4A — Saturday, April 30, 2016
News and Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Former Brown
provost promises to
focus on diversity
and dialogue
By CLAIRE BRYAN
Daily Staff Reporter
It’s official.
Students,
faculty
and
administrators
filled
Hill
Auditorium
Friday
afternoon
for University President Mark
Schlissel’s
inauguration,
the
ceremony where he was formally
installed as the University’s 14th
president.
With speeches from Republican
Gov. Rick Snyder; University
Provost Martha Pollack; Ruth
Simmons,
Brown
University
president emerita; and Schlissel
himself, the inauguration focused
on the significant issues facing
modern public higher education.
In
his
inaugural
address,
Schlissel articulated his vision for
a University community marked
by inclusiveness, accessibility and
a vibrant civil exchange of diverse
viewpoints.
“I firmly believe that we cannot
achieve true excellence without
leveraging the experiences and
perspectives
of
the
broadest
possible diversity of students,
faculty, and staff,” Schlissel said.
“This is challenging work. Not
only building a diverse student
body,
but
also
creating
an
inclusive campus climate that is
open to difficult discourse.”
Despite
delivering
a
clear
promise to aggressively pursue
an agenda of inclusion, Schlissel
said the process of exploring
the University he now leads in
ongoing.
“I
am
walking
in
new
directions, and I am asking a lot
of questions,” Schlissel said. “I am
meeting with students, staff, and
faculty, learning their aspirations,
what they are most proud of, and
what they are anxious about as we
move forward together.”
Pollack,
the
University’s
provost, gave opening remarks
welcoming the community and
introducing
the
University’s
governing Board of Regents, deans
and faculty, as well as Schlissel
and his extended family. She
also stressed the responsibility
Schlissel has to respond to the
challenges and trials facing public
higher education.
Following her speech, Snyder
noted
Schlissel’s
eagerness
to learn, alluding to the new
president’s recent trip around
the state. He added that Schlissel
will serve as the cornerstone of
humanity at the University.
“What makes the University
of Michigan a truly special place
is not one area or sectors, it is the
humanity of the University, the
people,” Snyder said.
In an address that elicited
thunderous
applause
multiple
times, Simmons, who served as
the president of Brown University
and
appointed
Schlissel
it’s
provost, called on universities
to devote more attention to
ensuring students leave prepared
to resolve conflict and treat
others with respect — even as
they increasingly push forward
new innovations in science and
technology.
“Respect for others is a goal
worth setting and worthy of
presidential leadership,” she said.
Regent Kathy White, who
is the chair of the Board of
Regents,
outlined
a
history
of past University presidents,
concluding
with
Schlissel’s
formal inauguration. The crowd
gave an overwhelming standing
ovation.
An
hour
before
the
inauguration ceremony, Schlissel
joined the regents, executive
officers,
deans,
faculty
and
representatives from 100 other
universities for a formal robing
ceremony
held
in
Rackham
Auditorium.
In an interview with The
Michigan
Daily
during
the
ceremony, Schlissel said he was
impressed by the number of
guests who came to represent
their university, department or
college.
“It is one of the most amazing
days of my life,” he said. “I’m
humbled.”
Though he technically assumed
the presidency in July, Schlissel
said the past week has been an
experience apart from the rest of
his time at the University.
“It really changed a lot when
the students came back to town a
few days ago,” he said. “I’ve been
running into students all across
the campus. The energy level
went up a notch and it’s just really
exciting.”
However, Schlissel said there’s
more he can do to become further
acquainted with the campus
community.
“I have to continue my efforts
to getting to know people, getting
to know the faculty, students and
staff and what their aspirations
are and how I can add to the
work of the University to make it
better,” he said.
After the ceremonial robing
process,
a
processional
of
hundreds of gowned academics
and officials marched down the
steps of Rackham Auditorium and
through the Diag, ending at Hill
Auditorium.
Students
and
members
of
the community who lined the
pathway cheered and applauded.
Some event attendees reached
for members of the processional,
including President Emerita Mary
Sue Coleman, to snap a photo.
In the Diag, student volunteers
in maize T-shirts created a tunnel
for the processional to walk
through. Students chanted, “It’s
great to be a Michigan Wolverine”
and sang Hail to the Victors.
