James Duderstadt accomplished many things - both good and bad - since becoming president of the University in 1988. The amount of federal research funding awarded to Michigan has grown rapidly in the past few years. New construction and renovation of existing buildings also have increased dramatically. With this growth, however, has also come an enlargement of the university bureaucracy and an annual increase in tuition. During his tenure, Duderstadt also initiated several programs, such as the Michigan Agenda for Women and the Michigan Mandate, aimed at increasing the participation of women and minorities in several areas of the university. Also during Duderstadt's reign, the university undertook the $1 billion Campaign for Michigan fundraising drive.
One of the most significant developments during Duderstadt's time in office, and one with which his successor will undoubtedly have to deal, has been the creation and implementation of a non-academic code of conduct, the so-called "Speech code." Duderstadt has been a proponent of the Code since becoming president, and he recently gave his support to its new draft, which the regents approved on November 17. Despite the regents' adoption of the Code, the debate surrounding it is far from over. The regents also voted to review the Code in 1998. There is also the distinct possibility that the Code will be challenged in court and, in all likelihood, be declared unconstitutional, as was an earlier version of the Code, the Policy on Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment by Students in the University Environment, in 1989. One of the biggest issues facing the new president of the University of Michigan will be the Code of Student Conduct. Entrusted with the task of selecting the next president will be the presidential search committee, comprised of the Board of Regents. The committee will be co- chaired by Regents Nellie Varner and Shirley McFee. The committee will hold a number of public forums to gather community input on the selection. This is a good first step aimed at ensuring that the person eventually chosen to lead Michigan into the 21st century will be up to the task.
Traditionally, the preliminary list of candidates for the job of president of a large university has included people from a variety of fields, including politics, academia, and business. Retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and one- time possible presidential candidate Colin Powell has been mentioned as a possible candidate. The search committee must resist the temptation to select a well-known public figure, such as Powell, and choose someone who would do the best job of running a large public university.
According to the November 21 issue of The University Record, George Brewer, Chairman of the Senate Advisory Committee for University Affairs (SACUA), issued an ultimatum to the Board of Regents, stating that the next president must be selected from academe and that the initial list of candidates be presented by a faculty advisor committee or else. While such an ultimatum will likely amount to little more than useless chest-thumping, Brewer does make a very valid point; the next president must be someone who has the solid support of the entire university community from the outset. Running a major university is an extremely demanding job, and for the regents to select someone who does not have the full support of the faculty, students, administration, and public would be an egregious error, and would likely make it impossible for that person to accomplish anything substantial. Such a situation would be a major setback to the progress of the university.
One major issue that the next president will have to address will be the ongoing decline in federal and state money going to the university. As government funding decreases, the university is going to have to find ways to reduce expenses and to increase to the amount of money coming from other sources, such as private donations, while maintaining or improving the quality of education. Giving the difficulty of meeting the financial needs of the university without dramatically raising tuition, it would be wise for the regents to consider someone who has a background in business or finance, just as Michigan State University did when it chose Peter MacPherson, a former banker, to become president. An alternative would be to select someone with experience running a large private university, where providing a quality education at a reasonable cost has always been an important consideration.
Another important issue will be the continuing debate about the Code of Student Conduct. President Duderstadt has always been in favor of a comprehensive code, despite the opposition of the faculty and the students. Student concerns never appeared to be a high priority to Duderstadt when decisions that directly affected them were being made. The next president must be someone willing to listen to and act on student input. The primary function of any university should be to provide students with a quality education in a liberal and tolerant environment where all ideas, no matter how offensive, can be introduced and debated on their merits. Too often, Duderstadt and others in the administration have sought to stifle speech they deemed offensive in order to ensure a "safe" academic environment. In the process, the rights of students were neglected. Duderstadt's successor must understand the need to preserve the rights of all in order to maintain a liberal atmosphere where true learning can take place. To achieve such an environment, the regents should select a candidate who will work towards eliminating the Code, or least will truly listen to student concerns in drafting a minimal code which does not abridge the free speech rights of the students.
Lastly, the ideal candidate to become the next president of the University of Michigan should be someone familiar with the Michigan tradition, someone who will uphold Michigan's reputation as one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the nation. It must be someone who understands the importance of providing a top-notch undergraduate education, and can balance that against the need to continue the research activities of the university. Most importantly, it must be someone who will work with all members of the university community - students, faculty, staff, and administration - to ensure that all decisions are made with the best interests of the entire university in mind.
Ideally, the next president would be someone who is the first choice of all interested parties. Unfortunately, that is not likely to happen. It is extremely important, therefore, that the regents consider the opinions of all groups when choosing a president. Only then will the best candidate be chosen to lead the University of Michigan into the 21st century. MR