Hunt for next University of Michigan president likely to be an intricate, top-secret search
Many unknowns surround the search for the University of Michigan's next president — from the list of contenders to the process that will guide regents as they look— but one thing is for sure: the hunt will be tightly monitored and top secret.
When Mary Sue Coleman was chosen for the top post in 2002, it was a complete surprise to most everyone on campus— including members of a search advisory committee. Many were convinced Joe White, a former dean of the business school who was serving as interim president at the time, would nab the top spot.
Mary Sue Coleman is retiring in 2014.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
Coleman, then president of the University of Iowa, hadn't been looking for a new job. But a search firm hired by the eight-member Board of Regents contacted her and asked if she would be interested in the position, according to a May 2002 Ann Arbor News article. She was, but only if her interest was kept a secret. She didn't want Iowa knowing she was considering a new job.
"It poisons the relationship in their home institution," said U-M social work professor Lawrence Root, who served on the 16-member search committee that advised the regents during their 2002 presidential search committee.
The search that produced Coleman, who announced April 18 that she will retire when her contract expires July 31, 2014 was the most secretive in U-M history. The previous search, which resulted in the hiring of law school dean Lee Bollinger in 1996, was much more open.
A 1999 decision by the Michigan Supreme Court made it legal for public universities to conduct closed searches when seeking a president. The only public meeting required is the meeting in which regents announce their choice.
"It's very important that the search process is allowed to occur outside the glare of the greater public," said Earl Lewis, former dean of U-M's Rackham Graduate School and the chairman of the 2002 search advisory committee. Lewis left U-M in 2004 to become the provost of Emory University and is now the president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
In 1996, four of the five finalists, including Bollinger, were publicly announced and input was sought in public meetings. The fifth finalist dropped out to avoid having his or her name become public, according to Ann Arbor News articles from the time.
Earl Lewis, left, chairman of the presidential search committee, talks with Mary Sue Coleman after she was selected as the president of the University of Michigan on May 29, 2002.
Ann Arbor News file photo
"There are stories of candidates whose names were leaked during the process, which compromised their ability to work at their current job," Lewis said. "You also want to be able to engage the candidate in the fullest conversation possible."
At the same time, the closed process can concern university stakeholders, who understandably want input on the final choice.
The university will likely hold focus groups to better understand the characteristics faculty, staff and students are looking for in a leader. Those groups will avoid talk about specific candidates. In 2002 the search advisory committee, which included 10 faculty members, one student, an alumnus and four other stakeholders and was appointed by regents, met with 25 to 30 campus groups to get their feedback. But not even the advisory committee knew the regents' final choice until the public announcement.
"The fact that this was a confidential search made it possible for me to participate," Coleman told The Ann Arbor News shortly after being hired in 2002.
Board of Regents Chairman Larry Deitch has served on U-M's governing board for more than two decades and was also chairman during the 2002 presidential search. He said the nascent search is still taking form and the board hasn't decided if it will follow the same search process it did in 2002. He declined further comment for this article.
Current regents Andrea Fischer Newman and Katherine White, both of Ann Arbor, also served on the board during the 2002 search, but either refused comment for this article or did not respond to inquiries. Newman told AnnArbor.com in March that the board hadn't decided whether it would convene an advisory committee like it did in 2002.
University of Michigan Regent Andrea Fischer Newman at the April 18 regents meeting.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
"We have not determined that for this time, but that was the way it was done last time," she said.
An advisory board, because of its consultive nature, is not subject to Michigan's Open Meetings Act or Freedom of Information Act, said Lisa Rycus Mikalonis, a media lawyer working out of Southfield.
The regents worked with Chicago firm A.T. Kearney during the 2002 search. Shelly Storbeck, an A.T. Kearney representative who worked with U-M in the search, declined to comment for this article. Storbeck has since started her own search firm. The board hasn't announced whether it will employ a search firm to find Coleman's replacement. The 2002 search cost U-M $335,000, according to a July 2002 Ann Arbor News article.
Presidential searches take on a variety of forms, depending on the institution. Regents can choose to convene an advisory committee or employ a search firm, or forgo both.
