Trustees select Simon as MSU’s 20th president

Contact: Terry Denbow, University Relations, (517) 355-2262, denbow@msu.edu

6/18/2004

EAST LANSING, Mich. � I'm really honored by the confidence that the Board of Trustees expressed in me, and at the same time humbled. Like many people, I was envisioning a national search to fill this position. I believed that I was a strong candidate, but I was genuinely surprised that today followed yesterday, in terms of how quickly the Board arrived at its decision.

Like many of you, I'm a first generation college student. So I was touched by something that happened when we awarded the Broad Fellowships to students in Detroit last week. I made that same comment to a set of students there�students who will have the opportunity to pursue a full ride at Michigan State in exchange for going back to Detroit and making a difference in their communities�and one of the mothers nudged her daughter and said, �Look at that!� because the daughter also was going to be a first generation college student.

There's a kind of magic in that exchange between the mother and her daughter, but Michigan State does have a magical quality that is very tangible to our students and faculty and staff. It's been that way for me, and it's been that way for many others as well. So our task, my personal passion, is to make sure it stays that way for many more students, faculty and staff and for many more years to come.

Even though times have been difficult, and sometimes realities have been very stark and accord seemingly very elusive, we have, and must continue to, form partnerships in the spirit of �Team MSU��working tirelessly and passionately to keep Michigan State University on the path of relevant and meaningful excellence.

This opportunity for me to serve at MSU�s 20^th president is really possible because of the successful ideas and work of many, many others who are a part of Team MSU. I believe that Michigan State University made the correct choice eleven years ago in asking Peter McPherson to become our president. I believe that we have both learned from our partnership, and that Michigan State has benefited. I extend special thanks to Peter for the work we began 11 years ago�his accomplishments have been many. Along with administrators, college deans, faculty, staff and students, we will continue to build upon this work and we will engage in new ventures, so that looking back on today from some point in the future, the same will be said about this presidency and the distinction and strength that Team MSU built.

The success of Michigan State is built on the concept of a team. It's about the people: the staff, the faculty, our students, and the people who work in this building, the alumni and our friends around the world. It's about people who are prepared, not simply to give their time or money, but to give their dedication, their ideas and their love to Michigan State University. And we're going to try to mine that capacity in order that Michigan State can be even greater.

We have a running start on a number of initiatives and challenges. And, I accept the Board�s challenge of trying to accomplish in a three-year period what would normally be expected to achieve in five. We're going to try to exceed all expectations�honoring the expectations we hold for ourselves and expectations that others hold about us.

So on behalf of �Team Simon��Roy and I�I accept the new role to lead Michigan State in the pursuit of the great and noble, as well as the practical and humane purposes for which Michigan State was founded 150 years ago.

Quotes

Board of Trustees Chairperson David Porteous

�Dr. Simon is the perfect candidate for Michigan State. She has the caliber; she has the vision and the qualities that will guide Michigan State.�

President Peter McPherson

�She clearly is a very confident, experienced person who can do the job. There is great momentum here. So many people on this campus have worked hard to achieve so many things. With Lou Anna Simon as the next president, we can ensure that this momentum not only continues, but grows.�

Trustee Dolores Cook

�We are in a very important period for the university. We are very fortunate to have someone here who can give the university the continuity it needs.�

Trustee Joel Ferguson

�We�re very proud to pick Lou Anna as president because we know what we�re getting. There�s a real person here with tremendous talent and tremendous energy.�

Trustee Dorothy Gonzales

�She�s just remarkable. She�s very sensitive about issues of equality and inclusion.�

Trustee Colleen McNamara

�Congratulations to us for getting this right. We will go forward after this vote � forward and together.�

Trustee Donald Nugent

�She is a proven leader. I believe you should grow and develop your people. I always try to promote from within, if in fact, you have the leadership there. In this case, I believe we have the leadership in Lou Anna Simon.�

Trustee Randall Pittman

�We have chosen the most qualified and capable person to be the 20^th president of Michigan State University.�

Trustee Scott Romney

�We�ve had 11 great years with Peter (McPherson). I don�t think anybody on this board is ready to say �pause.� I say, let�s go faster.�

�(Dr. Simon) is the best we could possibly find for this job. We selected her because she�s the best.