates would then be
comprised and narrowed.
Resignation si
By Maureen Sirhal
Daily Staff Reporter
Ann Arbor city officials were stunned
yesterday when President James J.
Duderstadt announced his resignation.
"That's a major shock," said former
City Administrator Alfred A. Gatta. "I am
really surprised that he would be leaving."
Gatta's words were echoed through-
out Ann Arbor's City Hall.
"I had nothing but the utmost respect
for James Duderstadt," he stressed. "He
is a president of the highest quality."
Mayor Ingrid B. Sheldon described
some of the issues that affected the
University-city relationship.
"The University switching to its own
private (police) force, that was a big
issue - not only a big funding issue,
but also jurisdiction," she said.
The biggest policy disagreement has
been the issue of tax-exemption for
property purchased by the University.
Gatta, who worked closely with the
administration, had wanted the Univer-

"In the final analysis, it's a matter
of chemistry, background and a lot
of other things," Baker said.
With five existing interim posi-
tions in the dean's and executive of-
fices, and Duderstadt set to leave
June 30, 1996, the regents are facing
a tight time schedule.
"When I chaired the committee, it
took longer than (nine months),"
Brown said. "I don't think they will
complete it by June, but they might
come close."
University spokeswoman Lisa
Baker said the search would not af-
fect the University's day-to-day func-
tioning.
"The University community has a
way of pulling together," Baker said.
"The direction here is not determined
by a single individual."
iocks city
sity to make Payments In Lieu of Ow-
ing Taxes (PILOT), however Duderstadt
maintained that the University brought
added revenues to Ann Arbor as a result
of activities such as sporting events.
Councilmember and Mayor pro-temp
Christopher Kolb (D-5th Ward) said a
new president and a new city administra-
tor could have a positive effect for both
the University and the city of Ann Arbor.
"The University and the city have
certainly disagreed. I think when there
are changes, there are opportunities,"
he said. "The potential could be posi-
tive in that there is no past baggage and
they can start with a clean slate."
Interim City Administrators Winifred
Northcross and Olsen said they hope
the new president's agenda will make
the city and its functions more of a
priority.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for
the next president to ... try and achieve
common goals - to try and make the
whole picture better," Olsen said.

FILE PHOTO
Gov. John Engler and President James J. Duderstadt exchange greetings in 1993.

MSA members say resignation will be a'loss for students'

By Michelle Lee Thompson
Daily Staff Reporter
When President James J. Duderstadt
took office in 1988, Zach Kittrie, then
the Michigan Student Assembly's Ex-
ternal Relations Committee chair, said
he had "doubts" about Duderstadt's
willingness to communicate with the
assembly.
Kittrie told The Michigan Daily that
Duderstadt had canceled meetings with
the assembly and simply not shown up.

Yesterday, MSA Vice President Sam
Goodstein said the thing that impresses
him most about Duderstadt is his recep-
tiveness to the assembly and students.
"He was always willing to come to
MSA and talk to us," Goodstein said,
adding that Duderstadt is always quick
to respond to phone calls and e-mail
messages.
The assembly has undergone major
changes since Duderstadt took office,
including a financial overhaul in an-

swer to an internal audit requested by
the Board of Regents.
With an increase in fiscal responsibil-
ity, the assembly has seen a rise in cred-
ibility since Duderstadt took office. MSA
President, Flint Wainess addressed
Duderstadt and the regents last week as
a representative of the student body, a
position the assembly has lobbied for
since Duderstadt took office.
Current External Relations Chair Fiona
Rose said yesterday, "(Duderstatdt's an-

nounced departure) is a loss for students
who are committed to a more diverse,
equality-nurturing campus."
Duderstadt spoke last week to the
assembly about the University's latest
campaign for diversity, stressing its
value in the future.
"It's very commendable that he's
staked his reputation and his job on
something important like this,"
Goodstein said of Duderstadt's deter-
mination to increase diversity.

Plans to centize Athletic Department uncertain after resignation

By Darren Everson
Daily Sports Editor
Now that the position of University
president is up in the air, plans to cen-
tralize the Athletic Department are just
as uncertain.
President James J. Duderstadt said
Sept. 14 that the University was plan-
ning to "bring the Athletic Department
in line with the way the rest of the
University operates." Such a change
would mean that the central administra-
tion would oversee the Athletic
Department's business dealings.

Since Duderstadt was the driving
force behind the proposed changes, his
resignation announcement yesterday
puts the status of these plans in ques-
tion.
"I have no comment. I don't see how
this is a sports story," said Peggy Bradley
Doppes, an associate athletic director.
While centralization might not affect
how the Michigan football team fare
against Miami (Ohio) tomorrow, the
move could have a profound impact on
the department as a whole.
Duderstadt suggested a change in the

regents' bylaws, one that would require
the Athletic Department's business con-
tracts go through financial officers and,
in some cases, the Board of Regents.
If such a plan were in effect, the
buyout of ex-football coach Gary
Moeller's contract, the Athletic
Department's contract with Nike and
perhaps even the Pigskin Classic foot-
ball game might not have happened.
However, with Duderstadt set to step
down in June, the question now be-
comes whether the next president will
push for the proposal.

The regents were concerned with the
department's operation after it negoti-
ated a deal with Nike last fall. In July, the
regents requested that Duderstadt look
into the Athletic Department's relation-
ship with the rest of the University.
The centralization of the department
and bylaw change were Duderstadt's
response to the regents' request.
Duderstadt has said that he expects the
proposal to be discussed at the regents'
meeting in October.
- Daily Staff Reporter Amy Klein
contributed to this report.

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