Bad news coming

GreenN'walinsVet · July 19, 2005

does anyone have a clue when us poor individuals who can't afford the MGR (by the way, how much is it?) will hear an announcement?

a mearly $45 dollars a year

MootPoint · July 19, 2005

OFFICIAL

To the Members of the UNT Community:

Nearly seven years have passed since arriving at UNT, and I have greatly enjoyed working with the university's students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends, and the wonderful citizens of Denton. It has been a time of rapid change for higher education here in Texas. While the fundamental ideal of the university learning community has not changed, almost everything else has: student demographics, distance education, tuition deregulation and the rise of education markets, and the sea change in educational planning and outcomes measures promulgated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the State Legislature.

In addition, the physical "look" of the UNT campus has changed. It has expanded to include the UNT Research Park, Eagle Point and the former Liberty Christian School. Flower beds, outdoor seating areas, and the renovation of the Library Mall tell us things are different. The addition of over 900 beds in residence halls, a new dining commons, a five-sorority housing complex, and a hugely successful shuttle system have forever altered the residential nature of the campus. We have also witnessed the construction of a new Chemistry Building, an Athletic Administration Building, a very popular Student Recreation Center, and by this fall, new venues for women's sports and a beautiful new tennis complex. And, by winter, construction will begin on a $17m Student Wellness and Career Center, and a new observatory facility.

Perhaps less visible, but ultimately more important to the future of UNT, has been the addition of a College of Engineering; the successful completion of An Act of Leadership , our first real capital campaign; the addition of over $7 million in federal appropriations for research; 47 patent filings; the licensing of intellectual property to a well funded start-up company, and the anticipated move into the Research Park of our first tenant.

Overlaying all of this change has been the initiation of a comprehensive strategic planning effort. The Academic Plan, the cornerstone of our strategic planning process, is completed. The development of a 5-year University-level Strategic Plan, which defines the parameters for planning at the unit level will be in draft stages by mid-August, and following feedback from the UNT community, in final form by late September. In early October, units will begin a 4-month intensive effort to populate the plan with specific unit-level goals, objectives, strategies, performance measures and action plans.

Because there is a multi-year time frame for actually implementing the Strategic Plan, I feel that there is a window of opportunity now for both the University and for me.

For the University, it is an opportunity to bring in a new person to lead the campus community through these next several years of rapid development. And for me personally, it is perhaps the last opportunity to take on one new academic challenge and experience the wonderful feeling of self renewal. Accordingly, I have informed Chancellor Jackson and the Board of Regents that I will neither seek nor accept an extension of my administrative contract beyond August 31, 2006. By announcing my intent now, the University community will have ample time to complete a successful search process.

Sincerely,

Norval F. Pohl

President

MootPoint · July 19, 2005

Accordingly, I have informed Chancellor Jackson and the Board of Regents that I will neither seek nor accept an extension of my administrative contract beyond August 31, 2006. By announcing my intent now, the University community will have ample time to complete a successful search process.

Don't dwell on the date; most people who make these types of announcements are smart enough to start looking for something else well before any set date arrives. . . .

GreenN'walinsVet · July 19, 2005

We need to get the dirt moving on the stadium project quickly.

Edited July 19, 2005 by GreenN'walinsVet

untgirl04 · July 19, 2005

Ok... so it's bad news, but it could be a lot worse. At least he's giving the university ample time to find someone new. And perhaps with the success of our athletics programs over the course of this year, we might be able to find someone as innovative, determined, and supportive as Norval Pohl.

Whoever gets the job next has big shoes to fill. Dr. Pohl, you will be missed.

untbowler · July 19, 2005

I do not honestly think this a horrible thing, Dr. Pohl has a year to get everything lined. The problem though could be if LJ gets his way and hires a Yes Man that the board approves of. Guess we all must now sit and wait and hope the money will come pouring in for Athletics.

Hopefully this does not sway RV towards another school now

GreenN'walinsVet · July 19, 2005

academic challenge? self renewal? what the hell does that mean?
So.... think he's got his eye on another school, or another school has its eye on him? hmmm?

I take it to mean that after 7 years hes just ready for something new

j0nat8an · July 19, 2005

i may be completely naive as i don't know much about how the university works, but how much of an impact will this have on athletics? and isn't there a possibility for improvement?

Cerebus · July 19, 2005

Dr Pohl will be very hard to replace.

Let us not forget where we came from.

Let us not forget how ecstatic when he said "athletics is a window to the unviersity".