Schools such as Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology chose a leader quickly the last time they named a new president because the governing boards reportedly had replacements in mind. Other schools, like the University of Minnesota, are mandated by state law to hold public searches. Most elite schools, however, hold closed searches.
"Hiring a president is the most critical job of the board and we will seek an exceptional candidate who will lead the university into its third century," Newman said during a public board meeting on April 18. "There are many details to finalize and we anticipate a formal search will begin this summer."
In 2002, the 16 advisory committee members took oaths not to talk, but the secrecy of the search was not limited to eliminating leaks.
Everything from meetings to meals was carefully planned to avoid public attention. All interviews were conducted outside of Ann Arbor. Committee members were careful to arrive and leave meetings at different times and were cautious with receipts or anything else that might leave clues.
"It was very artfully managed," said Root. "[Candidates] can't run into each other at the airport."
University of Michigan Regent Larry Deitch.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
Recent searches for top university positions like the provost, general counsel and library dean indicate that the university remains closed-lipped when filling top academic positions.
"I've made some noises about that recently," said business school professor Scott Masten, who wants tenure-track faculty that don't also hold administrative positions to be involved in the search for Coleman's replacement.
"It is absolutely secret until the day it's announced. It's understandable why they do that," he said. "But that means it is much more important that the search committee... represent as many interests on campus as possible. The regular faculty are one of those groups."
Kim Kearfott, head of faculty government at U-M, has also emphasized the importance of faculty involvement during a search. The faculty senate is drafting a list of desired qualities in the next president. Kearfott said she has not been contacted for suggestions as to who should serve on an advisory search committee.
"I've been working now at public and private institutions. It is the responsibility of the board ... to hire the president," Lewis said. " It's actually not the responsibility of the faculty ... staff or alumni."
During the 2002 search the advisory committee began with more than 200 names. Since then, U-M's national profile has risen.
"It's a good job to step into," Root said.
Names tossed around on campus include: Teresa Sullivan, former U-M provost and current president of the University of Virginia who maintained strong support among U-M regents when she was temporarily ousted by the school's governing board; Marvin Krislov, president of Oberlin College and the former general counsel who led U-M's legal team as it supported affirmative action before the U.S. Supreme Court in early 2002; former U-M provost Nancy Cantor, who is set to retire as Syracuse University's president in 2014; and Martha Pollack, a former School of Information dean who will begin as U-M's provost in May.
Yet the list of possible finalists is large and it's unclear who regents consider top contenders. Although many U-M presidents have had some tie to the Ann Arbor school prior to assuming the presidency, the board may go with an outsider again like it did with Coleman. The board may also seek racial diversity in its applicant pool, as all U-M presidents have been white.
"There will be an ample number of candidates in the final process," said Lewis. "The University of Michigan has never had a challenge in finding individuals."
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
Stewart G. Griffin
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 2:18 p.m.
William Jefferson Clinton! I can just hear him using Rodney Dangerfield's line from the movie 'Back to School'..."Hey baby, why don't you call me sometime when you have no class".
annarbor28
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 4:36 p.m.
He's way too busy scheming.
annarbor28
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 5:23 a.m.
Mary Sue is also allowed to serve on Boards to make extra millions. This should not be allowed. The University President needs to be 100% for UM. Assume that the next president will be from an "underserved minority". Or Asian ("overserved minority") It will look better to the world. The president and other execs at UM are overpaid. Makes them have an inflated view of themselves. Before Mary Sue or anyone else spends millions of the state's tax dollars on a Supreme Court case, there should be a campus-wide referendum on the issue. Her main purpose in life was to increase minority enrollment. But under her reign, the graduation rate of African American students was only 65%, much lower than other UM groups. She showboated with her admissions policy, but then had no idea what to do after that. (Statistic from the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education which tracks this data). I wonder if she is resigning to run for Levin's seat, or if at age 70 she will give us all a break...
blue85
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 12:53 a.m.
