NEWS | November 4, 2003

Presidential Search
Spaniolo: People bring campus to life

The Shorthorn: Brandon Wade University presidential finalist James Spaniolo, dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University, says UTA has the potential to be a powerhouse in the academic world but remain well known for its “down to earth” qualities.

By Danny Woodward
The Shorthorn staff

James Spaniolo believes in a saying. He’d govern by it, too, if he becomes the university’s president.

The phrase originated at Michigan State University, where Spaniolo is dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. It says Michigan State should be an elite institution without being perceived as elitist.

The same philosophy could apply to UTA, he said, in everything from research to recruiting. UTA’s strong relationship with the city, its fund-raising potential and its scenic campus make it a university that can attract the best students and faculty, he said. But its “down-to-earth” people mean UTA will, ultimately, remain a place that feels like home.

Spaniolo hopes it’s his next home.

The Shorthorn asked him 20 questions:

Question: What are your impressions so far?

Answer: Well, this is a great campus. First of all, it’s an attractive place. It feels like a university ought to feel. My wife and I got in last night and decided to walk around campus. We visited the library and the student center and saw students engaged in working on projects and so forth. It just felt alive, even on a Sunday night. It felt like a comfortable place to be.

Q: What about UTA is so appealing to you?

A: In some ways, it reminds me a lot of Michigan State. It’s a university that is much stronger than its reputation might be. It has good students, strong faculty, high aspirations and a commitment to achieve those aspirations.

I’ve been impressed with the idea of a larger, stronger living/learning center on campus. Those are things that create a rich and vibrant atmosphere on campus.

Q: In your opinion, what is UTA’s greatest asset?

A:The people who bring the university alive. I have met a number of people I’ve been impressed with. There is a commitment to excellence, but I also sense a down-to-earth humility that is very attractive.

Q: On the other hand, what is the university’s biggest problem?

A:Any organization has problems, but I like to look at it in terms of challenges and opportunities. The first big problem is resources. The economy is a big issue for UTA, like it is for other universities in Texas and around the country. That’s the biggest challenge, finding new sources of revenue, whether it be research or development or from partnerships.

Q: You’ve been a successful fund-raiser for much of your career, including spearheading the effort for the $3.5 million Quello media center at Michigan State. What opportunities do you see in fund raising here?

A: I think every public university today needs to be successful in fund raising, and I think the way to do that is hard work, building relationships and having a compelling message to take to alumni, friends, business donors, corporations and foundations. It’s not something you do overnight, but if this institution is committed to raising itself to a higher level, it has to also be committed to taking that message to all the stakeholders.

If you can increase your endowment significantly — and if I were president we would have a very strong campaign to increase endowment — that provides a cushion during tough economic times as well as a leverage for quality.

Q: You say you’d be a president who would interact with students. Specifically how would you do that?

A: Well, one of the things I’d like to do is teach one course a year. That’s what I do right now. I teach a course on the First Amendment in the 21st Century. That’s one thing.

I would hope to have some kind of advisory group of students, whether that be with leaders or a more broadly representative group. My intention would be to seek out students in both an informal and a more regular basis.

One of the things I enjoy doing is sitting down talking with students. You can do that in the residence halls, you can do it in the University Center. You can do it over lunch or over dinner. I think the interaction is not only enjoyable, it’s important for the president to be seen and heard, and it’s more important for students to understand that the president will listen.

Q: UTA is notably low in in-classroom faculty members. How would you turn that around, especially given budget constraints?

A: That’s one of the big challenges facing UTA, and it certainly would be a big challenge for the new president. I think it’s important to identify exactly where the greatest need is for new faculty. It goes without saying that additional faculty are needed to help with instruction and to help in the effort to ramp up research. So that would be clearly a priority: to identify and then make strategic decisions about where to add more faculty and then to make the case for funding.

And as I look at the numbers, it becomes pretty clear the number of tenured faculty, given the enrollment of the institution, hasn’t kept pace. That’s got to change if the university is going to continue to make progress.

Q: You come from a school with a nationally prominent athletic program. In your opinion, how important are athletics to a university?

A: I think athletics can play a very important, constructive role at a university. At their best, intercollegiate athletics contribute to spirit, energy and enthusiasm. And they also, right or wrong, can contribute significantly to the image of a university.

University athletics can provide an opportunity for students to be involved ... and an opportunity to create good feelings with alumni and with the community. But at the end of the day there needs to be a balance between the contribution that intercollegiate athletics provides and making sure there is academic integrity in the athletics program.

