Brand to pursue IU's goal

Myles Brand has two main goals in the last two-and-a-half months of his IU presidency -- to focus on the upcoming legislative session and to thank students, faculty and administrators for his time spent at IU.\nIU spokesman Bill Stephan said the main issue Brand wants to tackle is helping IU speak with one voice on matters of state legislative issues.\n"I think he recognizes within two-and-a-half months or so, there are going to be limits on what he can accomplish," Stephan said. "At a time when the state's economy has stalled...IU has to be fully engaged with the state at all levels."\nStephan said focusing on state funding for IU's research efforts as well as University funding in general will be a main goal for Brand.\n"Much of his effort again is going to focus on our work with the (Indiana) General Assembly this session," Stephan said.\nWhile dealing with state funding, Stephan said Brand's other goal before he leaves IU is thanking those who have been close to him during his eight-year presidency.\nStephan said he will be taking the time to touch base with as many students, faculty and administrators as possible before he leaves to head the NCAA.\n"I think he feels these years have really been the highlight of his professional career," Stephan said. "I think he recognizes that."\nOne aspect of the University Brand will probably not engage himself in are longer-term projects, such as Chancellor Sharon Brehm's current Strategic Planning Initiative, a project that is primarily designed to figure out how IU's recent $1,000 fee will be allocated. Stephan said Brand will only focus on short-term projects, primarily ones that could wrap up within a month.\n"At this point, eight-and-a-half years into his presidency, he's charted a clear course for the University," Stephan said. "It's now a matter of, to the best he can, refining things a bit, helping to settle any issues."\nOne issue Brand will not engage himself in is the process of choosing IU's next president.\n"The choice is up to the committee," Brand said. \nBrand said it is not appropriate for a former president to comment on individuals in line for the position, but would assist the search committee in understanding the national process of finding a new president.\nThat process will begin this afternoon when the IU board of trustees meet at 1 p.m. to begin the search for the next president.\nIn the next few months, Brand will divide his time between heading IU and preparing to take over as NCAA president.\nBut Stephan said Brand won't necessarily slack in his duties to IU and at the same time will try not to overstep the NCAA's current president.\n"He will find a way to continue to assist the University," Stephan said. "It's sort of contrary to his nature to sit back and relax."\nWith only a couple of months left in Brand's presidency, Chancellor Sharon Brehm, who has been at IU just over a year, said she was hoping he would be here longer than eight-years.\n"Like most people, I thought he would be here for many years to come," Brehm said. "NCAA got ahead of our game and stole him away from us"