Meet our New President
- Thread starter Ferrum Spider
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Lots of interesting aspects to this selection. A musician who most recently headed up a D-3 school that was women-only until 1988...hmmmm.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/devices/news/local_news/wheaton-president-goes-out-on-high-note-in-norton/article_a5be4d3f-2fa0-560e-acaf-e133c23c8013.html
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/devices/news/local_news/wheaton-president-goes-out-on-high-note-in-norton/article_a5be4d3f-2fa0-560e-acaf-e133c23c8013.html
The other aspect of this that is of interest is his age of 67. Didn't expect the new pres to being older than Ayers.
The article I linked notes the need to raise money was one of the biggest surprises he had on taking the job at Wheaton. And they've had some rough financial times, but he seems to have had some success.
I can get behind anybody who wears a bowtie though.
I can get behind anybody who wears a bowtie though.
What are your thoughts on Richmond athletics?
Go, Spiders! Betty and I are very much looking forward to game days. Red is her favorite color and blue is mine, so between the two of us, we are all set.
At Austin, Miami, and Wheaton, I had the chance to serve as a mentor to a number of student-athletes, and they even let me guest coach for men's and women's basketball on a few occasions. Really, there is so much about competition at this level that resonates with me. As a cellist since I was young, I can appreciate the exceptional dedication that our student-athletes demonstrate-the time commitment, challenging yourself to achieve to greater levels, balancing so many demands, the highs of succeeding and the lows of not performing at the level for which you had hoped, but always showing up again the next day to do your best. And I also appreciate the impact of coaches on students' lives and admire their dedication. It is clear at Richmond that there is a deep commitment to both competitive excellence and to ensuring student-athletes' academic success here, and that is essential.
I also very much value the ways in which Athletics can rally the campus community, engage alumni and parents, and bring neighbors and local students of all ages to campus. I look forward to being part of that.
http://presidentelect.richmond.edu/qa/index.html
Go, Spiders! Betty and I are very much looking forward to game days. Red is her favorite color and blue is mine, so between the two of us, we are all set.
At Austin, Miami, and Wheaton, I had the chance to serve as a mentor to a number of student-athletes, and they even let me guest coach for men's and women's basketball on a few occasions. Really, there is so much about competition at this level that resonates with me. As a cellist since I was young, I can appreciate the exceptional dedication that our student-athletes demonstrate-the time commitment, challenging yourself to achieve to greater levels, balancing so many demands, the highs of succeeding and the lows of not performing at the level for which you had hoped, but always showing up again the next day to do your best. And I also appreciate the impact of coaches on students' lives and admire their dedication. It is clear at Richmond that there is a deep commitment to both competitive excellence and to ensuring student-athletes' academic success here, and that is essential.
I also very much value the ways in which Athletics can rally the campus community, engage alumni and parents, and bring neighbors and local students of all ages to campus. I look forward to being part of that.
http://presidentelect.richmond.edu/qa/index.html
He raised a ton of money on a short time at Wheton
He had resigned there as of June,2014 after 10 years.
Prior was undergraduate provost at Miami University,Ohio
He is a Yalie,Fullbright scholar and speaks German fluently.He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Miami University, where he graduated cum laude. He pursued graduate studies at Yale University as a Woodrow Wilson and Ford Foundation Fellow. In 1979, he was the first cellist to receive the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale. The recipient of a Fulbright Award, he is fluent in German and studied music at the University of Bonn.
He had resigned there as of June,2014 after 10 years.
Prior was undergraduate provost at Miami University,Ohio
He is a Yalie,Fullbright scholar and speaks German fluently.He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Miami University, where he graduated cum laude. He pursued graduate studies at Yale University as a Woodrow Wilson and Ford Foundation Fellow. In 1979, he was the first cellist to receive the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Yale. The recipient of a Fulbright Award, he is fluent in German and studied music at the University of Bonn.
It is clear at Richmond that there is a deep commitment to both competitive excellence and to ensuring student-athletes' academic success here, and that is essential.
Like the sound of this! Go Spiders!!!
This post was edited on 2/23 12:17 PM by SouthJerseySpiderFan
For reasons too attenuated to explain, I had the chance to talk with Dr. Crutcher one on one for an hour or so several years ago. It was impromptu and totally happenstance - - I doubt he'd even remember the entire event, much less me. I on the other hand remember it vividly, which is a testament to the man himself. When I got home, I told my wife about the gentlemen I had met that day and said hat he might have been the most impressive person I had ever met. I was even more impressed when I actually looked him up on the internet since he hadn't really told me anything except he was a "professor and administrator" at Wheaton. I only learned he was President when I looked him up!
