Jackson: UNT to move forward

[MeanGreen61]

Jackson: UNT to move forward

Chancellor: University to build on plans as search for president continues

07:20 AM CDT on Tuesday, August 23, 2005

By Matthew Zabel / Staff Writer

University of North Texas Chancellor Lee Jackson on Monday vowed to keep the university moving forward as he searches for a new president.

Jackson told the university’s faculty members, who formally returned to work Monday, that he wants the UNT community to have a significant role in picking the next leader for the university. He added that many of the initiatives started by Dr. Norval Pohl, UNT’s president, should continue.

Pohl announced last month that he would not stay at UNT beyond next August.

“This is not an environment in which we are trying to change direction and abandon the work we’ve already done,” Jackson said.

He said UNT would continue developing its strategic plan around the university’s academic plan, studying a new budgeting system and building a quality competitive athletic program balanced with a commitment to academics — all ideas that Pohl has directed.

But he will seek someone who can build on what UNT already does well, Jackson said.

“Our direction is not so clear cut that we can seek a passive leader,” he said.

While the university needs a leader who will buy into the goals that are already set for the university, Jackson said, the new president must be someone who has his or her own ideas to help UNT reach those goals.

Jackson, a former state legislator and former Dallas County judge, also said he is not looking for someone with a similar background to his, and he expects that person to have an academic background.

Jackson said the university would set up a committee to conduct a search similar to the other administrative searches the university has conducted in the last few years. He said he expects to announce more details about the search committee late this week.

Dr. Frances van Tassell, chairwoman of UNT’s Faculty Senate, said she was glad to hear Jackson’s comments because a lot of rumors to the contrary have been circulating about the search for a new president.

“I thanked him for being here to give us that update and to assure us that all the work the faculty and administration has done was not in vain,” she said.

She said she feels confident that the faculty will be well-represented on the search committee.

[SilverEagle]

“Our direction is not so clear cut that we can seek a passive leader,” he said.

I call BS on that! The only "Leader" that Jackson wants around is him.

[PlummMeanGreen]

He said UNT would continue developing its strategic plan around the university’s academic plan, studying a new budgeting system and building a quality competitive athletic program balanced with a commitment to academics — all ideas that Pohl has directed.

..........................................................................

Only time will tell if he's being real about the athletic part. Still think Norval Pohl resigned because of Lee Jackson, but guess we'll really never know.

GMG!

Edited August 23, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[stebo]

FLJ

[SilverEagle]

FLJ

←

I don't think that I would want to get that "close" to him.

[NT80]

I wish it was L. J. leaving and not Dr. Pohl.

[medpilot21]

["While the university needs a leader who will buy into the goals that are already set for the university, Jackson said, the new president must be someone who has his or her own ideas to help UNT reach those goals."]...Lee Jackson

If that is true, then the next president wont be here long. The ONE thing Lee Jackson has made clear to the North Texas students and Alums, is that there is no way but his way, and he is not explaining himself to ANYONE. How is the new President going to introduce his own ideas when LJ wont consider them? I dont know for sure why Dr. Pohl resigned, but I see Lee Jackson's finger prints all over the turpentine-filled dart that hit him.

Lee Jackson is a hypocrite...and that is a very difficult trait to hide. I sincerely hope the next president is half as good as the one we are losing. If not, then at least be tough enough to stand up to the stupidity that seems to roll out of LJ's office. If he or she can do that, we want them. They will do what is right.

Of course, we will be looking for a new president shortly afterwards....

GMG!!!

[PlummMeanGreen]

Never quite understood a state-assisted university system such as NORTH TEXAS hiring a graduate (w/o a PhD) of 2 private universitie, ie, Duke and SMU.

BUILD IT AND BUILD IT SOON!

GMG!

Edited August 23, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[meangreenking]

"Jackson, a former state legislator and former Dallas County judge, also said he is not looking for someone with a similar background to his, and he expects that person to have an academic background."

Does this imply that Jackson does not have an academic background!??

[Go_UTA]

It is a positive sign that the chancellor is talking about involving faculty in the selection process. That doesn't mean they are going to pick him, but that helps get the prospects talking and to understand the concerns and issues of the campus. And, importantly, it helps get buy-in from the faculty no matter who is selected.

I still say a downside is the mere presence of a chancellor, on campus, of a very small system, breathing down a president's neck. It is a system set-up for friction no matter who the personalities are. The chancellor has nothing better to do than interfere with the president. I think most on this board will agree that this has been visible, even from the outside. I guarantee, the UNT president has much less authority and power on his campus than the president at UTA.

To some degree, this situation may tend to make the president post less attractive to highly qualified candidates (don't get me wrong, I'm sure you will get a real good person). A smart finalist will do some sniffing around to get the lay of the political landscape. Still, the possibility of being president of a major institution is attractive.

[greenpie]

Nobody asked UTA for their opinion.

[untgirl04]

Nobody asked UTA for their opinion.

←

I hope you were joking.

