Faculty debate if next leader should have academic experience

After handing out a one-page document detailing the desired characteristics of IU's next president, trustee Sue Talbot, chair of the presidential search committee, gave an even more concise description of what it's searching for: "God on a good day."\nEven that might not be enough to satisfy all of the different groups on IU's eight campuses.\nMore than 80 members of the IU community, mostly faculty and alumni, turned out for the 9 a.m. Friday forum in the Indiana Memorial Union to discuss the search for the next IU president, but there was little consensus on what exactly they wanted from a new leader.\nSome faculty members expressed interest in a president from outside academia who would run the University more like a business. Others said it was important that whoever replaces current IU President Adam Herbert have strong academic \ncredentials.\nFollowing faculty criticism after failing to name a Bloomington chancellor at the conclusion of a lengthy search last year, Herbert announced he will retire when his contract runs out in 2008.\nIn June he said he will step down earlier if a replacement is found.\nVirgil Scudder, who graduated from IU in 1958 and serves on the dean's advisory board, suggested that IU needed a president similar to U.S. President Ronald Reagan.\n"The people he surrounded himself with he could truly rely on," Scudder said. "We need a president with the capacity to work with and inspire other people."\nFaculty members were also divided on what Herbert \nadministration policies should carry over to the next \npresident.\nAssociate professor of telecommunications Herb Terry called Herbert's vision of mission differentiation, or the policy of enumerating the purpose for each campus, a "great accomplishment" while others hoped it would be abandoned.\nMany of those in attendance invoked the name of Herman B Wells as an example of what an IU president should be like. Wells, who served as IU's 11th president from 1938 until 1962, was praised by those in attendance for his easy accessibility, strong presence on campus and the academic growth he oversaw on the Bloomington campus.\n"We had a great president many years ago, but I think he's been romanticized in a lot of ways," philosophy professor Mike Morgan said.\nMorgan and other faculty members said they thought the public views IU as being on a "downward slope" and said they hope any new president would improve IU's image.\n"There are few people talking privately who would not admit in the past few years we've been on a slide," said business professor Harv Hegarty.\nBy the end of the two forums Friday, there were few certainties in what the IU community wants in the next president, though Talbot said the committee could focus on well-established administrators at other colleges.\n"We'll probably have to pry someone out of a job they're very comfortable in," she said.\nSo far the presidential search committee has held five open forums, two in Bloomington, two in Indianapolis and one in Richmond, Ind.\nTalbot said the committee plans to hold 30 to 40 forums around the state throughout the coming months and will return to the Bloomington campus if asked.\nThe next step, she said, will be to review all of the comments from the forums to look for the "nearest fit" for the next president of IU.\nThe committee met for the first time Wednesday. The date of its next meeting is not yet known.