One name comes to mind: Steve Forrest (sp?). He already runs the $1.2Billion research portfolio. Problem is that still leaves open to question his ability to span the duties entailed in running: the hospitals, the athletic drama, and undergraduate education. While Michigan has always been more prominent as to its graduate programs, it would be nice to see an emphasis on the undergraduate division to bring up the rankings and to also, hopefully, increase affordability. This is a huge job and its complexity shouldn't be underestimated. I'd imagine there aren't more than 20 names you'd want to consider for a job this size. Coleman has come in for a lot of criticism on these pages, but there have been very few stumbles over the last 10 years. Those that function on the stumbles ignore the many thousands of other decisions made on her watch which worked out. Back to the undergraduate theme, it might be that Sullivan, if sufficiently irked by her experience at UVA, would consider returning to Ann Arbor. She is notable for having both the head for budgets and the personality to cultivate faculty. She is also familiar with the scope and complexity of two major research institutions: UM and UT.
David Briegel
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 12:32 a.m.
Why do you think Davey Brandon isn't running for Senate?
GetRealA2
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 12:16 a.m.
Can I hold my breath until '14? How many sleepless nights between now and then? OMG! Relax people, it's out of our control. After all, it's "Top Secret", "For Their Eyes Only," etc. Don't worry, be happy. That's what it's all about in A2. :)
a2citizen
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 11:49 p.m.
How about Joseph Ratzinger.
Jay Thomas
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 5:38 a.m.
Chain smoking is a "no no" these days, David.
a2citizen
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 2:11 a.m.
Touche'
David Briegel
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 12:33 a.m.
Father Guido Sarducci
Steve Davis
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 11:23 p.m.
While I am not a fan of many of Mrs. Coleman's policies, she was certainly a qualified and capable chief executive for any university. People of her caliber are not going to be interested in an evaluation process that is open to the press and community. Regents and trustees are voted in to represent the public's interest and armchair quarterbacking is not needed by citizens and the media. Let the boards do their job and have the room and resources to find the best candidate without public meddling. If they do a poor job, vote them out in the next election.
Steve Davis
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 11:29 p.m.
Look at the disaster that "open hiring" created at Washtenaw Community College.
lorayn54
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 10:28 p.m.
i would not be surprised if Earl Lewis was on the short list.
Lemmy Caution
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 9:29 p.m.
Hmm. That photo with Earl Lewis sure gives one pause. He was a beloved administrator at Rackham, and a sterling representative of LSA (he's a historian), and perhaps the heat in Atlanta is getting to him. Come on home, Earl. We hardly knew ya!
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:24 p.m.
"The board may also seek racial diversity in its applicant pool, as all U-M presidents have been white." So the guy that was there for five minutes doesn't count? Regardless, choose the best candidate you can find and do not become part of some kind of system of patronage and quotas. Excellence should be the only goal. Oh,and Deitch has been there for too long. That board needs new blood.
Howard Beale
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:15 p.m.
Seeing we now have TV attorney Mark Bernstein on the U of M Board of Regents, perhaps they should look at hiring someone from either the University of Phoenix, DeVry, Dorsey School of Business, ITT Tech, etc. to round out the daytime commerical TV league of higher education.
rm1
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:06 p.m.
blue85 summarizes "the benefits of secrecy. . . . : making the names of candidates public narrows the candidate pool and reduces the probability of making the best hire." But there's another aspect. In picking the best candidate the regents might well want to discuss with candidates question like: "we have _____ problem in X department [or: The School of Y], centering on particular faculty; how might you deal with that?" "Do you think it's viable to maintain a _____ department [or School of _____] in today's circumstances?" "What equips you to deal with a [difficult] [pigheaded] [right-wing dominated] legislature?" Obviously, sensitive discussions like that would be different, probably not happen in useful fashion, if the media were in the front row. Far better these discussions be behind closed doors. Moreover, without private conversations, it's harder for the Regents to know a candidate well enough to become as comfortable with him or her. Back when it was thought the Open Meetings Act prohibited private conversations, I recall hearing that this factor gave the edge to Lee Bollinger, who had been law school faculty and dean here before taking the presidency of Dartmouth a couple of years before he was offered the job at U-M. The regents knew him well, and the other candidates not as well.
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6 p.m.