Personally, I think Go_UTA has a valid point. I welcome the outside opinions of those who can perhaps see our school from a less green-colored perspective. Although Go_UTA does not have (I'm assuming) such a vested interest in our great university, I still appreciate his/her comments and well-wishes.

[meangreenfreak]

["While the university needs a leader who will buy into the goals that are already set for the university, Jackson said, the new president must be someone who has his or her own ideas to help UNT reach those goals."]...Lee Jackson

If that is true, then the next president wont be here long. The ONE thing Lee Jackson has made clear to the North Texas students and Alums, is that there is no way but his way, and he is not explaining himself to ANYONE. How is the new President going to introduce his own ideas when LJ wont consider them? I dont know for sure why Dr. Pohl resigned, but I see Lee Jackson's finger prints all over the turpentine-filled dart that hit him.

Lee Jackson is a hypocrite...and that is a very difficult trait to hide. I sincerely hope the next president is half as good as the one we are losing. If not, then at least be tough enough to stand up to the stupidity that seems to roll out of LJ's office. If he or she can do that, we want them. They will do what is right.

Of course, we will be looking for a new president shortly afterwards....

GMG!!!

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Maybe LJ will have a different opinion of the next president because he will be one of "his" guys (or girls). Jackson didn't hire Pohl. Jackson will have a lot more say in the next guy.

[untgirl04]

Why is the Chancellor so powerful at the university? I thought that the President was supposed to be the highest authority. Maybe I've got them confused, but my understanding that the Chancellor was just a nice name for the guy who runs our two little satellite schools.

[greenpie]

I agree with all of you that Jackson worries me. However, he is the Chancellor so we can only hope for the best.

And no, I was not kidding, UTA doesn't even play football!!!!

[greenpie]

Why is the Chancellor so powerful at the university? I thought that the President was supposed to be the highest authority. Maybe I've got them confused, but my understanding that the Chancellor was just a nice name for the guy who runs our two little satellite schools.

←

You have a lot to learn. The president is the highest ranking person in the University, but the university is part of a system. Our Health and Science Center and our Dallas campus have their own presidents. The Chancellor is the highest ranking person in the system. If the Chancellor highers an idiot, than the university goes downhill.

Edited August 23, 2005 by greenpie

[untgirl04]

Gotcha. I had it confused then. Still, it seems to me that LJ is doing an awful lot of micromanaging. His goal should be (and is stated as such) to serve as a liaison between the state and federal legislatures and the University system. He should be able to implement system-wide policy such as faculty policies, system positions on certain issues, and so on.

However, it should be (and is stated as such) the job of the individual presidents to oversee and maintain the facilities and general upkeep of the individual campuses. Therefore, it makes sense to me that since UNT Athletics is a function of the main Denton campus only, the image and maintenance of said department should be under the stewardship of the Denton campus president. As long as the image conforms to the overall image of the University system (in this case as a D-1A major university), it's none of the chancellors *!@ business.

When you try to micromanage too much, you end up spoiling a good thing... something about too many cooks in the kitchen.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Why is the Chancellor so powerful at the university? I thought that the President was supposed to be the highest authority. Maybe I've got them confused, but my understanding that the Chancellor was just a nice name for the guy who runs our two little satellite schools.

←

The NT president used to be of a higher authority on the main campus until Lee Jackson set up his offices on the, uh, main campus.

The chancellor of a system with schools in Denton, Dallas and Fort Worth should really have his office set up in the middle of DFW Airport IMHO.

I think it would be a safe wager that (still relatively) newcomer NT Chancellor Lee Jackson would prefer to take any significant funds coming our way to build a campus in south Dallas County rather than a (very long over-due) new football stadium in Denton, Texas. I guess we can all say thank heavens for designated gifts, eh?

I only hope NT BOR's chairman Bobby Ray and the rest of our Board of Regents will make sure that such funds are not cleverly or subtlely diverted to what I really believe is LJ's #1 pet project, ie, the UNT-Dallas project. I mean, where has the man been living and working for the last few decades? Denton would not be the correct answer to that question.

And FWIW, I feel most assured that L. Jackson is hardly the anti-Christ that we sometimes make him out to be, but the (seemedly) sudden and early resignation of Norval Pohl just reeks with a Lee Jackson influence.

Edited August 23, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

[meangreenfreak]

The NT president used to be of a higher authority on the main campus until Lee Jackson set up his offices on the, uh, main campus.

The chancellor of a system with schools in Denton, Dallas and Fort Worth should really have his office set up in the middle of DFW Airport IMHO.

←

Perhaps on a runway..or in an underground tunnel.

[Go_UTA]

I would make the president of UNT and chancellorship of the System all vested in one person. 1) The System isn't so big that one person couldn't do both jobs. 2) UNT is obviously the largest and most important of the 3 components. 3) Most importantly, this would eliminate power struggles and confusion in lines of authority. 4) With a very large compensation package - made possible by the combining of the jobs - and the allure of the more powerful position, you could attract and hire one amazing person. 5) Lastly, if you are UNT (Denton)-centric, you could rest easier that it would be more likely the system would grow without dilution of resources at the Denton campus (although the other 3 components might not like this arrangement as much).

