Sometime this month, the trustees of the University of New Hampshire are expected to name the institution?s 19th President. Meanwhile, many at UNH are taking long last looks at the 18th President, who steps down in june. Joan Leitzel is widely hailed as one of the most successful presidents in the university?s 136-year history. NHPR?s Doug MacPherson reports.
IF YOU VISIT U-N-H?S DURHAM CAMPUS THESE DAYS, IT?S HARD TO FIND ANYONE WITH A BAD WORD TO SAY ABOUT PRESIDENT JO ANN LEITZEL.
VOX POP
TAPE JOHN SEAVY 527 the depth of the affection for her and the respect for her goes across faculty and staff and students and there are just so many people who would have preferred that she not retire.
TAPE PHYLLIS BENNETT 176 she is very proud of this institution. I think ? I know she believes it has been a privilege to serve as the president of the university.
TAPE ANDREW ROSENBERG 232 that combination of being personally interested but not feeling that she has to give direction on every issue, is incredibly valuable. And frankly is hard to come by.
TAPE STEVE TAYLOR I think everyone who has worked with joan and who knows her will agree that it is going to be a difficult act to follow. That everyone is going to judge her successor against her performance. She?s going to be the yardstick that everyone will be using. :46
WHEN JO-ANN LEITZEL ARRIVED IN 1996, SHE INHERITED
A UNIVERSITY IN DISARRAY. IT HAD BEEN THROUGH A STRING OF PRESIDENTS WHO HAD COME AND GONE ON SHORT NOTICE. THEY WERE EITHER LURED AWAY BY MORE ATTRACTIVE INSTITUTIONS, OR THEY JUST PLAIN DIDN?T WORK OUT.
NEW HAMPSHIRE AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER STEVE TAYLOR, A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF 1962, HEADED THE SEARCH COMMITTEE THAT RECOMMENDED LEITZEL. TAYLOR SAYS FROM THE BEGINNING, SHE INSPIRED CONFIDENCE.
TAPE STEVE TAYLOR as I recall we had 8 candidates, and we interviewed them over a period of two days, two hours apiece. And I clearly remember, she was like the third or fourth one to come through. And after our session she left the room. And there was just a feeling in the room of people saying, ?wow, that?s the one, right there.? :22
PRESIDENT LEITZEL TELLS A STORY ABOUT THE DAY SHE CAME TO DURHAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. SHE NOTICED A TALL PINE TREE NEAR THE PRESIDENT?S HOUSE. IT APPEARS TO GROW OUT OF A GRANITE BOULDER SPLIT IN HALF. LEITZEL SEIZED ON THAT IMAGE AS A SYMBOL OF THE UNIVERSITY?S DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED. SHE USED IT IN HER INAUGURAL ADDRESS. SHE USED IT IN UNIVERSITY REPORTS. JOHN SEAVY, PROFESSOR OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT, SAYS THE SYMBOL WORKED.
TAPE JOHN SEAVY 461 it?s a great symbol b/c it takes a great deal of determination and effort for a tree to grow up - it uses what resources are available, it has very limited space to grow. :14
YET IT DOES GROW, DESPITE LIMITED RESOURCES. NATIONWIDE, NEW HAMPSHIRE RANKS LAST IN STATE SUPPORT OF HIGHER EDUCATION. SHORTLY AFTER SHE ARRIVED, LEITZEL EMBARKED ON A 100-MILLION DOLLAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN. SEAVY SAYS AT THE TIME, MANY ON CAMPUS FEARED IT COULDN?T BE DONE. THE MOST AMBITIOUS PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN WAS FOR 18-MILLION DOLLARS. BUT SOMETIME THIS SPRING, U-N-H?S EXPECTS TO TAKE IN THE ONE HUNDRED MILLIONTH DOLLAR ? TWO YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
TAPE JOHN SEAVY 500 it was successful b/c people had confidence in the university. And the confidence in the university leadership. For the first time we had a very strong, stable administrative team. Joan leitzel is known nationally as a strong, respected president. //// She was able to articulate the //// contributions that this capital campaign could actually make. :24
MEANWHILE, RESEARCH GRANTS TO U-N-H HAVE NEARLY DOUBLED --
FROM 43-MILLION DOLLARS IN 1996, TO 82-MILLION LAST YEAR. DESPITE THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN RESEARCH, ANDREW ROSENBERG, DEAN OF LIFE SCIENCES AND AGRICULTURE, CREDITS LEITZEL WITH MAINTAINING FOCUS ON THE UNIVERSITY?S OVERALL MISSION.
TAPE ANDREW ROSENBERG 208 she?s made it clear that she?s very supportive of the research programs, but we have to think of our three missions of teaching, research and service together. We don?t want to have this separation where, some people are the researchers, and some people are the teachers, and some people do service activities. That?s why we have undergraduates so heavily involved in our research programs. The other thing that prez leitzel has done that frankly made me want to come here, is she allows the flexibility you need as a growing institution to look for all the opportunities that you can find. :35
ROSENBERG CHARACTERIZES U-N-H AS ?ADMINISTRATIVELY LIGHT.? WHEN A FACULTY MEMBER HAS AN IDEA FOR A NEW INITIATIVE, HE OR SHE KNOWS TO HEAD DIRECTLY FOR THE PRESIDENT?S OFFICE.
LEITZEL?S OFFICE IS A HIGH CEILINGED ROOM IN THE IN THE BELL TOWER OF THOMPSON HALL. FROM THERE, JOAN LEITZEL, PRESIDENT AND PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS, DIRECTS HER VISION OF U-N-H.
TAPE LEITZEL 307 if you go into a laboratory on this campus, you?ll see a senior faculty member, probably at least one junior, maybe two junior faculty members, a post doc or two, a graduate student, and three undergraduates: a continuum of learners. :19
LEITZEL IS NOT ONE TO DWELL ON DISAPPOINTMENTS ? SUCH AS THE TALENTED RESEARCHER OR ADMINISTRATOR SHE DIDN?T MANAGE TO HIRE. SHE ESPOUSES THE PRACTICALITY OF HER NATIVE INDIANA.
TAPE LEITZEL 238 there are times when you can?t move on certain fronts that are important, and so you move on other fronts. And do those things that need to be done that can be done under your watch. :13
WHEN ASKED WHAT?S THE ONE THING SHE WANTS NEW HAMPSHIRE RESIDENTS TO KNOW ABOUT U-N-H, LEITZEL POINTS TO VALUE.
TAPE LEITZEL 364 I would quietly say, they get a lot for the buck. for a relatively small state investment, they get an exceptionally well prepared work force. :13
SHE STRESSES U-N-H?S PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT. DOZENS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE CITIES AND TOWNS. MORE THAN 600 BUSINESS PROJECTS IN 88-COMMUNITIES. MORE THAN 600 EDUCATION PROJECTS IN 152-COMMUNITIES.
LEITZEL HAS ACCOMPLISHED MUCH OF WHAT SHE SET OUT TO DO AS PRESIDENT. SHE DECENTRALIZED THE BUDGET PROCESS ? CREATING 20-SEPARATE CENTERS, EACH RESPONSIBLE FOR BALANCING ITS OWN BUDGET. U-N-H MANCHESTER HAS A NEW CAMPUS -- AND A NEW IDENTITY -- LEITZEL DUBBED IT THE ?URBAN? CAMPUS. A SLOW BUT STEADY INCREASE IN MINORITY ENROLLMENT. EIGHT NEW MASTERS PROGRAMS. THREE NEW DOCTORAL PROGRAMS.
NOW SAYS LEITZEL ? WHO NEVER REVEALS HER AGE -- IT?S TIME FOR HER TO STEP DOWN.
TAPE LEITZEL 415 it?s the right time for my age, and it?s a good time for the university. We?ll finish this capital campaign. The next president should craft the next capital campaign. It won?t be 100 million, it will be 250. or something. :16
IN RETIREMENT, LEITZEL PLANTS TO LIVE IN OHIO TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY. BUT SHE PROMISES TO RETURN OFTEN TO NEW HAMPSHIRE.
TAPE LEITZEL 443 a presidency is not forever, but friendship is. And so I think we can depend on that. :10
LEITZEL IS A MODEST WOMEN. SHE ALMOST NEVER SAYS ?I.? SHE SAYS A UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING ALONE. SHE REFERS OFTEN TO HER ?TEAM? OF SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS. ONE MEMBER OF THAT TEAM IS PHYLLIS BENNETT, VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS.
TAPE PHYLLIS BENNETT 231 she does understand that you get a whole lot more done with a group of people, not individuals competing. And in an institution often challenged for resources, that team building //// is a very important dynamic. :15
LEITZEL SOUGHT TO BUILD TEAM WORK AMONG NEW FACULTY MEMBERS AS WELL. SHE INSTITUTED A THREE DAY, STATE-WIDE BUS TOUR TO VISIT EXAMPLES OF THE UNIVERSITY?S OUTREACH.
BENNETT SAYS THE TOUR WAS SUCCESSFUL IN BUILDING CAMARADERIE -- INCLUDING ON ONE HUMOROUS OCCASION DURING A REST STOP AT A CONVENIENCE STORE.
TAPE BENNETT 143 faculty began to joke about how they might purchase a lottery ticket, of course ? and win, and help to fund the university. They chided the president and tried to encourage her to participate in this. And in a quiet voice, and one that I?ll remember, president leitzel said, ?unfortunately, mathematics professors don?t buy lottery tickets.? :22
THERE-IN LIES, PERHAPS, THE GREATEST FAILURE OF THE 18TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ? JO-ANN LEITZEL DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THE STATE LOTTERY SYSTEM. FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I?M DOUG MACPHERSON.
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