The fact that those are the only "names being tossed about" shows that they have a very narrow focus. The faculty has no business deciding who the next President is. But considering how much of a rubber stamp this board of regents have been, I can see why they think they may get some traction there. It would be nice if the new President is someone willing to take the heat for the decisions made that people don't like. This one is always ready to make clear that she was the final decision maker for anything uncontroversial and well liked. But always MIA for the rest (those were somebody else, etc, excuse me while I hide in the broom closet.).
blue85
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 12:57 a.m.
"The fact that those are the only "names being tossed about" shows that they have a very narrow focus. " That is probably not an accurate reflection of what is really going on. For a job of this scale and prominence, a retained search firm will be used to develop a list of 20-30 names which they will do due diligence on in order to reduce it to a short list of 5 or so who will be invited to interview. The names you are currently hearing are opinions and probably have nothing to do with what is going on behind the scenes.
Ron Burgandy
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 5:56 p.m.
Dean Vernon Wormer of Faber College would be my first choice, followed by Dean David Martin of Great Lakes University.
15crown00
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 5:35 p.m.
Brandon,Engler,Patricia Green,and I are all viable candidates.
Tom Todd
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 5:28 p.m.
Robert Reich
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:30 p.m.
They would have to buy a custom made lecturn for him to speak at. Do you really want to raise university costs during the tough times we are going through, Mr. Todd?
James
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 5:03 p.m.
Vartan Gregorian.
ribby
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 11:40 p.m.
Who are you talking about vivian? James is referring to the 1988 search when nut job former regent Deane Baker singlehandedly blackballed Gregorian from becoming president. The University would be in much better shape today if Gregorian had become president.
vivian
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:48 p.m.
It's true that he was regarded as very able when he was at the University of Texas (before he got tapped by BU), and people generally respected the way he operated. He undoubtedly knows how to run a big school, and (last I heard), he still had that wonderful, crazy notion that the purpose of university is to educate. But that could all have changed. Interesting idea, anyway.
JGA2trueblue
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 4:28 p.m.
Face the facts. Progressive and liberal to the highest degree. They will need a search committee to sift through the THOUSANDS in the world of sanctimonious academia. I will not miss MSC and shutter at who is next.
JRW
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:51 p.m.
People off the list: Rick Snyder, Jennifer Granholm, David Brandon Pizza Man. CEOs and politicians should not be hired to run universities. Get an academic with a record of running a large university from the outside, not an insider.
JRW
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:46 p.m.
Bring in someone from the outside. Need fresh blood at the top.
15crown00
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 5:36 p.m.
you think!!!!
northside
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:25 p.m.
How can something be "top secret" when everyone knows about it?
Kellie Woodhouse
Tue, Apr 30, 2013 : 4:02 p.m.
It's more that the inner workings and candidates are kept close to the vest. Of course the search itself is happening- that's not the secret part.
trespass
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:20 p.m.
AA.com has refused to cover a current lawsuit that is trying to challenge the Board of Regents' immunity to the Open Meetings Act. The constitution says that "The formal sessions of the Boards...shall be open to the public". So far the Courts are saying that "formal sessions" means that the Boards can close any session simply by calling it "informal". That is clearly not what was intended by this amendment to the constitution that was proposed by Ink White, a former President of the Michigan Press Association and was approved by nearly unanimous vote of the delegates to Con-Con. This is an example of a Supreme Court that is corrupted by electoral politics. Win or lose this lawsuit will affect the public's constitutional right to know what our elected Regents are doing in our name. It should get more news coverage.
trespass
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:13 p.m.
Joe White went on to be President of the University of Illinois and was fired over his role in a scandal about manipulating admissions to do favors for influential state politicians and donors. His assistant went on to be Chancellor at UC-Davis and was involved in a scandal over police actions against protestors. Nancy Cantor went on to be President at Syracuse but was almost fired over her lack of response to a child abuse case against a basketball coach. How do you vet a candidate in secret. There may be people at their home institution who would give the Board the inside scoop about their character if given the opportunity but will not have that opportunity if the search is secret. President Coleman has been repsonsible for an ever increasing atmosphere of secrecy and retaliation against dissidents. This was responsible for the child pornography cover up that so damaged the University's reputation. The Board has taken a very passive role toward her administration and it is about time that the Board became more proactive and stopped letting the administration become their only source of information. I think that anyone worth hiring, should have the integrity to seek the job publicly.