The UH president and UH System chancellor is one person.

[meangreenfreak]

I would make the president of UNT and chancellorship of the System all vested in one person.  1)  The System isn't so big that one person couldn't do both jobs.  2) UNT is obviously the largest and most important of the 3 components.  3) Most importantly, this would eliminate power struggles and confusion in lines of authority.  4) With a very large compensation package - made possible by the combining of the jobs - and the allure of the more powerful position, you could attract and hire one amazing person.  5) Lastly, if you are UNT (Denton)-centric, you could rest easier that it would be more likely the system would grow without dilution of resources at the Denton campus (although the other 3 components might not like this arrangement as much).

The UH president and UH System chancellor is one person.

←

Until Norval Pohl, Alfred Hurley was the President and Chancellor. The seperation is a relativly new thing for NT.

[NT80]

Until Norval Pohl, Alfred Hurley was the President and Chancellor.  The seperation is a relativly new thing for NT.

←

Jackson was hired for his political know-how and connections to Austin (I just haven't seen it materialize yet). Plus, the job of running UNT was becoming more complex as well as running the other campuses was seen as too much for one person. The UNT System is large enough to have a Chancellor but that doesn't mean he needs to have a piece of every campus decision (logos). I am concerned about who L. J. will try to bring in as President.

[GreenN'walinsVet]

My guess is LJ will no doubtatly try and bring in a YES man, that will do whatever he says and cause him no problems in his attemt to bring this athletic program back down to where people forget we have one and only think this University is here for academic reasons.

[drex]

Lee Jackson has no academic backgroung, in fact he has no background at all. Incidentially, I thought the Board of Regents hired a President, not a free lance chancellor. God help us if the regents let this guy run amuck. Oh, by the way faculty, be careful what you wish for...it just might happen. Pohl was wonderful and all segments of the university better pray to the god of their choice when this Jackson train starts rolling. By the way, those of you who suspicion that Jackson ran Pohl off are not far off track....remember, however, that our dear faculty put a stake through Pohl's heart, too.

[PlummMeanGreen]

Lee Jackson has no academic backgroung, in fact he has no background at all.  Incidentially, I thought the Board of Regents hired a President, not a free lance chancellor.  God help us if the regents let this guy run amuck.  Oh, by the way faculty, be careful what you wish for...it just might happen.  Pohl was wonderful and all segments of the university better pray to the god of their choice when this Jackson train starts rolling.  By the way, those of you who suspicion that Jackson ran Pohl off are not far off track....remember, however, that our dear faculty put a stake through Pohl's heart, too.

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Agree, drex...

Too many of the academic community at NT (not all) just cannot see the trees for the forest when it comes to athletics or athletics-related construction. Many of that group feel they are the losers (instead of the gainers) in such construction endeavors like the ones happening now at Eagle Point Campus. Many Denia-ites are NT employees and were probably the ones raising the most hell in the last 2 years concerning Eagle Point Campus' short-term and long range future.

LONG PARAGRAPHS AND LONGER SENTENCES: If any of our fine academians NT's teaching facilities were as old, beat up, adjacent to an interstate and cosmetically not pleasing to the eyes to 50,000 daily commuters off I35-E who would see their teaching venues and just in the same general shape as Fouts Field is today (even with recent cosmetic changes that are basically putting minor touch-ups on major problems with age at the top of that list); anyway, this group at NT would raise all kinds of holy hell, ask to have their buildings checked out as to have them condemned, imploded and ultimately replaced. Yet they most likely have no problems in thinking we could live with Fouts Field for another 50 years. (This group should have to work in DFW like many of us as to understand how one facility off the interstate gives many Metroplexers their "first impression-last impression" perception of NORTH TEXAS). Some of those academians might just ask Lee Jackson, when do we start the new stadium?!?!?!

Also, too many of this select group of NT acadamians do not have the foresight to understand what a new stadium can do for each of their respective academic departments in the area of stimulating alumnus interest, ie, alums from each of their departments they see graduate that would rarely show up at NT with their check books as to say "hello" or visit their major's academic building, touch base with their former professors and all this if not.............for Game Day at NT.

Too many of our NT academians just simply don't have the ability to conjure up a vision past their own personal pet projects as to see how a first class football facility (sorry folks, its Texas--not Indiana to you basketball junkies); like many of this group now teach in could make a new generation of NT alums (and its older nestor alums) feel proud of their school and want to $upport it when he or she graduates.

Venerable Fouts Field has served its purpose for probably a generation too long, but the sooner its gone--the better for the entire NT community, both those who receive their paychecks from NT and those who would give to the overall endowment of our alma mater AND to each of the academic departments that were our alum's majors/minors academically. Just my .02 from the, uh, Far Side.

Edited August 24, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen