As preparations wrap up for the inauguration of
Chancellor John V. Lombardi, let me note some of my early observations
of the chancellor, as well as sharing news of some of his actions
to date with those among you who may not be aware of them.
"Let's Face The Music and Dance" is one
of the musical numbers scheduled for the inauguration dinner.
No title could more accurately sum up the attitude with which
Chancellor Lombardi faces his daily responsibilities as the leader
of our campus. He arrives at the office early, fueling himself
with coffee, and is prepared to handle whatever comes his way.
Those who work with him for the first time find that his speech
is eloquent, his knowledge base is formidable, and his energy
is boundless.
Learning the ropes of a new workplace while also
leading is not an easy thing to do. If this has daunted Chancellor
Lombardi, he has not shown it. Upon arriving on campus a few months
ago, he lost no time in familiarizing himself with the University's
schools and colleges, and informing himself about the priorities
of faculty members, their future vision for UMass Amherst, and
the types of research in which they are engaged.
During fall semester, the chancellor met with faculty
assemblies in the individual schools and colleges, and now plans
to speak with clusters of faculty members from varied academic
units, in order to do cross-checking among the disciplines. Faculty
members attending these events to date have been pleased to find
that Chancellor Lombardi typically does just as much listening
as talking. He is clearly interested in making sure that as the
incoming leader of our campus, he is familiar with faculty interests
and priorities.
It is the firm belief of Chancellor Lombardi that
the faculty is central to the success of the institution. In his
vision, faculty members build the reputation of their departments
through excellence in teaching and research. This performance
attracts other faculty members and, in turn, attracts students.
The crucial role of the faculty, then, actually goes far beyond
individual teaching and research, to establishing a reputation
and bringing visibility and recognition to the department, as
well as to the campus. This model creates an atmosphere of mutually
respectful partnership between the faculty and the administration.
Chancellor Lombardi gives the impression of being
both a man of letters and a man of the people. He is highly personable,
and maintains an open door policy. I have observed him to be remarkably
astute at understanding the complexities of academic administration
and academic life. While maintaining a highly competitive framework
for performance measurement, he remains pragmatic in terms of
his approach to dealing with issues - and, in fact, describes
himself as a "romantic pragmatist."
Chancellor Lombardi also comes to us as a role model
for exceptional academic achievement, communicating constantly
by computer with colleagues worldwide. As a globally-reputed scholar
of Latin American history, he has authored an impressive array
of books and articles, and serves as co-editor of a nationwide
project on the measurement of university performance. He is much
in demand as a speaker and consultant on the topic of the state
of the academy.
As a passionate teacher, Chancellor Lombardi has
no intention of entirely abandoning the classroom due to his administrative
responsibilities. During this initial year at UMass Amherst, he
is teaching courses in the management of universities, and in
the history of intercollegiate sports during the past century.
Nor does the new chancellor forget the students when he leaves
the classroom. He is a staunch proponent of student resources;
attempts to attend every student function to which he is invited;
and even went above and beyond the call of duty this fall when
he played clarinet in the alumni homecoming band.
If the campus has gained a band member in Chancellor
Lombardi, it has gained a modern-day cheerleader in his wife and
collaborator, Cathryn. With her bright smile and endless enthusiasm,
Cathryn has already shown herself to be a hardworking and hospitable
partner in the new administration. Her face has quickly become
familiar at athletic and cultural events. In only a few short
months, under her direction, the Chancellor's residence has become
a gracious, warm, and welcoming place.
It is no secret that in accepting his position at
UMass Amherst, Chancellor Lombardi took the helm of a campus that,
like many state institutions of higher education, is under significant
financial strain. Yet he has dealt with fiscal issues calmly;
conveying a sense of hope that things will always get better.
Chancellor Lombardi, himself, has already been working at fund-raising
around the clock. As a former university president, he helped
to double another campus's research awards and to bring in $570
million in private funding. He has urged us to accept the reality
that state institutions cannot expect to be solely dependent on
state governmental funding in this day and age, but must reach
beyond state borders to private and federal sources. And he has
wasted no time at reaching outward, achieving some early successes,
and setting the stage for continued financial growth.
Drawing from first impressions, Chancellor Lombardi
appears to be a model of committed and charismatic leadership.
I came upon an unattributed quote that seems to describe him well.
The quote says, "Some people watch what happens, some don't
know what's happening, and others make things happen." There
seems to be no doubt that Chancellor Lombardi falls into the latter
category. If what he has made happen in a few short months can
be taken as an example, we can all look forward to a period of
increased resources, renewed vitality, and reaffirmation of the
status of UMass Amherst as one of our country's leading teaching
and research institutions.
CHARLENA SEYMOUR
Interim senior vice chancellor for
Academic Affairs and provost
