Sooner Magazine Dropped by for a Continued

The vital statistics have been widely disseminated by now, ever since the May 2, 1989, selection of Richard L. Van Horn as the 12th president ofthe University of Oklahoma : Born November 2, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois; raised inFort Wayne, Indiana . Bachelor of science degree in industrial administration with highest honors from Yale University, master ofsci- ence in industrial management from the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnol- ogy, doctoral degree in system sciences from Carnegie-Mellon University. Ten years with the Rand Corpora- tion, where he worked on the applica- tion of computers to management, still his area of academic interest . Sixteen years at Carnegie-Mellon as faculty member, associate dean of the Graduate School of Industrial Admin- istration, vice president for business af- fairs, vice president for management, provost . Two years while on leave of absence as director and professor of management systems at the EuropeanInstitute fr Advanced Studies in Management in Brussels, Belgium. Six years as president of the Univer- sity of Houston . Married to Dr. Betty Jane Pfeffe- baum, a childpsychiatrist, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas School of Medicine and vice president of the University of Texas Medical Center at Houston; father of three daughters, Beth Rodriguez of Houston, Patty Florin of Paris, France, and Lynda Graziano of Pittsburgh, Penn- sylvania . Those are the facts, none of which answer the questions on the minds of faculty, students, alumni and friends of the University : Have you metthe new president? What is he like?How doyou think he will do? Are we going to like him? To answer these and otherquestions, Sooner Magazine dropped by for a visit. Continued The New Man in Evans Hall he new president does not "There are easily another 10 or 15 vantages in being a big university and stand on ceremony. A pleasant, areas where the University could un- provide a special kind of undergrad- confidently quiet individual, dertake research of significant in- uate experience?" Van Horn asks . "You The is quick to offer his hand, introduc- terest to the state, where we can make have a diversity of areas, so you pro- ing himself simply as "Dick Van a contribution . We can expect the vide a wider range of choice. Ifyou are Horn," turning to his attractive wife largest volume of research dollars- a research university, you can do a sec- with ". and this is Betty." He re- say 70 percent-in the areas of sci- ond thing; you provide students the members if you have met before and, ence, engineering and medicine . But exposure to faculty members who are unlike some tightly scheduled execu- there will be research in every area- really outstanding role models, who tives, gives you his undivided and un- education, law, fine arts, the are making significant contributions . hurried attention. Although he handles humanities ." "Then," he continues, "you make himself well in large groups, the im- Van Horn cautions, however, that an sure that faculty members are seri- pression is unmistakable : here is a institution should never be so re- ously interested in and are rewarded one-on-one person . stricted to a strategic plan as to be for excellence in teaching, for being Since moving into his office in Evans unable to take advantage of unantici- innovative, for creating new courses, Hall in mid-July, Van Horn has pated opportunities . The University of for being concerned about under- adopted a number of priorities in his Houston's entry into super-conductiv- graduates, for involving them in lab- orientation to the new job. ity research, based on an unexpected oratory activity - undergraduates "I want to become very familiar with scientific breakthrough by one of its make great research assistants." the state and with the alumni," he faculty researchers, was such an op- Not everyone can be a superior, in- says, "get to everymajor city, visit each tuitive, natural teacher, Van Horn ad- of the legislators in his or her home mits, but he insists that every faculty area . I want to move ahead with the member can provide a comprehensive two strategic plans just prepared for "Undergraduate students will class outline, make clear assignments, the Norman campus and the Health generally turn out to be the keep regular office hours, be available Sciences Center. Both have a number to students and take time to help. He of good ideas in them ; both stress the most visible alumni of the also feels that students in a large uni- importance of research, and that will institution. They become versity must be made aware that they be a high priority of mine. the leaders in the state and have a greater responsibility to ask for "I have a particular interest in ad- that help, to seek out needed informa- missions and recruiting," he adds, in the nation, and they tion. acknowledging the University's suc- identify most fondly with "I always try to stress to students cess in recruiting honor students . But the institution." that the faculty and administration he also is studying other factors im- would like to solve their problems," he pacting the institution's funding- says, "but frequently they don't under- public appropriations, private giving stand that there is a problem ." and sponsored research . "That should portunity, he says, making possible a Van Horn intends to demonstrate ac- keep me busy for a few weeks," he con- major institutional investment with cessibility to students by his own cludes . great returns . example, although he admits that But even as he is settling in and "You can do the same thing in stu- time is always a problem . becoming familiar with the com- dent areas," he claims . "It's very im- "Obviously you can't do everything, plexities of his new job, Van Horn has portant to the state of Oklahoma to but I try to participate in as many stu- his eye on long-range goals, not just bring good students in from outside dent activities as I can . I meet on a forecasting where the University will the state and to provide good oppor- regular basis with student organiza- be in five to ten years but where the tunities for the best students in the tion leaders, and I like to do `random institution would like to be. He sees state. The honors program does that ; student lunches,' just pick out 20 stu- the impact of strategic planning very it's part of the strategic plan ." dents, invite them to lunch, ask them clearly in the area of research. Van Horn is aware that some con- how things are going and talk about "What size research program do you cern has been voiced that under- what they think the problems and is- want to have five years down the graduate education might suffer in sues are . You get totally different com- road?" he asks . "What areas should OU's pursuit of comprehensive re- ments back than you do from the stu- the research be in? It is very difficult search university status. He is deter- dent leaders . They're not worried to direct faculty research ; faculty mined that that will not happen. about power battles between the ad- members are going to work on the "Undergraduate students generally ministration and students . They are problems they find interesting . But turn out to be the most visible alumni concerned about very simple things- you can have some influence by em- of the institution," he says . "They be- the book store doesn't open when they phasizing areas that are relevant to come the leaders in the state and in need it, library hours are not conven- the future of the state." the nation, and they identify most ient. He cites the Energy Center concept fondly with the institution . `At the University of Houston, I al- as illustrative of such emphasis . "So how do you overcome the disad- ways had open office hours once a 4 SOONER MAGAZINE "Answer any question . Horn replied simply, "That says more on an individual basis, taking into ac- about the president than it does the count differences between disciplines discuss your problems. coach." and the maturity of the faculty. If those problems become At the same time, the president, who "You don't hire faculty locally ; you so dominant that people experienced similar NCAA problems have to be competitive with other don't want to discuss at Houston, insists that his media pol- states and other institutions," he says. icy is openness with the press. "Some- He knows he will have to sell that anything else - and a great times to my detriment, I suppose," he premise continually to the legislature deal else goes on at a says. "You should try to provide as and the tax-paying public . university - then it's much information as you can, answer In addition to securing new funds any question that is asked, discuss by public and private means, Van Horn better to try to be your problems . If at some point those is willing to reallocate existing re- very `nonquotable.' " problems become so dominant that sources . "It is a very painful thing to people don't want to discuss anything do," he admits, "but you must build else - and a great deal else goes on and preserve quality. You don't go out month for students," Van Horn says. at a university - then it's better at and fire people or anything like that. "Then faculty and staffshowed up and those times to try to be very `nonquot- I don't believe in sudden dramatic wanted to sign up. I'd start about able.' change in the organization ; that's just 2 p.m.

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