Affinity for Athens:
A place they won't forget; years they'll always treasure
ALDEN: You know one of the things that excited me about Ohio University, why I've continued to be excited about it, is Charlie and Bob and now Rod. The quality of the people who have been leading the university has kept me excited and anxious to come back as often as I can.
PING: Actually there's another dimension to that. My first contact with a group from Ohio University was in your office, Vern, in Boston. I was in the advanced management program for the business school. And the committee or portions of the committee flew up, and we met in Vern's office.
We had a couple of hours (to talk), and frankly, I had earlier told the committee that I was not going to be a candidate (for the position of president). And Allen Booth, who was chairing the committee, called and said, "If we came to Boston would you meet with us?" And I said that I certainly would be flattered, and of course I would. And so the group came up, and what really captured me was how deeply the people who were there felt about the (university). We talked for a couple of hours; the meeting broke up; and as they were leaving, Vern said to me, "Stay for a minute, I want to show you something." And he took me into the area off of his office, and there on the wall was a plaque. And there were pieces of lead pipe, and you said to me, "These are all the things that were thrown through my window during my years (as president during an era of student protests.)" And then he said, importantly, "Both Marion and I say those were the best years of our lives."
ALDEN: Yes, they were. They were.
PING: And then I went back to the business school, and I ran into the same sort of (thing). I was in a group of business executives, and everyone I talked with from Ohio would say, "I would send my daughter there." And I began to scratch my head and I went around talking to faculty friends, and overwhelmingly the response was "That's a really remarkable place." Over and over again, there was a sense of appreciation for the university.
Ohio Today: So was that what eventually convinced you that this was the place for you?
PING: I think I said I would visit if it were not as a candidate. And they arranged what was really an alumnus visit; we were hosted in the home of a faculty member. I can remember that I met a circle of faculty that was just an exciting group. And the place … I think everyone who comes here, just has a sense this is what campus ought to look like.
GLIDDEN: There's a certain universality to presidents and leadership. For example, even a month before I left here -- after 10 years! -- someone still called me "Dr. Ping" and now they call me "McGlidden." So there's continuity, you see.
Ohio Today: I do have one more question. Each of you still has ties to the university. What is it that keeps you involved? Is it typical for university presidents to have the relationship you have with this institution?
GLIDDEN: I don't think it's so typical.
PING: I think it's less typical in public universities.
GLIDDEN: Yes, by far, less so. I think it has to do with the people. If you just take The Ohio University Foundation Board of Trustees; I really count (them as) some of my best friends, the members of that board. Wonderful people, who are so dedicated to the university. You know, I determined years before that we would not stay here in retirement. I'm not as nice a guy as Charlie Ping (who remained in Athens after his tenure as president and during Glidden's). He was always such a gentleman, so supportive. And I didn't trust me being around the next president. [Laughter] But there's a sense of community that you feel a part of, at least I do. You know, Ohio University is a part of my life now. And so I won't always be as active and involved as I am right now, but you know it's just a great joy for me to be engaged with it.
PING: I stayed because of that sense of community and a circle of friends, (including) Wil and Ann Lee Konneker. That was true of the Russes and of Ed Kennedy, when he was alive, and a great many people. I had intended for years to return to my first love, which is the teaching of philosophy, and it kept getting postponed because there was something else, another campaign or other task (at the university) that needed attention. I disappeared for a year to get out of your way [he looks at Glidden, who succeeded him] as completely as I could. I was in Windhoek, Namibia, on a Fulbright, which is about as remote as you can get. Then I thought, after a year, it was not objectionable to come back. And I came onto the foundation board, really, because I have a love for it.
GLIDDEN: Charlie's tenure was 19 years, and Vern was here for what seven? I was here for 10. Today so often universities' presidents are in place for five years, and then they're gone. After all, we're on our 20th president in 200 years. So I think that has something to do with it, too. I think the university probably has become more of a part of us than (the universities) of someone who's been president of four or five different places. Of course, Vern went on to another kind of career but Charlie's academic career sort of culminated here, as did mine. So that makes a difference, too.
ALDEN: You know I'm very pleased also that a person who was an undergraduate here is now the president.
Ohio Today: Could you talk a little bit about that? What is it about Dr. McDavis' goals for Ohio University that encourages you?
PING: He cares deeply about the place, and that's so very obvious.
GLIDDEN: Sometimes with intuitions of our size and type, you know that people are just using (jobs there) as a stepping stone, and that's obviously not true of Rod. It wasn’t true for any of us. It wasn’t just a step on the way to somewhere else. And so I think that kind of commitment is important.
ALDEN: I would have found it very difficult to go to another university as president. Because when you put in 100 or 200 percent of your life and your wife does also; if you invest yourself so thoroughly in the institution, how can you do the same thing at another institution? I always felt that way.
Ohio Today: Well, thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate it. This was a great conversation.
ALDEN: Well, listen, I really am thrilled and enjoyed it. These guys are terrific, and it's really a privilege to be with them in this discussion.
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Posted 09-08-06 |