If we find someone who believes the same way, and will work as hard Dr. Pohl, then it will an easy blow to take.

However, we spent a LONG time in the desert before Dr Pohl was here.

And we shouldn't forget all the things he helped bring about in the non-athletics areas of North Texas.

Cerebus · July 19, 2005

So.... think he's got his eye on another school, or another school has its eye on him? hmmm?

He just passed on several oppurtunites at other schools last year.

eppy4life · July 19, 2005

i may be completely naive as i don't know much about how the university works, but how much of an impact will this have on athletics? and isn't there a possibility for improvement?

clearly you haven't read up on your nt history. dr. pohl has been very instumental in the development of our athletics program and in getting up to where we are now. jonat8an, when you're driving down 35 in 4 years and see our village from the highway you can thank dr. pohl.

Cerebus · July 19, 2005

i may be completely naive as i don't know much about how the university works, but how much of an impact will this have on athletics? and isn't there a possibility for improvement?

Someone has to set the priorities and make sure a general plan is moving forward.

Before Dr Pohl, athletics was very low on that priorities list. He realized what a successful athletics program can do for an institution that has strong academic programs but little name recognition.

j0nat8an · July 19, 2005

clearly you haven't read up on your nt history. dr. pohl has been very instumental in the development of our athletics program and in getting up to where we are now. jonat8an, when you're driving down 35 in 4 years and see our village from the highway you can thank dr. pohl.

thank you

bdan2002 · July 19, 2005

I am terribly sad to see him go. He made my time as a student at UNT great and played a huge role in my time at SGA President. I know that he will get another job in no time. But we have to understand that this is goign to be the biggest presidential hire that this university has ever made. I am finishing my Ph.D. in College and University Administration and I do research on the landscape on institutions, and this is the time that insitutions are goign to make it or break it. We all know how great this institution is, but the hiring of a president from a big named institution is going to do miracles for us. I would encourage you all to be very active in this process!!!!!!

That is my 2 cents

UNTFan23 · July 19, 2005

Here's where an active alumni association would be helpful.

PlummMeanGreen · July 19, 2005

Dr Pohl will be very hard to replace.
Let us not forget where we came from.
Let us not forget how ecstatic when he said "athletics is a window to the unviersity".
If we find someone who believes the same way, and will work as hard Dr. Pohl, then it will an easy blow to take.
However, we spent a LONG time in the desert before Dr Pohl was here.
And we shouldn't forget all the things he helped bring about in the non-athletics areas of North Texas.

Well, Dr. Alfred F. Hurley also used the "athletics is a window to the university" illustration, too. All Texas D1-A school presidents are usually smart enough to say that; now whether they exercise it with follow-up can be another story. Dr. Pohl backed up what he said in that regard and Dr. Hurley just worked with what he had to work with at the time and I still believe played a part in us not dropping football in the early 80's.

IMHO:

Dr. Pohl received low teacher approval ratings in recent months and I believe a lot of that had to do with us. Us? He stuck his neck out for athletics at NT and I think that cost him approval points among the academians on campus. Hellsbells, I may now up my MG Club membership level again because of all this.

I smell Lee Jackson all over Norval's resignation although that will be denied.

Good new is: Bobby Ray is still the chairman of the Board of Regents and sportsfans, the Chancellor and the President of the UNT System report to our NT Board of Regents. The BOR will also have a major influence in selecting our new president and I can't see them picking an egghead who hates college football. Maybe they will even pick one who may know a billionaire or 2 or 3, eh?

We will miss Dr. Pohl immensely, but IMO, the sky is hardly falling over this resignation. I'd be more upset if Bobby Ray resigned as chairman of the NT Board of Regents. If that happened, then up go the prozac millegrams.

Edited July 19, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

MootPoint · July 19, 2005

July 19, 2005

President Pohl announces plans to explore new opportunities

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- University of North Texas President Norval F. Pohl today announced he will neither seek nor accept an extension of his administrative contract beyond its end on August 31, 2006.

Pohl, who has served as the university's president and chief executive officer since October 2000, said he intends to explore opportunities outside UNT, including the possibility of a presidency at another university.

In remarks to the UNT community, Pohl said, "I'm making the announcement at this time so that the UNT System can mount a search for a new president to lead the university, and I can explore other opportunities. We've made significant progress during my tenure as president, and I'm personally ready to move on to new challenges."

UNT System Board of Regents Chairman Bobby Ray said he was confident that Pohl would continue to advance UNT toward its goals during the next year, as he also lays the groundwork for his personal future endeavors.

