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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 19, 1988)
» Tuesday, July 19, 1988/The Battalion/Page 3 Presidents: New and Old stresses research, recruitment in speech editor’s note: The following is the , text of the presidential acceptance given by Dr. William Hodges wden Mobley. fl Jied,TfChairman Eller, Members of the fteriaiBard of Regents, Chancellor Adkis- o (jiisjjBj, it is with pleasure, pride, and |Bh expectations that I respectfully ’ t » e P t y our invitation to become the ,S raet ®h president of Texas A&M Uni- notiai-H-gity, Since its founding in 1876, ' wa/itcHs great University has been itek if.bfessed with outstanding leadership )/• our .B° n g its Regents, chancellors, «sidents, various advisory boards, nns, department heads and fac- ourliiMy Over the past seven years, Dr. Tniei Frank E. Vandiver has further em- ke i)uf| bellished Texas A&M’s tradition of tus. ] exrmplary leadership. The qualita- nd nei anc ^ Hnantitative development of .■ R institution during his presidency 1 ! has been truly remarkable. I look ,e we ward to nurturing the many Bds that he has planted, and to >e iveoUnting new seeds in the richer in- ^■ectual and cultural environment Hit he has helped create. President )e we( Vandiver, it is a distinct honor to be big fl y our successor. veryoiHAs Texas A&M University pre- -lik ( pa ies f° r the challenges and oppor- Jneser Hiities of the 21st century, our ac- ■nplishments will be constrained ■“Hy by the resources and creative <iise. K environment that we provide for our talented faculty, students, and staff. With the concurrence of the Board of Regents, a priority goal for this administration will be to accelerate H development of the external re- Hirces needed to supplement the -O Hreasingly tight resources. En- f | Hiced external resources are essen- 1 tf| if we are to take full advantage of the intellectual and creative human capital represented in the faculty, students and staff of this University. Only with enhanced resource devel opment can we further push back the frontiers of knowledge and in- He this knowledge into the eco- ident i attalion. r nomic, technological, cultural and social fabric or our state and nation. Over the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to working with the faculty, students, staff, various constituencies, the chancellor, and ultimately the Board of Regents, in further refining the University’s goals and plans for the coming decade. Although there will be other forums later for more ex pansive discussions, permit me to share ten basic dimensions of my vi sion for the University and the presi dency. First, the global village has ar rived. We have an obligation as an institution to help insure that the students and public whom we serve are informed citizens, problem solv ers and decision makers in an in creasingly interwoven global econ omy and society. The global thrust of our academic, research and serv ice programs must be accelerated. Second, as we move further into a knowledge-based society, Texas A&M has an opportunity to play an increasingly important role in devel oping the knowledge base and tech nologies that are essential to the con- tinued economic and social development of our state and na tion. Texas A&M University has moved into the nation’s top ten re search universities. We should con tinue to enhance our research and graduate program emphasis in strat egic areas and to sharpen our tech nology transfer capabilities. Third, as we continue to develop our research programs, we cannot, we must not, and we will not forget that teaching and knowledge disse mination are co-equal to the knowl edge generation and research mis sion of this institution. It is a false dichotomy to pit teaching against re search. Both are essential. Both must be, and will be emphasized, re warded and recognized. Fourth, the traditions, the sup- “It is a false dichotomy to pit teaching against research. Both are essential. Both must be, and will be em phasized, rewarded and recognized. ” — Willim H. Mobley, new A&M president portive student environment, and the student leadership development opportunities afforded by the Corps of Cadets, the Memorial Student Center, student government and lit erally hundreds of student organiza tions, are a fundamental component of the rich fabric of this University. The development of the remarkable number of graduates who go on to be leaders in their chosen fields, and the incredible institutional loyalty and generosity of our former stu dents, are attributable in no small way to the supportive student envi ronment and co-curricular pro grams that characterize this Univer sity. We must, and will, jealously guard and nurture this environment in the face of the size, diversity and complexity of our University. Fifth, the demographics of Texas and the nation are changing rapidly. We are becoming an older, more ur ban and more ethnically diverse population. Texas A&M University must continue to expand its em phasis on the recruitment and reten tion of minorities if we are able to be responsive to the economic, social and leadership needs of Texas and the nation. I plan to play a personal role in this effort. We also must ex plore innovative mechanism for de livering our knowledge and services