Q: Your wife is an academic adviser in the Honors College at Michigan State. Would she take a job here?

A: We really don’t know. If I were to become the president, we would take a look at what whether it would be feasible for her to work at the university or whether she would like to be involved but not as an employee.

Q: How would you foster ties between UTA and other system institutions, particularly UT-Dallas and UT-Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas?

A: I think you start out by initiating conversation. I would be a forceful advocate and a strong defender of the university. But I also would not dwell on turf because I think the future of higher education lies in universities reaching across traditional boundaries to work together.

I think there’s a wonderful opportunity, at least a potential opportunity, with UT-Dallas and UT-Southwestern Medical. In fact, if I had a dream about that, it would be that there would be created a new Metroplex research triangle that would be anchored by UT-Arlington.

Q: How would you foster ties between UTA and the city of Arlington?

A: I talked to [Chamber of Commerce President] Wes Jurey, and he has a phrase I love. It’s called “Team Arlington.” From everything I understand, there’s already a great working relationship between the city of Arlington, the Chamber of Commerce and the university. I’d be committed to building an even stronger relationship. I would be proud to say that as president of UT-Arlington that I’m part of Team Arlington.

Q: Do you have experience working with state legislators?

A:Over the last 35 years, I’ve worked with governors, legislators, senators and congressmen in a variety of settings in Michigan and Florida. I think the answer is, yes, I’m comfortable with working with elected and public officials.

Q: Do you have ties to the UT System?

A:Tie would be too strong a term, but [Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs] Teresa Sullivan is an MSU grad. I knew her when I was working in the president’s office. She was involved in a program where I met her. But, no, I don’t have any formal ties to the UT System.

[Dr. Sullivan was also the chair of the presidential search committee.]

Q: Do you have any specific plans for boosting research?

A: One of the first things I would do would be initiate what I would call a “strategic visioning process.” We would have a series of conversations and explorations and fact-finding analyses, and that’s one of the issues we would focus on. How do we achieve this aggressive goal of vamping up research? I think part of that is doing an inventory of your strengths. Part of it is doing an inventory of your potential partners.

All of that would be on the agenda, to explore and develop with the idea we would take that shared vision and shared determination and move forward.

Q: How would you assemble the administration team here?

A: The only thing I would be prepared to say at this point is that I would look nationally and on the campus, and I would hope to find the very best people to fill those positions and do it quickly.

It needs to be done properly. Even if we do national searches, that would not preclude serious consideration of people on campus.

Q: Would you increase the academic standards here through vehicles such as stricter admission standards or other policies?

A: I’ve read about the efforts under way to increase admission standards, and I think that’s a good thing. I think the challenge is to increase the quality of students while at the same time providing the opportunity for students to come and get an education. I think you can do both at the same time.

We should always be aspiring to increase the quality of our students, the quality of our faculty, the quality of everything we do.

Q: It’s fairly obvious that tuition needs to increase because of the drop in state funds. In your opinion, how much does it to increase?

A: I know there’s a proposal that will be submitted to the regents by interim President [Charles] Sorber. I haven’t seen that proposal so I don’t have a definitive opinion.

There seemed to be a consensus on campus between students and administration that tuition needs to increase in a significant way. I haven’t followed every detail of how it will work, but what I am most impressed with is how university administration has worked hand-in-hand with students and with others to develop the proposal.

Q: Where will UTA be in 10 years if you’re its president?

A: I’ve always been reluctant to predict the future. But it would be my goal that UTA would be an even greater university and that it would be perceived by its peers, by the community and by the state as a truly outstanding university.

I would hope to have a chance to play a part in that. Great universities are a result of great efforts and many contributions from many people. The president can be important, but he’s not alone.

Q: Why should you be UTA’s next president?

A: That’s a question others will decide. I’ve been really impressed with the other candidates. UTA will be well served by whoever is selected as the next president.

What I bring to this position would be a set of experiences that are deeply connected with higher education and a major university. But the other thing that I have had the opportunity to do is a number of other experiences that have included work in journalism and law, as well as experiences at a national foundation. I think the collective impact has prepared me to provide leadership that would probably be unique from other candidates.

Q: This would be your first presidency, and you’re 57. Would it be your last job?

A: I would expect it to be the capstone experience in my career. I could think of nothing more rewarding and more challenging than the opportunity to have as my last major professional experience to be the president of a university, particularly president of a university like UTA.

I think the next president needs to be willing to commit himself to stay as long as is required to get the job done. Who knows what that will be? But certainly, it would be my intention for this to be my capstone experience.

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