When Schlissel exited the
student
volunteer
tunnel,
many students jumped at the
opportunity to give him a high
five and take a selfie.
Dozens of those participants
also took positions in a post-
inaugural
community
festival
set outside the auditorium. A
few hundred people gathered for
University-sponsored food and
music set up around Ingalls Mall.
LSA sophomores Kasey Wright
and Stephanie Saravolatz served
as event volunteers earlier in
the day and helped cheer on the
processional as it passed through
the Diag.
“I am a scholarship student
here and this was something
I could do to give back to the
University (that) has given me so
much,” Wright said.
“Students started joining even
though they didn’t have t-shirts
and I thought that was pretty cool
and I think everyone enjoyed it a
lot,” Saravolatz said.
LSA
junior
Joe
Murray,
another student volunteer, said
he was impressed with Schlissel’s
inaugural speech and his push for
valuing all voices, despite conflict
or disagreement.
“I would love to see him
implement those ideas he talked
about as far as making sure the
University stays really open to
people and that we seek people
from Michigan and around the
country and the world, making
sure everyone who deserves to go
here has the opportunity to.”
RYAN REISS/Daily
President Schlissel is officially installed as president at his inauguration Sept. 5, 2014 at Hill Auditorium.
Mark Schlissel inaugurated as University’s 14th president
Warde Manuel introduced
as new ‘M’ athletic director
By MAX BULTMAN
Managing Sports Editor
In front of a crowd of media,
coaches,
donors
and
former
athletes,
University
President
Mark Schlissel introduced Warde
Manuel as Michigan’s next Athletic
Director on Friday in a press
conference at the Michigan Union.
Manuel, who is currently the
athletic director at Connecticut,
will officially begin work at
Michigan on March 14, taking over
for interim Athletic Director Jim
Hackett, who has held the position
since Oct. 31, 2014.
Manuel holds three degrees
from the University — a bachelor’s
degree in general studies with a
focus in Psychology, a master’s
degree in social work and an M.B.A.
from the Ross School of Business
— and played defensive line on
the football team for legendary
Michigan coach Bo Schembechler.
He also worked in the Athletic
Department
in
various
roles
between 1996 and 2005, ultimately
serving
as
Associate
Athletic
Director under Bill Martin.
Given
his
ties
with
the
University, Manuel said he made
no effort to play coy when he was
contacted about the job opening.
“I want to say it was maybe,
officially, some time toward the
beginning of December that (the
Turnkey Search firm) reached
out to see if I had interest in the
position,” Manuel said at his press
conference. “I laughed when they
asked me that question, like, ‘Are
you really asking me if I have
interest in being the Michigan
A.D.?’ And (the recruiter) said,
‘Yeah, really, I just need to hear the
answer.’
“And I said, ‘Hell yeah!’ ”
Manuel, who was among 82
candidates Turnkey considered,
inherits a self-sustaining athletic
department with an operating
budget of $151 million per year.
Hackett, who was part of the
search committee to fill his own
seat, has made remarkable progress
in his time, leaving the department
in a state of stability.
Part of that stability came in the
form of Michigan football coach
Jim Harbaugh, whom Hackett
hired. Harbaugh and Manuel
were teammates for one year at
Michigan, and Harbaugh was the
captain of the team when Manuel
was a freshman.
During the press conference,
Manuel reminisced about sitting
in the back of team meetings as a
freshman, with Harbaugh in the
front as a senior. He commented
on how things had come full circle,
with Harbaugh leading the football
team as coach and Manuel heading
up the athletic department.
Hearing that, Harbaugh stood
up and gave Hackett a hug, slipping
Manuel a No. 79 Michigan jersey
with his name on it.
“I used to be able to fit in this,”
Manuel quipped.
While he may not fit in the
jersey, he should fit in well in his
new position. Manuel is the most
experienced
athletic
director
Michigan has ever hired, and he
has built up the foundations of
relationships with some of the
Wolverines’
most
prominent
coaches through visits during
recent years.