"We know Dr. Pohl will continue to steer UNT toward achievement, even in the short term," said Ray. "We're grateful for his contributions to UNT. His entrepreneurial and leadership qualities have resulted in the formation of a new College of Engineering, the creation of a research park, the construction of new campus buildings and a higher level of student and alumni pride, among other accomplishments."

UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson said "Dr. Pohl has helped the university navigate the new higher education environment of difficult budget and tuition choices. Under his leadership, UNT launched the broadest strategic planning process in the university's history. The foundation that he helped set in place will position UNT for great progress in coming decades."

"The average length of stay for a university president today is five years. So, we understand Dr. Pohl's desire to move on to his next career and personal challenge. The Board and I wish him every success," said Jackson. "The strategic planning process, work that involves the entire university community, will continue to go forward, as we search for a new president to fulfill the plan and further advance our university."

Pohl joined UNT as executive vice president and provost in January 1999. He became UNT's 13th president in October 2000. Prior to joining UNT, Pohl served as vice president for finance and administration at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He holds a Ph.D. in Quantitative Systems from Arizona State University and a MBA in management and B.A. in Psychology from California State University.

NCMeanGreen · July 19, 2005

Well...this will be the true litmus test of how far we have come in our athletic department maturity. If we are to truly focus on this, then we have done well. If it falls by the wayside again, well, that says a lot as well. IMHO, seven years should have been enough time to install a new attitude. If it has been forced, maybe that is how it should be.

As the saying goes, "You can lead a horse to water..."

Huff · July 19, 2005

Boy, this hurts. Dr. Pohl has done so much for the university in general and athletics in particular that words really can't express it. He will be a tough act to follow. My hope is that Bobby Ray and the other members of the Board of Regents will get someone of a like mind to fill this slot. We really do not need to take a step backwards at this time.

grad88 · July 19, 2005

very sad...very sad.

Just let RV stay the course and be a part of the decision making process for the next hire...please.

If some of the academians and anti-athletic departments on campus have their way, we will replace Pohl with an anti-athletic president. I'm not ready to say that the sky is falling, but I have to say that I am concerned.

Edited July 19, 2005 by grad88

good_ken · July 19, 2005

Knowing how current administration handled the branding thing; I can't imagine how underhanded the selection for Pohl's replacement will be.

My money's on John Fullingham <_<

PlummMeanGreen · July 19, 2005

Boy, this hurts. Dr. Pohl has done so much for the university in general and athletics in particular that words really can't express it. He will be a tough act to follow. My hope is that Bobby Ray and the other members of the Board of Regents will get someone of a like mind to fill this slot. We really do not need to take a step backwards at this time.

I wholeheartedly agree, Don, but on the other side of the coin, Dr. Pohl has 1 more full academic year left where he doesn't have to be as concerned about opinion polls giving him freedoms to maybe even go outside NT's usual box. We know if he did that he would do such responsibly, of course.

Don't know what he will do with his last year on campus, but in some ways he could really do even greater things without near as much pressure as one might have who may have wanted to keep his job another 5 or so years at NT.

NT BOR chairman Bobby Ray will not let this "all for one and one for all" momentum we have between the NT administration, NT Athletics and the BOR's miss a beat IMHO.

Edited July 19, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

Stan R · July 19, 2005

Is this kind of like in Star Wars - Return of the Jedi - at the end when Luke looks up and sees the ghosts of the dead Jedis? "I am much more powerful now than I ever was as a Jedi (president)"

Eagle-96 · July 19, 2005

This will be a very big year for NT. I just hope that the school is very careful in their choice. We all know how their last big hire went when they chose Howard Johnson as provost(yeah that has gone really well, hasn't it). The university needs to take the opportunity that Dr Pohl has given them(1 year to choose a new president) and take their time to research the best candidates from around the country. We can't be in the business of thinking small, we need to go after the biggest and brightest names out there regardless of where they are currently employed. If there is a good candidate at Stanford, Rice, Harvard, etc... we can't be afraid to go after them. The time for thinking small has passed. We are NT and we are a destination school, not a stepping stone.

Edited July 19, 2005 by Eagle-96

SUMG · July 19, 2005

Yeah, we definitely need to hire the right guy to replace Dr. Pohl.

That's why I think we should hire Karl Rove. Anyone who could get Bush elected President TWICE.....would probably have UNT in the Big 12 by no later than 2007.

Plus, I've heard that Mr. Rove might be looking for work soon.

Seriously, Dr. Pohl thanks for all you've done. You WILL BE MISSED.