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NEWS
| October 24, 2003
Presidential Search
Finalist says he’d focus on
bigger picture
Peter Hoff will meet with students
today at a forum.
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| The Shorthorn: Brandon Wade |
| Presidential finalist Peter Hoff speaks
to an alumni group Thursday afternoon in the University
Center Palo Duro Lounge. He said the future president
of the university should take time to listen to his constituents. |
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By Brad
Rollins
The Shorthorn managing editor
Peter Hoff began the day at the university he hopes to lead by eating
breakfast with top administrators and taking part in a string of
interviews.
Asked by a reporter if he had expectations for his two-day visit,
he joked he expected to answer the same questions repeatedly. Eight
hours and a half-dozen meetings later, the joke was still on, but
Dr. Hoff said it had assumed a new meaning.
“I feel like I just taught six sections of the same course
in succession,” he said wryly while awaiting the start of
an alumni reception in University Center.
And then seriously: “But I consider that a good sign. I’m
getting that there’s quite a bit of consensus between faculty
and administrators and students about the university. I’m
getting that a lot of people see this as a time to step back and
ask, ‘Where is this university now and where are we going?’
”
If things go as Hoff hopes, he’ll have endless hours to ponder
those questions.
The 59-year-old president of the University of Maine is one of five
finalists for the university presidency left vacant in February
when Robert Witt departed for the top position at the University
of Alabama.
Hoff said he is not eager to leave his current post at Maine’s
flagship university. Nevertheless, he thinks the future of higher
education will be found in booming population centers like the Metroplex
— not sleepy towns like Orono, population 9,112.
“I’m looking — scratch looking — I’m
open to a new challenge,” he said. “I can’t take
credit for a lot of what I’ve accomplished at Maine, but it’s
been a good run.”
The most apparent virtue Harriett Amster can name to Hoff’s
credit is his reluctance to take credit.
“He was quite up front about the accidental nature of many
of the good things that happened while he’s been president
at Maine,” the psychology professor said of Hoff’s remarks
at a private Faculty Senate meeting. “He struck me as very
honest and very modest. And he was clear that he thought a president’s
job is to keep an eye on the overview, the bigger picture.”
The finalist seemed to agree the bigger picture would be his charge
if he is chosen to lead here. Speaking near the end of the day,
Hoff said a clear image of the university’s problems and potential
were emerging from talks with groups ranging from deans to Student
Congress to the city’s development board.
“I think he created a positive impression,” said Dan
Formanowicz, a biology professor who attended the Faculty Senate’s
meeting. “He has a fair amount of experience dealing with
problems similar to ours, but on a smaller scale. And he was pretty
straightforward in talking about his record.”
Hoff’s two-day tour continues today with another gauntlet
of meetings including another constituency all together: City and
community political and business leaders.
Hoff will meet with students in an open forum this afternoon. There,
he expects to again answer questions about an anemic student retention
record, a lop-sided student-faculty ratio and high hopes for becoming
a research powerhouse.
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