Manuel has held his current
post at UConn since 2012, and the
Huskies have won six national
titles with him in charge. In 2015,
13 UConn teams turned in perfect
single-year Academic Progress
Rates. Prior to working with the
Huskies, he served as Buffalo’s
athletic director from 2005-12.
Now, he returns to Michigan
hoping to continue his success
both on and off the field.
“There should be excitement
about the future and potential
for Michigan to not only win Big
Ten championships but national
championships,”
Manuel
said.
“We don’t back away from it. We
never have, and we never will.”
Manuel’s contract will pay him
an annual base salary of $800,000
with deferred compensation of
$100,000 per year. He will be
paid
a
one-time
recruitment
incentive of $250,000 as well as
being provided two cars, moving
expenses and standard university
benefits.
Jim Harbaugh welcomed
as next ‘M’ football coach
By MAX BULTMAN
and
GREG GARNO
Daily Sports Editor and
Daily Sports Writer
Jim Harbaugh’s first press
conference
as
Michigan
football
coach
was
filled
with laughter and clapping
from the players, coaches and
family looking on.
But the room of hundreds
went quiet when Harbaugh
was asked if he was inheriting
a turnaround program.
“This
is
Michigan,”
Harbaugh said. “There are
no turnarounds at Michigan.
This is greatness.”
He added in his statement:
“Throughout my life I have
dreamed of coaching at the
University of Michigan. Now I
have the honor to live it.”
The
Michigan
Athletic
Department announced the
hiring of the former San
Francisco
49ers
coach
on
Tuesday afternoon, the 20th
coach in program history.
Harbaugh agreed to a seven-
year contract paying a base
salary of $5 million per year.
Hoarse-voiced
from
a
gatorade bath in his NFL-
finale Sunday, he handled his
first press conference nearly
an
hour
after
addressing
his team for the first time.
Harbaugh
didn’t
give
a
timeline for when he planned
to name a coaching staff.
A former quarterback under
Bo Schembechler, Harbaugh
was
an
All-American
and
Heisman
Trophy
finalist,
but he’s been part of the
Wolverines’ program since he
was nine years old. Harbaugh’s
father, Jack, was the defensive
backs coach at Michigan while
Jim was growing up.
It
was
then,
Harbaugh
said, that he first dreamed of
coaching at Michigan.
“When I was nine to 10
years old, there was a time
when I was sitting in coach
Schembechler’s office. I was
sitting in his chair; I had my
feet up on his desk,” Harbaugh
recalled. “He walked in and
said, ‘How ya doin’, Jim?’ And
I said, ‘I’m doing great Bo, how
you doin’? He said, ‘Whattaya
doin?’ and I said, ‘I’m sitting
in
your
chair,
coach!’
...
There’s just been times in my
life where I’ve thought about
it, dreamed about it, and now
it’s time to live it.”
In addition to his $5 million
base
salary,
Harbaugh’s
contract includes incentives
for playing in ($125,000) or
winning ($250,000) the Big
Ten
Championship
Game,
a $50,000 bonus if he is Big
Ten Coach of the Year and a
$150,000 bonus for each year
the team’s Academic Progress
Rate is 960 or higher. He can
also earn $300,000 for playing
the College Football Playoff
or $500,000 for winning the
national championship.
His contract includes a $2
million signing bonus.
Michigan marks Harbaugh’s
fourth head coaching job in the
last 10 years, most recently in
San Francisco, where his base
salary is roughly the same as
it will be with the Wolverines.
“I kind of think of myself
as
a
construction
guy,”
Harbaugh said. “You build
this home, and hopefully it’s
a great cathedral, and then
afterwards they tell you, ‘Go
build another one.’ And I feel
like that again. … But I’d really
like to live in one permanently.
And that’s what I’m really
hopeful for here.”
Harbaugh
insisted
his
decision to take the Michigan
job had little to do with
his
salary
or
financial
considerations.
“I really made a decision
from
the
heart,
which
I
thought was best for myself
and my family,” Harbaugh
said. “I’m very excited by it
and very challenged by it.”
GRANT HARDY/Daily
Athletic Director Warde Manuel was introduced as Jim Hackett’s successor on Jan. 29, 2016.
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Jim Harbaugh became the J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach at Michigan in December 2014.