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Freund: Health-Care Expertise Would Benefit UA

Posted on: Saturday, 11 February 2006, 09:00 CST

By Eric Swedlund, ARIZONA DAILY STAR

Deborah A. Freund sees the University of Arizona improving its student retention and graduation even as the university's core research mission continues to prosper and expand.

Freund, one of four finalists for the UA presidency, has been vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost of Syracuse University since 1999 and has been an administrator at Indiana University and professor of public health and medicine at Indiana and the University of North Carolina. An expert in health- care economics and hospital administration, Freund said her experience leading research and fund-raising would benefit the UA.

"This is the first place that has me right here, in my heart and in my gut," she said. "The things you want and the things you need to do and the things you value are those things I care about most."

Freund met Tuesday with hundreds of members of the campus community and the public, appearing thoughtful and relaxed as she answered questions for hours, about her background and vision for the UA.

Freund, the third finalist scheduled for the all-day visit, focused on several topics, including:

* The opportunities in the College of Medicine expansion into Phoenix and the expertise she brings the project from a health-care background.

* Improving retention and graduation rates and making the university more welcoming to all students in Arizona.

* The need for the next president to continue to pursue resources from all avenues, especially private gifts.

* The UA as part of an educational system and key partnerships with community colleges and K-12 education that will benefit students and the state.

"She seems to be the most graduate-student-friendly of the candidates we've seen so far," said Georgie Miller, a graduate student in English. "I don't think any of them are bad, but Debbie is the best one we've seen so far."

Married for 25 years with an 11-year-old son, Freund grew up in New York City, near Harlem and Spanish Harlem.

"I grew up with multicultural everything all around me," she said. "I really value being in a diverse community. But more than anything, I really value what higher education has done for me."

Freund said it would be her job to articulate the vision of the university, focusing on the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship that are the UA's strengths.

"You may call me the president or the provost, but I'm also a faculty member and that's always been my self-image, a scholar through and through," she said.

As for the medical-school expansion, "I would enter the Phoenix situation knowing a lot of the players there already," Freund said. "I could bring thoughtful management to that project."

Medical schools are magnets for private support, including people who have no connection to the university, she said. A successful medical-school expansion can occur only with a clear vision at the outset and a focused, long-term strategy.

"It doesn't happen overnight, but it can help the state in any number of ways and can be an important project for Tucson if you do it right," she said.

In lobbying the Legislature, Freund said success comes with having specific goals, being disciplined in what the university asks for and picking initiatives that lawmakers and the business community also want.

"Having a college education makes a palpable difference in any individual life and it makes the same difference in a state," she said. "I will be relentless in making that case."

The UA must know its role in the larger education system in the state and do everything it can to help that system work at all levels, Freund said.

"It's very important in a state like Arizona to have multiple and different entry points for all of its residents who want to go to college," she said. "Across the U of A, ASU, NAU and the community colleges, you should have everything to empower the citizens of the state to improve their lives."

Freund said she would like to see all UA students have an opportunity to do research with a faculty member and experience other cultures.

"We need to graduate more of the undergraduates, fast," she said. "The graduation rate is too low and the difference in the graduation rate between students of color and the majority is too large."

The UA must ensure all students are welcomed and given the tools for success regardless of their background, particularly making sure under-represented students feel appreciated and have a voice and are comfortable in class.

"She has experience, she has breadth, she has knowledge and she understands the complexities of a research university," said Pat St. Germain, associate dean of the College of Medicine, adding that all four candidates are excellent.

Nancy Dill, a retired educator who is designing online courses for the College of Nursing, said Freund's academic experience and broad administrative experience would benefit the UA.

"She seems reflective and someone who's eager to get data and the insights of different members of the community," she said. "This lady can do much more for us than we could ever do for her."

Candidate campus visits

* The University of Arizona community and the general Tucson public have met three finalists for the UA presidency, and the fourth will have daylong campus orientations and meetings today, starting with an invitation-only breakfast with the current president, Peter Likins.

lLast Friday - Robert N. Shelton, executive vice chancellor and provost at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

lMonday - Tom Campbell, dean of the Haas School of Business at the University of California-Berkeley.

lTuesday - Deborah A. Freund, vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost at Syracuse University.

lToday - Yash P. Gupta, dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.

Student sessions start each day at 2:15 p.m.

Faculty and staff sessions start at 3:30 p.m.

Open sessions for the public at large start at 5:15 p.m.

All sessions are in the North Ballroom of the Student Union Memorial Center.

For complete schedules, go to search.web.arizona.edu

* Contact reporter Eric Swedlund at 573-4115 or at eswedlund@azstarnet.com.

Source: Arizona Daily Star

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