to the older and urban portions of our population. Sixth, there are a number of foun dation elements that support all that we do, and can do, as a great Univer sity. In this category, I place our li braries, computing, telecommunica tions, state of the-art lab equipment, and physical space. These founda tion elements are very expensive and require continuous initiatives, we will not lose sight of the need to address the resource requirements of these foundation elements. Seventh, we are intrusted with a very large and growing financial and physical base supported by state, federal, auxiliary enterprise, gift and grant dollars. We will continue to be committed to the highest stan dards of prudence, diligence and in tegrity in the stewardship of the re sources available to us. Eighth, when all is said and done, it is our faculty who provide the quality teaching, the student mentor ing, the research and knowledge dis semination that have made this Uni versity great. We must continue to recruit, develop and reward excel lence as we continue to develop an already superb faculty. Ninth, Texas A&M University has a great story to tell about its stu dents, former students, faculty, re search and service programs and its remarkable development. We can, and will, be doing an even better job of communicating this story, in Aus tin, in Washington, in New York, and throughout the nation and world. I consider it to be one of the more pleasant opportunities of the presidency, to be able to play a lead ership in role in more broadly com municating the Texas A&M Univer sity story. Tenth and finally, Texas A&M University is a major component of the Texas A&M University System. I have had the distinct honor and pleasure for the past two years of working for System Chancellor Dr. Perry L. Adkisson, a distinguished scientist, an effective administrator, one of the hardest working, honest and dedicated leaders I know. Dep uty Chancellors Jimmy Bond and Ed Davis are truly talented, effective and committed members of the Chancellor’s leadership team. Chan cellor Adkisson, you and your Sys tem leadership team have made my commitment of cooperation and support in continuing to develop the strongest possible working relationship between the System and this University. Much more could be said about the future of Texas A&M, but this is not the time or place. Let me close on a personal note. My family and I have been blessed immensely by Texas A&M University. In the eight years that I have been at Texas A&M, I have had remarkable oppor tunities for professional and per sonal development. My wife of 24 years, Jayne, and my older daugh ter, Michele, earned degrees from this University and my younger daughter, Jennifer, currently is pur suing an Aggie degree. We are proud to be a part of the Aggie fam ily that has so enriched oyir family. Permit me to conclude by citing one of my favorite passages from Al fred North Whitehead: “Fools act on imagination without knowledge, Pedants act on knowledge without imagination. The role of a great university is to effecti vely weld imagination and knowledge.” Mr. Chairman, members of the Board of Regents, Chancellor Adkis son, I look forward to working with you and our various constituencies, to continue to develop Texas A&M University’s role as a master welder of imagination and knowledge. Thank you. Leaders from city, campus praise choice of Mobley “He will probably continue the in corporation between the city and the University and will probably be good to work with. I am pleased with the selection. He is a person who will ingly listens to what you have to say.” — Larry Ringer, mayor of College Station and head of the statistics de partment at A&M. “I have worked with him (Mobley) in the community and think he is an excellent choice and a great leader. He is an outstanding choice for the position. I know him and have felt through the entire process that he William H. Mobley vears ft 1 more e man' Ip Photo by Jay Janner d crlsl \MLeft to right) Frank Vandiver, William Mobley, David Eller and i migtU Perry Adkisson take questions at a press conference Monday, i in a njp reader' || BORN: Nov. 15, 1941 in Akron, Ohio. EDUCATION: 1959-1963 — Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Bachelor’s degrees in psychology and economics. 1967-197! — University of Maryland in College Park, Md. Ph.B. in industrial organizational psychol ogy- FAMILY: Married in June 1964 to Jayne Patron Mobley. Two daughters— Michele and Jennifer. UNIVERSITY WORK EXPERIENCE: University of South Carolina 1973-1976 — Assistant professor in the College of Business Administration. 1976-1979 — Associate professor in the CB A. 1979- 1980— Professor in the CB A. 1975-1980 -— Director for Center of Management and Organizational Research. Texas A&M University 1980- 1981 — Professor and head. Department of Management. 1981- 1983 — Associate dean, CBA. 1983-1986 - Dean, CBA. Founding director of the Center for International Business Studies. 1986- 1987 — Deputy chancellor, academic and re source development. 1987- present — Executive deputy chancellor for the Texas A&M University System. SELECTED A&M COMMITTEES: Blocker Chair Search Committee, 1982 (chair). Accounting Department Head Search Committee, 1982 (chair). Industrial Research Park Development Committee. 