He remains among the most impressive people I have ever met and his accomplishments only enhance that - - what impressed me was just - - him. He has "it" whatever "it" is. Its a presence that's hard to describe, but very easy too see.
He may be 67 and it surprises me we would end up with a new President of that age, however, its not surprising at all to me that given a chance to get a person like this, the Committee found it all but impossible not to grab him!
I couldn't be more excited for the University and, especially, for the students. This is going to be WAY different than the last 2 folks!
He remains among the most impressive people I have ever met and his accomplishments only enhance that - - what impressed me was just - - him. He has "it" whatever "it" is. Its a presence that's hard to describe, but very easy too see.
He may be 67 and it surprises me we would end up with a new President of that age, however, its not surprising at all to me that given a chance to get a person like this, the Committee found it all but impossible not to grab him!
I couldn't be more excited for the University and, especially, for the students. This is going to be WAY different than the last 2 folks!
On one hand, I am excited that we have named a President of color who is such a very highly regarded artist, educator, and fundraiser.
On the other hand, I am concerned about:
1.) His age, given the average presidential term of 10 years, it would put him at 77 which is pretty old (Bruce Heilman territory, but younger than Banks when he abdicated due to poor health).
2.) His presidential experience is with a small, selective National Liberal Arts College that ranks significantly behind UR in the USN&WR academic rankings.
3.) Wheaton is a DIII school, and he will either have preconceived notions about the role of athletics in campus life, and/or will face a learning curve relative to the significance of D1 athletics to our mission and general expectations.
He appears to be an extremely impressive, accomplished individual. However, I don't get the "warm and fuzzies" when it comes to his background and leading an Elite D1 academic institution. I hope he proves me wrong.
This post was edited on 2/23 12:48 PM by keefusb
On the other hand, I am concerned about:
1.) His age, given the average presidential term of 10 years, it would put him at 77 which is pretty old (Bruce Heilman territory, but younger than Banks when he abdicated due to poor health).
2.) His presidential experience is with a small, selective National Liberal Arts College that ranks significantly behind UR in the USN&WR academic rankings.
3.) Wheaton is a DIII school, and he will either have preconceived notions about the role of athletics in campus life, and/or will face a learning curve relative to the significance of D1 athletics to our mission and general expectations.
He appears to be an extremely impressive, accomplished individual. However, I don't get the "warm and fuzzies" when it comes to his background and leading an Elite D1 academic institution. I hope he proves me wrong.
This post was edited on 2/23 12:48 PM by keefusb
We pretty much had two possible routes to go, IMO:
• Hire a guy who has been a highly successful president at a lower-tier school;
• Hire someone from a higher-tier school who has not been a president before.
Ayers was from the latter group, Crutcher is from the former. I'd say it's an easier learning curve to figure out D-I athletics than it would be to figure out a high-level presidency. Leaders who have led in the past usually can adapt to new positions of leadership fairly easily. It's not always as easy for someone unaccustomed to leading to step into a leadership role.
Sports are actually a perfect example here. Some assistant coaches make great head coaches, some make terrible head coaches. But successful head coaches often move up to higher levels and continue their success (John Beilein, anyone?).
• Hire a guy who has been a highly successful president at a lower-tier school;
• Hire someone from a higher-tier school who has not been a president before.
Ayers was from the latter group, Crutcher is from the former. I'd say it's an easier learning curve to figure out D-I athletics than it would be to figure out a high-level presidency. Leaders who have led in the past usually can adapt to new positions of leadership fairly easily. It's not always as easy for someone unaccustomed to leading to step into a leadership role.
Sports are actually a perfect example here. Some assistant coaches make great head coaches, some make terrible head coaches. But successful head coaches often move up to higher levels and continue their success (John Beilein, anyone?).
My sense is that he is a sports guy. We talked sports (more pro than college) among our many topics, but he is a big and knowledgeable sports fan for sure. Doesn't mean he knows boo about running a school with D1 sports, but I would REALLY doubt he comes in with any notion deemphasizing etc.
My sense would be given his lack of experience with a D-1 athletics program - he will probably let Gill run the show and defer to him on all matters of athletics. Too early to tell in Gill's tenure if that will be a good or bad thing, but that would be my guess. I don't see this guy getting involved heavily in athletics as the learning curve will take some time.
