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Posted on Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 5 p.m.

Yes, that's Susan Martin, EMU president, rappelling down that building

By Kellie Woodhouse

Sixty feet is a long way down.

That’s what Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin learned today as she rappelled down a 60-foot building.

“I wondered what I was doing once I got up there,” Martin joked.

Martin joined more than 30 students in EMU’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program today as they rappelled down the side of Roosevelt Hall on EMU’s campus in Ypsilianti.

“It’s crazy,” she said with a laugh. “I grew up on a farm and we had a silo that was 50 feet and I thought that was pretty tall, but…”

The students rappelled as part of their Army-based training. Martin did it to meet a challenge offered last year by ROTC students.

“They talked to me about rappelling and I just said yes,” she recalls.

Martin said she took the descent nice and slow.

“I just did little bounces,” she said. “One step at a time.” So, did her fellow adventure seekers cheer her on?

“Yes,” Martin said. “They were very supportive and happy that the president would be crazy enough to rappel down the building with them.”

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.

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Eastern Michigan University President Susan Martin rappels down the side of Roosevelt Hall on Thursday afternoon. The president decided to join the ROTC in their once-a-semester activity to show her support for the program.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Comments

catfishrisin

Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 4:17 p.m.

She's practicing her escape plan for when the employees bring their pitch forks to run her out of Dodge.

Jimmy McNulty

Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.

Good for Susan Martin for supporting ROTC when others in academia (such as Columbia) find it necessary to shun the program. (But Columbia IS ok with hosting Ahmadinejad twice recently.)

Hypnotique

Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 1:47 a.m.

Comparing Eastern Michigan to Michigan? Isn't that like comparing Big Lots (EMU) to Nordstrom's (UM)?

LBH

Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 8:40 p.m.

Absolutely not! More like comparing those who plan to sit around and theorize what it is like to actually work for a living, and those who actually do work for a living.

Basic Bob

Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:24 a.m.

She should challenge Mary Sue Coleman to a rappel down the side of an iconic U-M building, or maybe they could meet to rappel down the side of the Water Tower. I think it would be a little more challenging.

Jennifer Eshelman

Fri, Oct 7, 2011 : 12:12 a.m.

OK Mary Sue, the gauntlet has been thrown!

observer

Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:09 p.m.

she is very brave to do that.....more so than me.......

Gordy Austin

Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 10:06 p.m.

Shouldn't she be figuring out what to do regarding EMU's budget crisis? Or perhaps EMU has already determined who will be the next group of employees to go on Unemployment?

bedrog

Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 9:36 p.m.

cool!

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