Neal embarked on this journey last summer after former University President James Duderstadt stepped down. The interim period could have been a rocky transition, but Neal made it a remarkably stable era in campus history - and a progressive one as well.
Neal took over the presidency and never stopped working. One of his most important accomplishments was the creation of the executive vice president for medical affairs. This administrator will oversee University Hospitals and the Medical School. Since the school is dedicated to teaching and the hospital is more focused on profits, the two entities often lacked a unified voice. As a result, the two departments will have a single representative before the University Board of Regents; this is important now as regents and administrators determine the medical center's future.
Moreover, Neal created the New Century Fund for Diversity - a program dedicated to creating a warm environment for minority students. One of Duderstadt's primary achievements was to create the Michigan Mandate in 1987 in an effort to raise the University's minority enrollment. Since implementation, minority enrollment has nearly doubled. But bringing more minorities to campus is not enough - the University must retain the minorities it recruits. Neal signaled his awareness of this by creating the new fund.
Even under pressure, Neal demonstrated his leadership abilities. For example, many regents and community members were outraged by Duderstadt's so-called midnight deals. During his last days in office, the former president authorized paid leave and other perks to entice administrators to stay on during the transition. Neal calmly explained that it was common procedure; moreover, Neal said that it was healthy for the University to keep the rest of its top positions steady while the regents searched for a new president. While many regents balked, Neal gave an earnest defense of Duderstadt's actions.
In fact, Neal's grace and forethought in situations like these earned him the immediate respect of the University community. More important, his consistency - including his constant forward motion - kept the University afloat.
Bollinger assumes the presidency at a time of great energy. Previous presidents have positioned the University to succeed and prosper in the 21st century. Harold Shapiro restored the University's financial system; Duderstadt oversaw a massive physical renovation project and injected more diversity into the student body; Neal's actions solidified many of these accomplishments. Bollinger must continue to steer the University in the same direction as his recent predecessors.
But he will have to choose his own legacy.
Many previous presidents did not pay enough attention to student wishes and requests, making their accomplishments bittersweet. Bollinger must recognize the student body for what it is: talented, intelligent and committed to creating a better community. Bollinger should meet with students regularly - and not just the Michigan Student Assembly president, no matter how outspoken she may be. Unless Bollinger places more emphasis on the process of student-impacting policies, he risks alienating the students and emulating the uncommunicative methods of the regents.
The president's office gives its occupant tremendous opportunities to shape, in part, future generations. The up-and-coming crop of leaders - though elders have assigned it the derogatory name of "Generation X" - knows what direction to take. Bollinger needs only to engage the students in dialogue to discover which way to steer.