Greg
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:10 p.m.
Only for sure constant will be someone to whom social engineering will again be far more important than teaching the students.
Florida Sandman
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 2:57 a.m.
There are many others that believe UM is doing a very good job emphasizing teaching. From USNWR: Best Undergraduate Teaching National Universities Many colleges have a strong commitment to teaching undergraduates instead of graduate-level research. Based on a survey conducted in spring 2012, all the schools on these lists are ones that received the most votes from top college administrators as paying a particular focus on undergraduate teaching. #1 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH #1 Princeton University Princeton, NJ #3 Miami University–?Oxford Oxford, OH #4 Brown University Providence, RI #4 Yale University New Haven, CT #6 College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA #6 University of Michigan–?Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI #8 Duke University Durham, NC #8 University of California–?Berkeley Berkeley, CA #8 University of Chicago Chicago, IL #8 University of Maryland–?Baltimore County Baltimore, MD #8 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
blue85
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 1:01 a.m.
Thanks for the knee-jerk talking point. I'm sure you know as much about running a university as I do: less than nothing. Don't confuse the fact that "liberals" -- as you probably style them -- value education and thus end up both with educations and within the teaching profession with the "theory" that somehow the liberal bent in education is reflective of social engineering. The people that love the institution and who are committed to its ongoing excellence will hire the person that they think will move the university along that trajectory and are unlikely to be voting based on some absurd talking point.
Tru2Blu76
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:07 p.m.
In a rational world (fat chance of this being among such worlds), it would be helpful to investigate the existence of "poisoning the relationship with the home institution" as a reason for building secrecy walls in a public institution. It can't be because "talent" is so rare. I'm guessing it's more about "home institutions" being over-sensitive about their "reputations." I think the real question is: was the University of Iowa "damaged" by MSC's departure and did they have "trouble" replacing her? Last time I checked, that university is still standing and has an adequately functioning president. This secrecy "drama" smacks of political correctness. I think we've had enough of that, given what it costs Michigan's tax payers.
blue85
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 1:03 a.m.
"This secrecy "drama" smacks of political correctness. I think we've had enough of that, given what it costs Michigan's tax payers." 1) how do you equate secrecy with political correctness? 2) what has secrecy or the presumptively equational political correctness cost Michigan? Offer some support for either contention.
johnnya2
Mon, Apr 29, 2013 : 12:55 a.m.
Actually your using the U of Iowa example makes the case for secrecy. If it were determined that MSC was in the running for the job, then DID NOT get it, then her time there was fantastic would be what you would need to prove your inane argument. The best example of why secrecy is important would be the case of Teresa Sullivan. The president of the U of Virgina has already had a less than amiable relationship with the Board of Visitors at that U. Imagine she makes overt desires to come back to the UM and become president. It would make it very difficult to get anything accomplished. It is one of the reasons term limits do not work. It makes people never do anything because they are always waiting for the next person.
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:15 p.m.
I suspect the place wouldn't fall apart even without a President.
Ken
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:03 p.m.
For sure, one lib leaves while another lib comes in through the door, giving your son and daughter a "balanced" viewpoint in their education.
rcastentman
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:57 p.m.
Secret? The job is Dave Brandon's if he wants it.
Rod Johnson
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:49 p.m.
[citation needed]
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:15 p.m.
Not gonna happen.
JRW
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:47 p.m.
Pizza Man? The worst choice imaginable.
You Don't Say
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:45 p.m.
Gotta love using the words Top Secret Search" with a public University. Whoever they hire they should not be making more money than Governor Snyder. Mary Sue was over paid big time. While University staff are forced to live with 1-3% merit increases, the University will spend millions on a search and millions more hiring the next over paid President. But hey, they will just raise tuition to supplement their oversights. Stick it to the students......again.
Thaddeus
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:35 p.m.
And besides the paltry 1-3% merit increases, the bulk of UofM's low-paid employees are being asked to do ever more with ever less staff, funding, etc. Employees who are "at-will" with no real legal rights to start with. Making the nearly $1M price tag for their President absurd, regardless who is in the role. If the UofM really thinks that they must spend this kind of money to hire, perhaps the UofM would greatly benefit from a complete outsider with a little more connection to reality? As the UofM is priviledged with tax-free non-profit status, it would be nice if the UofM would be a little more tasteful and responsible when throwing around/away its/our $Billions....
