april 13, 2012

An Update on the Barrydigm

BY RYE DRUZIN
News Editor

The Pioneer Log News

The Pioneer Log: How do you think the students, the faculty and the institution as a whole have influenced you since you arrived? President Barry Glassner: One way that Ive been influenced can be seen in my recent commentary for the Chronicle of Higher Education. When I came to Lewis & Clark, I was a bit skeptical about some aspects of food culturehow people are prone to overthink their culinary choices. Through eating with students in the Bon and talking with them about food, Ive become pleasantly surprised by how healthy their relationship with food actually is. Im impressed by how thoughtful our students are about their food choices and about the ethical and political dimensions of food. What also amazes me about our students is their sense of responsibility and empowerment. From our signature symposia to our a cappella scene and environmental initiatives, Lewis & Clark students step up and take charge of things. My faculty colleagues never cease to inspire me. Their dedication to teaching, which earned us a place in theU.S. Newstop 15 colleges for undergraduate teaching, is exceptional, as is their path breaking research and artistic creations in a wide range of fields. PL: What was your upbringing like? What are some fond memories that you have of your home and your youth?
PHOTO BY KATHYRN WLODARCZYK

BG: I grew up in Roanoke, Virginia, and I have fond memories of doing magic shows around the town as a child. My initial inspiration was a magician I saw at a birthday party when I was six, and I started getting books and teaching myself tricks. By the time I was 12, I was doing magic shows all over Roanoke. As a teenager, I was an officer in a national club for young magicians and went to BG: First let me say generally that I think its great that students magic conventions. are very involved here and should be in all kinds of different areas and part of what I think is really encouraging about that is that PL: What drove you to sociology and research and the field of students are so committed to the institution and to making it bethigher education? ter and to working diligently when they are involved in these activities. On every search committee to hire a new faculty member in BG: Ive always wanted a life of investigation, research and the College of Arts and Sciences, every time there is a recruitment teachinga life of the mind. When I was young, I would some- of a professor in any of the departments, there is a student on that times watch other children on the playground and try to figure out committee. That is, in my experience, not common throughout what they were up to. Later, I became interested in social prob- the academic world, so I think its great that students get a chance lems and how theyre perceivedparticularly trying to understand to do this and that the faculty on the committee and the Dean get why people are needlessly frightened by certain things that are not to hear the students views of the candidates and of what kinds of nearly as threatening as they are made out to be. positions [they think] the recruiting should be for. I majored in journalism in college but took a range of courses in PL: So you definitely see that students are involved and you see other disciplines as well. One of my sociology professors suggested that I consider going to graduate school in sociology, and the more that as a valuable asset? I looked into it, the more appealing it was to me. BG: Oh yeah, that was something that definitely attracted me to Lewis & Clark and its a great contribution. PL: Were there specific events in your life that, in your mind, served as catalysts to bringing you to where you are today? BG: My father had a deep love of learning, but as an accountant PL: Where would you like to see Lewis & Clark go in the next and businessperson, he never quite understood the life of a profes- few years? What are your goals for the student body and the instisor. That said, his precision, self-discipline, work ethic, and com- tution as a whole, and how do you view your role in any change to mitment to the people who worked with him inspires me every the institution? day. My other main influences were great teachers I had in high school, college and graduate school. BG: When you look at the directions laid out on our currentstrategic planning process, youll have a good sense of where PL: What is your favorite thing to do in Portland (on either a were heading. Lewis & Clark is going to be the school of choice sunny or not-so-sunny day)? for Portland, the Northwest and well beyond. We will continue to engage in curricular innovation, pursue new faculty initiatives BG: My wife and I areavid walkers and hikers, andcant help and assemble a student body in all three schools that is the envy but be moved by Portlands natural beauty. The Japanese Garden of other colleges and universities. We will betheschool to turn will always be one of my favorite places to get inspired, and I take toregionally, nationally and internationallywhen it comes to walks and hikes around the neighborhoods and parks near campus innovative ideas in higher education. and far beyond. Part of my job as the president is to get out there and raisevisIm also a foodie at heart, so I love exploring Portlands incred- ibility and funds, form strategic partnerships, and strengthen relaible culinary scene. When the weathers nice, I also enjoy trips to tionships with the people and organizations that can help us move our many farmers markets. us forward.

PL: As the President of the college, how would you like to see students involved in the growth of this institution? As they are the constituents that the college exists for, do they, in your opinion and practice, deserve a strong voice in decision making processes that are made on this campus pertaining to changes in things like, for example, meal plans, faculty and retention rates?