1983-1984. Liberal Arts Dean Search Committee, 1984 (chair). System Long Range Planning Committee, 1986 (chair). Deputy chancellor for Agricultural Search Commit tee, 1987. SELECTED BOARDS: 1986-present — Board of Directors, Center for In ternational Business Studies. 1984-1985— Board of Directors, Bryan-College Sta tion Chamber of Commerce. SELECTED OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIV ITIES: Chairman, Southeastern Industrial Organizational Psychologists Association, 1976-1977. Study Abroad Coordinator, CBA, Summer 1987, En gland and Scotland. American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Busi ness, Accreditation Research Committee, 1984-1986; Chairman, 1985-1986; Accreditation Management Committee, 1985-1986. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Advi sory Committee on International Issues, chair. 1988- present. would do an excellent job if he were selected.” — Bryan Mayor Marvin Tate. “I knew from talk around campus that the Regents wanted someone lo cal. I worked with him a few times on the Chancellor-Student Advisory Board and really enjoyed it.” — Mason Hogan, student body president for 1987-88 and a mem ber of the Board of Regents Search Advisory Committee. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a man of high principles and dedication. I think he will be one of the great presidents of Texas A&M. It’s good news that he’s been selec ted.” — Edwin H. Cooper, director of school relations for A&M. “It’s a fantastic choice. I think he’s going to be a great president. I don’t think we could have found a presi dent who could fit the bill better.” — Gen. Wesley Peel, vice chan cellor for facilities planning and construction. ^ “He’s an outstanding person. I’m very pleased because from what I know about him he’s a super choice.” — Maj. Gen. Thomas Darling, Com mandant of Cadets. Correction In Friday’s Battalion a story er roneously said the nuclear science center was part of the Texas En gineering Extension Service. The correct entity is the Texas Engi neering Experiment Station. The center received a $5,000 fine from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for violations and A&M officials said they would take any necessary steps to com ply with commission guidelines. The Battalion regrets the er- ts, thest| rators, (egents 5 s a&mi solve tlKj Vandiver steps down, leaves trail of accomplishments By Janet Goode Senior Staff Writer osoptyVEXAS A&M PRESIDENT pink E. Vandiver, the man who llught to A&M the concepts of fflfrld” and “space-grant” univer- an< ^ saw enc l owrnent figures Jjs the billion-dollar mark, is step- ~~ f ,Jg down Aug. 1 to head the y#ff her Institute for Defense Stud- William Mobley, executive ^^Buty chancellor of the Texas University System, was named 'abdiver’s successor Monday at the Hrd of Regents meeting. Hhrough Vandiver’s seven-year idininistration, A&M has surpassed nijestones placing it in the ranks of he nation’s top 10 universities. And he University’s 2,500-student in- fease this past fall was the largest in he nation. As enrollment figures near ‘0|000, Vandiver said Monday, the My immediate problem he sees fac- ng the new president is a lack of re- j.l»fH rces to com t> a t enrollment in- think (Mobley) is coming in at a uliarly interesting time in the his- ory of A&M,” Vandiver said. “We Hat a crossroad where (A&M) has [Hands of opportunities, somewhat tampered by problems, not the least /^fwhich is money. •t-i x'But I think with (Mobley’s) con tacts in industry and business, he will ■ ’iextremely effective in raising out- ide funds. That will be one of his nain functions. Aside from that I n’t really see problems that ought give him cold chills at night.” Wandiver, 62, said he regrets leav- ionly because of things undone ind his love for A&M. “I would like to have done some things that I didn’t get done, but I’m so tickled at what I’m going to be doing,” he said. “I think seven years as a president is a long time for a University. “It’s time to pass it on to people with vision, new enthusiasm and op portunities. I regret leaving because I love the job. I love the school. But I don’t regret the fact that I have such an able man taking over for me.” AS A YOUNG BOY, Vandiver of ten visited his next-door neighbor — Albert Einstein — for help with his math homework. He says he didn’t learn much, though, because “math wasn’t really my thing.” Vandiver never officially grad uated from college or even high school. He stopped attending regu lar classes after the seventh grade when his mother moved to Florida to care for her sick father. He studied with private tutors and then, after fulfilling the require ments in an undergraduate exami nation at UT-Austin, Vandiver went directly to graduate school. He pub lished his first scholarly paper at 16 and completed work on his master’s degree in nine months. Two years later he earned a doctorate in history at Tulane University. Starting in 1975, he became pro vost and then vice president of Rice University. He resigned in 1979 to accept the presidency of North Texas State University. VANDIVER ACCEPTED the presidency of Texas A&M Univer sity two years later, September 1981, calling himself a “galvanized Aggie.” He was noisily greeted by some 3,000 Corp of Cadets members who marched on the president’s house. Vandiver