IU's newest leader

For any of you who have ever wondered what the president's office looks like, I recommend checking it out because the man who now sits at the large desk is an IU inspiration. \nThere is value in the voice of experience. Interim president Gerald Bepko speaks with a voice that resonates with 31 years at IU. He speaks with the voice of a teacher, a chancellor and now an interim president.\n"I've been privileged to get to know students and watch them go off and do interesting things in this world," Bepko said. "It has made me feel an extraordinary bond. I feel like a grandfather to my students, and this University feels like a family to me. IU is my family, one of my families." \nOptimism fills Bryan Hall room 200. Bepko is familiar with his new office and the man famous for firing Coach Knight. After I interviewed Bepko, he had a cup of coffee with former IU President Myles Brand at Starbucks. The two appeared to be good friends. Bepko plans to continue the standard set by Brand. He indicated to me that he sees the state of the University in a positive light.\n"I plan to keep listening and from what I've heard so far things are going pretty well here," Bepko said. "I'll continue to be involved in meeting with students, faculty, staff and alumni. I believe in the value of communication with people directly involved in the learning experience."\nI know firsthand that Bepko cares about the voice of the students because he responded to my e-mail the same day I inquired about interviewing him. In addition, he has been a law professor and the well-respected chancellor at IUPUI for 16 years. He was also a special agent for the FBI for four years.\n"In the past couple of years, I've remained a teacher. I believe you cannot make as good decisions as a university officer unless you are in touch with the students," Bepko said. "By and large, students here understand they are at a very special institution and appreciate it."\nBepko said he would "absolutely" love to be a student today. If he attended IU he would major in English, he said.\n"This is probably the best time in the history of the world to be alive. The world has become a much more rich place with so many opportunities and an enormous range of ideas. You have good education to access these opportunities," Bepko said. \nWith his 31 years of experience, he has good advice to offer the students of IU: "Take advantage of every learning opportunity you can squeeze into your schedule because I've never heard one of the students I've known say 'I took too many classes or I learned too much.' Most of them say 'I didn't really realize what an opportunity I had for exploration, and making life better.' There is an enormous range of thrilling opportunities here."\nWhen he's not in the presidential office, Bepko enjoys reading, walking and playing golf. He especially enjoys law books. His favorite books are "Reversible Errors" by Scott Turrow and "Gone for Good" by Harlen Coben. But currently Bepko is focusing on a specific task.\n"The challenge I see being most important is to bring people together in the IU larger family and be united so we can recruit the next president by this summer," Bepko said.\nLast week the IU board of trustees asked an Atlanta consulting firm to begin the search for the next person to take the helm here. If it is lucky, the board will find a person with as much IU pride and dedication as Bepko has. It is a shame that such an experienced individual will not be the 17th president at IU. But Bepko will probably continue serving IU in every way he can.\n"I could never say no to any request IU made of me," Bepko said.