I believe it will be a plus if new pres defers to Gill. Of course ADs probably do as much selling to the presidents in getting whatever they can to build and progress their athletic departments. Hopefully Dr Crutcher has more of an open ear to what Gill wants to do as opposed to Ayers. From what I have read here, Ayers didn't seem real high on the priority of sports in relation to a school's image? Maybe what I perceived is incorrect?
This post was edited on 2/23 2:45 PM by SouthJerseySpiderFan
This post was edited on 2/23 2:45 PM by SouthJerseySpiderFan
If Ayers was not a pro-athletics guy, he certainly didn't reflect that in his public behavior. Since Ayers took office, I have seen him at many, many sports events. In fact, I have seen him at games (football, hoops, even men's soccer when we still had a team) more often than not.
Ayers may not have made administrative decisions that appeared to be pro-sports decisions, but he sure bent over backwards to create the perception that he supported our athletic programs.
Ayers may not have made administrative decisions that appeared to be pro-sports decisions, but he sure bent over backwards to create the perception that he supported our athletic programs.
What makes you think Ayers hasn't been a strong supporter of athletics? That's not accurate, and I think is probably a conflation of folks on here attributing whatever success, lack of success, or upheaval with programs changing being a result of Ayers' movements.
Ayers has done a tremendous amount of quiet good for the University, and has pretty much stayed out of the athletics fray and let it transition from Miller to Gill. I expect similar support from Crutcher.
Sidebar: Crutcher was a unanimous selection by the BoT and blew away the competition based on what I've heard, so I'm pretty pumped about this guy being our pick.
Ayers has done a tremendous amount of quiet good for the University, and has pretty much stayed out of the athletics fray and let it transition from Miller to Gill. I expect similar support from Crutcher.
Sidebar: Crutcher was a unanimous selection by the BoT and blew away the competition based on what I've heard, so I'm pretty pumped about this guy being our pick.
Why the big deal about his age? I'm 66 physically, but in my mind I'm still 18.
"Old age is a privilege not granted to everyone"
"Old age is a privilege not granted to everyone"
Let's see :Yale,Miami of Ohio,Wheaton College
UR is going D-1 in ice hockey.We need more Canadians anyway.
This post was edited on 2/23 4:03 PM by 32counter
UR is going D-1 in ice hockey.We need more Canadians anyway.
This post was edited on 2/23 4:03 PM by 32counter
I would guess we can expect 5-8 years from him, and that's not too bad. Most presidents these days seem to stay 7-10 years at most anyway.
exactly, don't want any more shi$$ from you young guys about how old i am!! can only say that i have been retired for over 10 years and he is still working so feel i do have an advantage over him. am very surprised at this and wonder if this is some kind of stop-gap deal or temp deal, waiting for the transsexual muslim described by eight on the off topic board. he sounds great and welcome to both he and his bride.
Thanks for the info. My perception of Ayers was wrong. Hopefully the new pres goes the same path and maybe more.
leaders have different styles but must say do not like micro-managers, love those who set the tone, the goals and let's the people do the job. find most who are like that still have their pet areas where they are more active. hoping THE CRUTCH let's his people go.
As others have noted, Ayers's management style was/is consistent with someone who came to the job with little previous executive leadership experience.
In my opinion, our best presidential candidate "on paper" would have been an Executive VP of Advancement from an institution like Stanford/Duke/Vanderbilt/Northwestern. Someone who understands leadership, fundraising, raising the academic profile of UR, and who understands the importance of our athletic programs, in that order.
That said, I think we probably got someone who will change the perception that UR has as a rather "homogeneous" institution for the better, which is a good thing. If he can raise money, raise our academic standing, and keep our sports programs strong, I will be happy for the 4 or 5 years I expect he will be in this position (given his age).
In my opinion, our best presidential candidate "on paper" would have been an Executive VP of Advancement from an institution like Stanford/Duke/Vanderbilt/Northwestern. Someone who understands leadership, fundraising, raising the academic profile of UR, and who understands the importance of our athletic programs, in that order.
That said, I think we probably got someone who will change the perception that UR has as a rather "homogeneous" institution for the better, which is a good thing. If he can raise money, raise our academic standing, and keep our sports programs strong, I will be happy for the 4 or 5 years I expect he will be in this position (given his age).
Dr. Heilman works as hard today for UR as he did as prez, a wonderful ambassador, we are very lucky.
