A presidential legacy

Ford honor will benefit campus

As William Shakespeare wrote in "Romeo and Juliet," "What's in a name?" When it comes to academia, name recognition can go a long way.

The University Board of Regents are expected to approve a plan to rename the School of Public Policy in honor of former President Gerald Ford. By calling it the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy, the University will acknowledge the tremendous success Ford had as a student here and later as the chief executive of our nation. By naming the school after one of the University's most visible living alumni, the school is vying for higher levels of prestige to compete with the pinnacle schools of public policy in the nation.

This will honor his major contributions made during the past 70 years. Ford was an outstanding student and participant in life outside the classroom. In addition to a solid academic background, he was captain of the football team.

Ford is the only U.S. president to graduate from the University. Naming the school after him creates a role model for ambitious policy students.

By naming the school of his field after him, the University is honoring one of its most distinguished alumni and preserving the history of this institution. As all Wolverines past and present know well, few schools in the world can compete with Michigan's academic eminence.

But an even smaller number of schools boast a U.S. president among their alumni. Naming the School of Public Policy after Ford thanks him for giving us this distinguished honor. And it in turn reflects on the School of Public Policy, which was founded in 1995. Among scholars, it is redundant to say the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton and the Kennedy School at Harvard. These schools are recognized by the names of presidents.

Ford's presidency was by most measures a success, especially considering the circumstances he faced when he began. The most common knocks on Ford's presidential term are that he inherited office from the impeached Richard Nixon, pardoned him and he had strained relations with the Democratic congress. Also, Ford's satirists created a memorable image of buffoonery that obscures his accomplishments.

Indeed he vetoed 61 proposals during his 2.5 years in office. Considering the difficult economic slump he inherited, popular opinion of Ford was high.

According to polls conducted during his presidency at the University of Connecticut's Roper Center for Public Research Opinion, his approval ratings ranged from 73 percent in August1974 to 53 percent in December 1976.

Everyone should be proud of Gerald Ford's political accomplishments, but foremost we should recognize his dedication to the University.

From his days on the gridiron and in the classrooms to his many campus speaking appearances as an alumnus, Ford determined to be a Wolverine for life. By naming a great school in his honor, the University will ensure his legacy lives forever.

11-18-99