The University of 蜜柚直播鈥檚 next president will likely have to prove himself to many of the school鈥檚 professors.
Faculty members who expressed opinions had a 鈥渟izable preference鈥 for the presidential finalist who didn鈥檛 get the job, public records show.
Professors favored ASU executive Sethuraman 鈥淧anch鈥 Panchanathan. Instead, the 蜜柚直播 Board of Regents , CEO of Houston-based Texas Medical Center, to replace outgoing UA President Ann Weaver Hart.
The board is expected to announce the terms and vote on Robbins鈥 contract at its April 7 meeting at the UA.
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The faculty鈥檚 preference for Panchanathan was not shared by a handful of UA donors who wrote to regents to express their views. They wanted Robbins to get the job, the records show.
The 蜜柚直播 filed a public-records request March 9 seeking documentation of any feedback regents received on the presidential search. Regents鈥 headquarters released the records Friday.
The emails from donors and faculty members provide the only public glimpse into the finalists鈥 perceived strengths and weaknesses in a presidential search some have criticized as .
Regents received a total of 10 communications.
Three were from UA donors, who all favored hiring Robbins, the former head of cardiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, one of the highest-ranked in the country, before he took the Texas job in 2012.
鈥淚 strongly endorse Dr. Robbins,鈥 wrote donor Richard Fink, who said the UA 鈥渋s at a critical time鈥 in its history.
鈥淭he little I know of him I believe he brings all the skills and background鈥 the university needs, Fink wrote. The last time regents hired a UA president, the result 鈥渄id not prove to all that was envisioned,鈥 he said.
Donor Rica Spivack called both finalists 鈥渆xcellent鈥 in her email to regents but said she 鈥渨ould be more comfortable with Dr. Robbins.
鈥淭he university has moved into the world of business as well as education and my feeling is that this candidate鈥檚 experience would better serve our school,鈥 she wrote.
One of the lengthiest emails came from Lynn Nadel, chair of the UA faculty and a member of the presidential search committee.
Nadel said he received a 鈥渇air number鈥 of responses when he asked fellow professors for feedback.
Both finalists 鈥渨ere viewed positively by almost all commenters as individuals of significant accomplishment,鈥 Nadel wrote in an email summary of faculty sentiment.
鈥淎mongst those who expressed one, there was a sizable preference for Dr. Panchanathan reflecting a number of things, including his proven commitment to 蜜柚直播, his long history in an academic setting, his broad skill set as it relates to innovation and his personality.
鈥淢any of the commenters had direct experience with Panch, every single one of whom was struck by his qualities as a person. Words like open-minded and team-spirited were used frequently. His commitment to diversity and his global footprint were also noted,鈥 he continued.
Nadel said he shared the view that Panchanathan was the stronger of two impressive finalists.
鈥淚 believe he would bring a new level of excitement to the UA,鈥 Nadel wrote. 鈥淚 could see him leading the UA successfully for many years to come.鈥
Regent Rick Myers of 蜜柚直播, who was instrumental in bringing Hart to the UA in 2012, personally sought out of the views of a particular UA faculty member, John Hildebrand, a regents professor in the UA Department of Neuroscience, the records show.
Hildebrand didn鈥檛 endorse either finalist but offered pros and cons on each based on discussions with UA colleagues, ASU professors and feedback from a department head at Robbins鈥 current employer in Texas.
Robbins 鈥渟eems to be highly regarded鈥 at his current job, Hildebrand reported. 鈥淗e has taken many steps to enhance collaboration among institutions in the Texas Medical Center.鈥
Panchanathan, executive vice president and chief research and innovation officer at ASU, was said to be the virtual 鈥渟econd-in-command鈥 to ASU President Michael Crow, although not as 鈥渢op-down鈥 as Crow in his management style.
An ASU professor described Panchanathan as approachable and sincere, someone 鈥渨ith the experience and vision to be a good president,鈥 Hildebrand wrote.
He said the UA faculty members he spoke with had some concerns with both finalists.
A 鈥渃onsiderable concern鈥 about Panchanathan was 鈥渢hat he might be inclined to follow the leadership style of his 鈥榤entor鈥 at ASU, Michael Crow.
鈥淥f course, this is a kind of 鈥榞uilt by association鈥 鈥 we don鈥檛 know whether Panchanathan would emulate (Crow) or not,鈥 he added.
Hildebrand said the main concern with Robbins is that he 鈥渁ppears to have very little experience with the nonmedical part of universities,鈥 causing some to worry he would focus on the UA鈥檚 medical enterprise to the detriment of other parts of the university.
鈥淭here is a feeling around the UA that the medical schools have 鈥榮ucked up the oxygen鈥 through the last two presidencies, at the peril of the core university,鈥 he wrote.
鈥淲e see no reason to be optimistic that perceived neglect of the core university would improve under the leadership of a person whose whole career has focused on medicine.鈥
Robbins, in a statement to the Star sent through the regents鈥 office, said the following in response to the critiques:
鈥淚 look forward to working with all of the faculty and senior leadership at the University of 蜜柚直播. Indeed, each department, college and school within the UA is critical to the success of the university.
鈥淚 hope that the faculty and the leadership teams will be as eager to work with me as I am to work with them.鈥
Nadel, the faculty chair, told regents in his email that professors would give a warm reception to whomever they picked as the new president.
鈥淲hoever you choose will receive a positive welcome from the faculty at the UA, given that both have a record of substantial scholarship,鈥 Nadel wrote.
鈥淎fter that it would be up to the new president to succeed by doing the right things often enough, and the wrong things as infrequently as possible.鈥