and his family reportedly Frank E. Vandiver faced the crowd smiling, and joined in the yelling. Vandiver was quoted by The Bat talion as saying that some people felt he was the “crazy new guy with global concerns.” Shortly after his powerful begin ning, Vandiver’s administration al most came to an abrupt end when he threatened to resign because of Jackie Sherill’s emergence as the new athletic director and head coach for Texas A&M. As reported in the Jan. 2, 1982 is sue of The Battalion, Vandiver had given the previous coach, Tom Wil son, a vote of confidence. Despite this, the University regents, who re portedly instigated the hiring, disre garded Vandiver’s recommenda tion. The incident was said to have damaged the president’s credibility. Soon after, Vandiver re-emerged with a strong-arm conviction to do something positive for the Univer sity. HE BEGAN HIS ADMINISTRA TION with a proclaimation of mak ing A&M a “world university.” He has traveled around the world many times for the University in hopes of bringing it this status. In a July 6, 1982 article by Van diver, he outlined the concept under which about 25 universities would link themselves together, conquering world problems such as famine and pestilence. He said, “Governments cannot, or will not, solve the world’s really pro found problems. On a global scale, about all governments can do is wage war, or under the best of cir cumstances, administer a Band-Aid approach to peace.” Since then, Vandiver’s philosophy that scholarly and technical ties are stronger than political ones have been met through international pro grams. • 1985 marked the first step in establishing A&M as “world-class” by having at least 26 nations, including 18 third world countries, rep resented at a food and water confer ence. • In 1986, a total of 35 foreign in stitutions joined into an agreement with A&M to pave the way for stu dent and professional exchanges, collaboration on research. This was one of 13 agreements signed by A&M with other countries. • In 1987, agreements were signed with Czechoslavakian univer sities — the first documents that the socialist government of the Czechs had signed with and American Uni versity. • In May of this year, an agreement was signed by Vandiver and Fudan University in Shanghai, China. • Today, Texas A&M has en tered into formal agreements with 44 institutions around the globe to facilitate international research and cooperation. ABOUT RELINQUISHING his position, Vandiver was quoted by the Office of Public Information earlier this year as saying, “. . . there can be no question that Texas A&M is mak ing its presence known in a highly positive and productive manner on a global basis . . .” At the press conference following the Board of Regents meeting, Mob ley said Vandiver had “planted many seeds” that he looked forward to continuing to nurture. One seed — a dream not realized by Vandiver — is his idea of A&M as a “space-grant” university. Space-grant legislation, intro duced into congress by Texas Sen ator Lloyd Bentsen and passed by in November 1987, is awaiting NASA implementation. “My dream, of course, is for Texas A&M to be the first space- grant university,” Vandiver was re ported as saying in the Oct. 22, 1987 issue of The Battalion. “It can make a significant national contribution to the space effort, just as it has done by being one of the nation’s fore most land-grant institutions and among the first four universities to gain sea-grant approval.” Although the space-grant pro gram remains an ideal of the future, the president’s dreams have been well-exceeded in the area of mi nority recruitment among faculty and students. WITH THE LARGEST freshman class last fall, there was also a 20 per cent increase in minority students — up 18 percent over the previous en rollment period.Enrollment stood at 39,137 last fall and is predicted to exceed 42,000 by 1990. A&M also leads state instutions in minority retention and has tripled its enrollment of blacks and Hispanics since 1979. Vandiver has attributed some in creases in enrollment to “a signal be ing sent out to high school students that Texas A&M is the ’in’ place to be.” He also has said that cooperation between A&M and the University of Texas in joint sponsorship of mi nority recruitment outreach stations in major urban areas has led to the increase in minority students. IN THE AREA OF the faculty, Vandiver is credited with raising the quality of its members. Eighty percent of A&M’s faculty holds doctoral degrees. The faculty also has attracted its first Nobel Lau- retes — Dr. Norman Borlaug, distin guished professor of international agriculture, and Sir Derek Barton, distinguished professor of chemis try. The faculty also inlcudes Charles Gardone — a pulitzer prize winning playwright. In accordance to excellence in the faculty, Vandiver also is credited with founding the A&M Faculty Senate in 1982. Vandiver, a military historian and author of numerous books, says he is now looking forward to the opportu nity to return to his “scholarly pur suits” in “launching and leading” the defense think-tank. He says he hopes to have a significant impact in the future on the U.S. defense situa tion and hopes that one day the new Mosher Institute for Defense Stud ies will rival the prestigious Brook ings Institution in Washington, D.C.