"...I commend the chancellor
search committee for performing an extraordinarily thorough, national search,"
Wolfe added. "Through their tireless efforts, we have found the individual who
will lead our university to new heights in the 21st century with vision,
energy, dedication and creativity."
In
making the announcement, (MU System President, Tim) Wolfe emphasized the need
for a leader to step in and both maintain
and expand the positive momentum that the university has seen in recent years
in terms of academics, research, fundraising and athletics..."
- (From the news release from the University,
announcing the hire of R Bowen Loftin)
I believe the System (non-academic)
leadership, facing constant budget fights from the MO legislature, and a keenly competitive
landscape for students and faculty, decide to hire Loftin to do just that
I think his hire also signalled it is no longer business as usual at a University that mirrors the
attitude of the State it represents; conservative, cautious, even plodding or
slow moving at times.
In 4 years as President at
aTm, already a first rate university, Loftin spearheaded;
· * The largest
single fund raising in University history (raising $759 million in 2013);
· * Increased research
funding to $700 million per year;
· * Took the
unprecedented step of outsourcing non-academic services (maintenance, dining,
etc.); to raise $270 million .It is the largest outsourcing contract by any
American university;
· * In the face of
lowered lower Texas state funding, slashed expenditures and headcount;
· * Shuffled academic
leadership;
· * Acquired a
private law school and integrated it into the University;
· * Acquired the
Texas A & M Health Sciences Center (the medical and professional schools
were separate from aTm and Texas Tech), and lead it away from Scott and White,
despite opposition
· * And despite
opposition, lead aTm away from The University of Texas, and into the SEC
· * When he left, enrollment
at aTm was at an all-time high of nearly 56,500
Right or wrong, he took
bold, decisive steps to transform what was already considered a "first rate" University & not just
maintain it. In doing so, he ruffled a lot of feathers in the University and
across Texas. I have no doubt he will do the same in a much more conservative
and cautious Missouri.
From his actions in
College Station, it's evident he believes a first rate athletics program is
integral to a university's success.
Now, I am not saying
everything he did or will do at MU will be successful. He's going to p*ss people
at some point. He's already made a lot of leadership changes at MU, and brought
in people with new ideas. It's clear he's not "a wait and see" kind of guy, and
is an out of the box thinker.
Monday, I think we are
going to see more evidence of that. Ultimately, so will the leadership of each
MU athletic program. And so will the fans, who will be asked to step up their
game.
Doing more, achieving
more; giving more; will be the new mantra of the new AD. Change will be become constant;
complacency will not be the norm.
I'm going to keeping this
in mind when the new AD is announced
search committee for performing an extraordinarily thorough, national search,"
Wolfe added. "Through their tireless efforts, we have found the individual who
will lead our university to new heights in the 21st century with vision,
energy, dedication and creativity."
In
making the announcement, (MU System President, Tim) Wolfe emphasized the need
for a leader to step in and both maintain
and expand the positive momentum that the university has seen in recent years
in terms of academics, research, fundraising and athletics..."
- (From the news release from the University,
announcing the hire of R Bowen Loftin)
I believe the System (non-academic)
leadership, facing constant budget fights from the MO legislature, and a keenly competitive
landscape for students and faculty, decide to hire Loftin to do just that
I think his hire also signalled it is no longer business as usual at a University that mirrors the
attitude of the State it represents; conservative, cautious, even plodding or
slow moving at times.
In 4 years as President at
aTm, already a first rate university, Loftin spearheaded;
· * The largest
single fund raising in University history (raising $759 million in 2013);
· * Increased research
funding to $700 million per year;
· * Took the
unprecedented step of outsourcing non-academic services (maintenance, dining,
etc.); to raise $270 million .It is the largest outsourcing contract by any
American university;
· * In the face of
lowered lower Texas state funding, slashed expenditures and headcount;
· * Shuffled academic
leadership;
· * Acquired a
private law school and integrated it into the University;
· * Acquired the
Texas A & M Health Sciences Center (the medical and professional schools
were separate from aTm and Texas Tech), and lead it away from Scott and White,
despite opposition
· * And despite
opposition, lead aTm away from The University of Texas, and into the SEC
· * When he left, enrollment
at aTm was at an all-time high of nearly 56,500
Right or wrong, he took
bold, decisive steps to transform what was already considered a "first rate" University & not just
maintain it. In doing so, he ruffled a lot of feathers in the University and
across Texas. I have no doubt he will do the same in a much more conservative
and cautious Missouri.
From his actions in
College Station, it's evident he believes a first rate athletics program is
integral to a university's success.
Now, I am not saying
everything he did or will do at MU will be successful. He's going to p*ss people
at some point. He's already made a lot of leadership changes at MU, and brought
in people with new ideas. It's clear he's not "a wait and see" kind of guy, and
is an out of the box thinker.
Monday, I think we are
going to see more evidence of that. Ultimately, so will the leadership of each
MU athletic program. And so will the fans, who will be asked to step up their
game.
Doing more, achieving
more; giving more; will be the new mantra of the new AD. Change will be become constant;
complacency will not be the norm.
I'm going to keeping this
in mind when the new AD is announced
