Updated DMNews Article on New UNT Prez

[Harry]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...t.2f6b4c28.html

Sole finalist for UNT post named

Denton: Official in N.C. would be school's first female president

09:34 PM CDT on Thursday, July 6, 2006

By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News

The top academic official for the University of North Carolina system was tapped Thursday as the sole finalist to be the next president of the University of North Texas.

Dr. Gretchen Bataille Gretchen M. Bataille, 61, a scholar of Native American literature with a vast background as an academic administrator at large university systems in California, North Carolina and Washington state, is poised to become UNT's 14th president and the first woman to hold that post.

Dr. Bataille would replace Norval Pohl, who has been president since 2000 and decided last summer to step down at the end of August.

"She's the best," said Molly Broad, former head of the University of North Carolina system. "She has expertise in virtually every aspect of university leadership: budgets, faculty, fundraising. She is the complete package."

UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson said Dr. Bataille "brings a great depth, breadth and balance, and she has an engaging, relaxed and self-confident personality."

He said Dr. Bataille would be responsible for taking UNT's new master plan, approved in May, and turning the broad goals into clear, concrete administrative policies.

One of those goals is to boost UNT's research efforts.

Mr. Jackson said UNT's faculty hiring had been driven primarily by growth in student enrollment. But he would like to see hiring focus on research and the potential for a faculty member's ability to attract outside grant money.

He said boosting the UNT endowment is another goal. The bulk of UNT's meager $37 million endowment is tied directly to student scholarships. Mr. Jackson wants to generate gifts that would support more faculty positions and research programs.

Colleagues in North Carolina say Dr. Bataille is well suited for the role. Academic leaders sometimes lack the skills necessary to deal with politicians, civic organizations, booster clubs and major donors, said J. Craig Souza, vice chair of the University of North Carolina governing board. "But Gretchen is articulate, can communicate at all levels, and has the important social skills – she works a room well," he said.

"She works constantly," said Jeffrey Davies, the chief of staff to UNC system President Erskine Bowles. "She's one of the most prepared people I've ever met. She's very principled.."

For the past year, Dr. Bataille was interim chancellor at North Carolina School of the Arts – one of the system's campuses that had endured financial and accounting problems.

"She came at a very challenging time and brought so much clarity to the campus with a lot of grace," said Trish Casey, a contemporary dance instructor who was chair of the faculty council.

"She's an excellent communicator, and our campus was in dire need of someone to provide candid communication," Ms. Casey said.

Dr. Bataille spent much of her career focused on civil rights and diversity. "I was the first in my family to go to college, so I understood the importance of college access to higher education," she said.

She grew up in Mishawaka, Ind., and through high school and college worked at the soda fountain her parents ran.

She started her academic career in English literature, but when she sought her doctorate, she turned her back on traditional subjects like Shakespeare, Hemingway and Faulkner.

"Native American literature was a field that had not been explored," she said. "Plus, there were a lot of emerging writers in the field, and I saw an opportunity to bring their work into the classroom."

Ever since, she has pursued her interests in diversity and American Indian culture, often combining the two. For a time, she chaired the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, and she wrote the grant that created the American Indian Institute at Arizona State University. While at ASU, she also chaired a presidential committee on assessing quality and diversity. She initiated and chaired the American Indian Studies program at Iowa State University.

She also keeps a hand in teaching and research. Her latest book is due out in September – a primer for administrators on how to attract and retain top faculty.

Mr. Davies said Dr. Bataille embraced diversity at North Carolina, hiring more women and minorities for the administrative staff across the 16-campus system.

Mr. Jackson said that's also a goal at UNT. "We want a faculty and student body that reflect the state, and we have some room to grow on that front," he said. "Dr. Bataille's experience in this area will help us move forward."

In 2005, 74 percent of UNT's 556 tenured faculty were men, and 85 percent were white. Only 23 tenured professors – or 4 percent – were black. Only 21 were Hispanic.

Among the 8,491 newly enrolled students at UNT last fall, 65 percent were white. Blacks represented 13 percent of new students, and Hispanics represented 12 percent.

Before the UNT system's trustees can elect Dr. Bataille president, Texas law requires a 21-day waiting period after her announcement as the sole finalist.

Hours after Thursday morning's announcement, Dr. Bataille was on campus meeting with campus leaders. She is to meet with several other campus leaders today.

Matthew Zabel of the Denton Record-Chronicle contributed to this report.

E-mail joneill@dallasnews.com

GRETCHEN M. BATAILLE

Age: 61

Hometown: Mishawaka, Ind.

Education: Bachelor's degree, California Polytechnic State University, 1966; master's degree, California Polytechnic State University, 1967; doctorate in English, Drake University, 1977

Career: Taught at Iowa State University, 1967-86; taught and held administrative positions at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 1986-88, and at Arizona State University 1988-94; provost, College of Letters & Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1994-97; provost and academic vice president, Washington State University, 1997-2000; senior vice president for academic affairs, University of North Carolina 2000-06; interim chancellor, North Carolina School of the Arts, 2005-06

Of note: Vice chair and trustee, The College Board; board member, North Carolina Humanities Council; board member, North Carolina Public Television Foundation

Personal: Widow with two grown children

[Stan R]

Well, I'm giving her a clean slate. Let see how she does first before jumping to conclusions.

[drex]

If Jackson is so interested in developing more money for faculty and research, why hasn't he done it? He has been here long enough to have made some strides in that direction. He has not done so, as far as I know. He was hired to do this and has been markedly absent in that regard.

[ForneyGreen]

Hope she likes football...