President Schlissel's first day today
Today is President Mark Schlissel's first day on the new job.
Pretty good interview here: http://record.umich.edu/articles/let-schlissel-era-begin.
Only 2 questions on sports.
"Whenever I've been on campus (as president-elect) there has been a buzz and people are busy. I am eager to engage with student groups. I want to engage with student government. I'll have regular meetings with The Michigan Daily."
I like him already.
and best of luck in your tenure as head of the Leaders and Best.
Oh, and the mini-muffin basket is from me.
and I hope this new guy gets crunk and does a halftime speech at a football game right away instead of waiting until retirement.
Let's all get CRUNK!
Can't wait for the Friday night crinkin' thread!
Did he spin the cube this morning?
Free the Fab Five
This may not be super popular on this blog, but I would really like him to insert himself as the head of the university and that includes over our AD. I love Michigan Sports to death, but at times it seems like their is a major disconnect between south campus and the rest of the school.
I don't think we have to demphasize one department over the other. We can be Harvard academically and Alabama athletically.
I'm pretty sure we're better than Alabama athletically.
In other words, Stanford.
I think the most encouraging thing about that interview was the LACK of conversation regarding athletics. I'm as big a Michigan sports fan as anybody, but my pride for the University stands with or without athletics. I've got a degree from one of the greatest schools in the world and I want it to stay that way. If a president has to worry about athletics, I'm not happy with the state of the department. I was turned off by people criticizing MSC for how the RR and Hoch hirings went down, in particular, those finding fault with her lack of attentiveness and sense of urgency. Hiring a head coach for the varsity football team is pretty trivial in the context of all the other issues that she/he oversees from that office.
Should the new guy be keeping an eye on Dave Brandon's marketing circus? Absolutely. I think what he's sown is over the top and irreverent to that which makes Michigan great. Those who are Leaders and Best need not promote themselves to influence the community, state, country and world in a positive way. Nor, with an umpteen billion dollar endowment should the AD be seeking new revenue, fergodsakes. If I were president, I'd want him to put a lid on it. However, Dave Brandon can, like him or not, keep pretty good tabs on his personnel. Leave him be with that, Mr. President, and keep Michigan great.
Leftrare, I think you nailed it.
Although our sports programs are very visible, the fully self-sustaining athletic department budget represents a very small percentage of U of M dollars. While we tend to be a bit critical of our athletic department on occasion, on balance, it does a pretty good job. Most universities would trade with us in a heartbeat.
I'm most proud of the University because of its great academics, its research, its medicine, culture and a host of other things that it adds to the local, US and world communities, to say nothing of what a Michigan education has meant to me and my sons. I may live and breath Michigan athletics, but that is really the icing on the cake.
Good luck to our new president.
...a good guy.
I really like the fact he spent time touring the state incognito, but two weeks is not enough time to see and do everything that Michigan has on offer during summer.