Today is a unique sort of homecoming in the career of former Law Dean Lee Bollinger.
Last Saturday, thousands of University alums remembered their pasts in Ann Arbor, but at Bollinger's homecoming this morning, he will present a vision for the University's future.
For his return to campus, Bollinger will spend four hours in public interviews. He will face questions from the Board of Regents and the rest of the University community.
Provost at Dartmouth College since 1994 and a First Amendment scholar of national repute, Bollinger makes the return trip after 21 years of service in the University's Law School and two years at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H.
When he left Ann Arbor, he also left an array of admirers.
"Lee Bollinger had a very warm and cordial relationship with the faculty," said Law Prof. Theodore St. Antoine. "Even colleagues who differed with him philosophically regarded him highly on a personal basis."
One Law professor, who requested anonymity, said Bollinger's leadership skills are "phenomenal."
"He just seemed destined for bigger arenas by the end of the deanship - he's just a natural," the professor said. "He has great capacities, great resources. I think Lee Bollinger can do anything he puts his mind to.
"He's an extraordinary person for whom I just can't think of limits."
St. Antoine said Bollinger is "a true consensus builder" who sought to build policy through persuading those on the other side of the fence.
This tolerance of differing viewpoints coincides with the thesis of Bollinger's most famous book, "The Tolerant Society." In his book, Bollinger argues that nearly all restraints on speech should be removed, because free speech and expression make people develop character and deal with conflicting ideas.
As University Law dean, Bollinger became embroiled in a speech controversy of sorts - the drafting of a student code of non-academic conduct.
In an October 1991, letter to The Michigan Daily, Bollinger said, "The First Amendment clearly permits the University to regulate some speech behavior." Bollinger said forms of "verbal harassment" should be regulated, but ultimately concluded that many of the restrictions in an early code draft violated the First Amendment.
Currently, the University's Code of Student Conduct regulates some forms of behavior. It contains no specific constraints on speech.
Bollinger appeared in the national spotlight nine years ago when he testified against the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Robert Bork. To the Senate Judiciary Committee, Bollinger said that Bork's writings and speeches brought into question Bork's commitment to free speech.
Bork was defeated in his pursuit of a seat on the high court.
Bollinger testified in 1987 - the same year he became dean. At the time, the relative youth of the fair-haired 41-year-old received attention. Today, Bollinger is poised to make the jump from Dartmouth provost to Michigan president - if the regents think he's up to the job.
Co-workers at Dartmouth say they would be sorry to see him leave.
Dartmouth government Prof. Lynn Mather said Bollinger has worked at "building bridges across different parts of the institution." Mather said Bollinger is "a strong leader" and that she would be "very, very sorry to see him go."
Many officials at Dartmouth declined comment on Bollinger's future at Michigan. One professor said he did not want to be quoted because of own his strong hopes that Bollinger will remain at Dartmouth.
But at the Law School, many say they are prepared to embrace a possible Bollinger presidency with open arms.
"I was very happy with Lee Bollinger as a dean," said Prof. Samuel Gross. He said Bollinger would be a good University president.
Prof. Rebecca Eisenberg said Bollinger "was an extremely honorable dean" who was very concerned about doing "the right thing."
"He has views about ... discourse within a community that he tried to live out in his role as dean," Eisenberg said, noting that Bollinger promoted "open and respectful exchange."
St. Antoine said Bollinger works with people effectively.
"He is a keen, even tough, judge of people, but he has the sensitivity, even kindness, to be diplomatic in his dealings with them," St. Antoine said. "Our alumni, practical lawyers for the most part, loved him."
He also said Bollinger is open to conflicting ideas.
"He was also prepared to modify his own position when he saw that other views had merit," St. Antoine said. "Lee is a very strong person, but not in any overbearing way."