Tesla
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:12 p.m.
They should have kept the whole Eminent Domain thing super secret too. Ya know....the thing where they are bullying residents out of their own properties so they can build new stuff. Go State anymore. Ugh I'm tired of it.
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:18 p.m.
Yes, yes, the U has the RIGHT to gobble up the Town. Quiet peasants!
rm1
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 5:21 p.m.
Your comments might command more respect if you tried to get your facts straight. No one is being bullied "out of their own properties." The two buildings subject to eminent domain are student housing in modest disrepair, owned by a commercial landlord, no doubt with the usual student housing turnover. Eminent domain has been part of Michigan law since Colonial times, and is a routine and respected means for balancing the needs of public institutions to obtain property for "public purposes" and of the property owner to receive "just compensation". What's likely happening is that the landlord is seeking a higher price. The owners of the other (eight or so?) buildings on the site have all sold at negotiated prices. The U will probably pay a bit more, to get possession sooner than if the eminent domain case is litigated to its leisurely end.
Homeland Conspiracy
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:11 p.m.
Top Secret....Way do they need to hide what they are doing
Jay Thomas
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:20 p.m.
That way any negatives that may come out about the candidates never will (and the Regents can wrap the whole thing up in a couple afternoons). Don't make trouble.
blue85
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:50 p.m.
Have somebody sound out the article for you. The article was EXTREMELY clear as to the benefits of secrecy. To make it easy for you: making the names of candidates public narrows the candidate pool and reduces the probability of making the best hire.
Laurie Barrett
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:01 p.m.
Go with the Oberlin guy
JRW
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:48 p.m.
Oberlin is a small liberal arts college. It would be like running LSA and then running the UM. Get someone who is already running a large university and has a proven track record at that level.
Elijah Shalis
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2 p.m.
Jennifer Granholm would make a great choice
JRW
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:49 p.m.
Granholm? She was terrible at the last DNC. She couldn't even make a speech!
ManA2
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 1:28 p.m.
The point of the article is an extremely good one. The best candidates, who likely already hold great positions, would not agree to be involved in an open process. Frustrating though it will be for some, trying to open the process will lead to an inferior group of candidates. This is the Regents' most important duty.
Kai Petainen
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 1:17 p.m.
Kellie... fascinating article. Thanks for writing about this.
Kellie Woodhouse
Tue, Apr 30, 2013 : 3:57 p.m.
Thanks Kai.
Dog Guy
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 1:13 p.m.
What a shame that regents Mark J. Bernstein and Shauna Ryder Diggs will not be considered for this position !
C. Montgomery Burns
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 6:27 p.m.
Perhaps if named new President of U of M, Mark Bernstein could make sure members of his family have reserved parking spaces next to the ambulance entrance over at the U of M Hospital.
Elijah Shalis
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:01 p.m.
I hope you are joking
genetracy
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 12:54 p.m.
The search should be easy. Just find the most politically correct person on the planet.
Dirty Mouth
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 11:46 a.m.
Al Gore would be an excellent choice to lead the University of Michigan.
peter
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 3:54 p.m.
Gore might try to sell it to the University of Tehran.
Homeland Conspiracy
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 2:09 p.m.
Man,Bear,Pig
Arborcomment
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 10:55 a.m.
Secretive, Selective, Search Firm, Sistine Chapel, Selection processes. Sad it has to be this way. But it does establish a precedent. After going through that kabuki dance; the Regents know a selected candidate will handle events like Hospital Resident Porn, one Police Chief suicide, one Police Chief "removal" and other issues with the same degree of transparency as the selection process.
YouSaidWhat?
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 10:47 a.m.
The beloved former Governor John Engler would be an excellent University President promoting a UM that prepares young adults for the "real" world.
tom swift jr.
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 1:39 p.m.
Well I'll be darned! I never thought I would see the word "beloved" in the same sentence as John Engler's name.
Dirty Mouth
Sun, Apr 28, 2013 : 11:46 a.m.
April fools was 27 days ago.