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MONDAY; AUGUST 13, 2007 | BACK TO SCHOOL | WWW.KANSAN.COM THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN **1.1**
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UNIVERSITY
Chatting with Chancellor Hemenway
BY MAGGIE VANBUSKIRK
mvanbuskirke kansan.com
Chancellor Robert Hemenway smiles during a speech. Chancellor Hemenway talked with the Kansan before the start of the 2007-2008 school year.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Many changes occurred at the University while students were on summer vacation. A new tuition and deferred maintenance plan were put into action as well as initiatives towards running a more environmentally friendly campus. Chancellor Robert Hemenway spoke with The Kansan about the new directions the University is exploring and his expectations for the 2007-2008 school year.
Kansan: What plans does the University have for this year?
Hemenway: I think there a few things we want to do. We want to do some more strategic planning; really looking far into future and deciding what KU students can do to be prepared for the future. I would say some strategic planning and we are going to try and get a group that's going to be taking a close look at the KU admission standards and speculating at what we think those should be and speculating about weather of not KU should have different or higher admission standards. (We will look at) other schools like KU and see what kind of admin standards they have and if they apply to us in some way.
Strategic planning, looking at admission standards and I would say the University being involved in the life sciences initiatives that come out of our medical center and pharmacy school and the programs that we have there.
Kansan: Are there going to be any big changes with admission standards?
Hemenway: We are not looking at any dramatic changes. We are just looking at other institutions like us and see what their admission standards are and how that compares to what will be appropriate for KU.
Kansan: The Four-Year Tuition Compact — what do you think that will bring to the University?
Hemenway: I think that's a terrific program, it's a program what will help hold tuition down in single digits. And it is also going to guarantee that students can predict what tuition and fees are going to cost them.
Kansan: What about the five-year deferred maintenance plan?
Hemenway: That has been on our list this year and will be again next year because the Legislature has given us some money to address deferred maintenance problems, but not really enough to have a big impact on it.
Kansan: And the "going green" trend? Hemenway: Talking about using grease from the housing department and to adapt that to the buses. I think that's a good item to mention, that is, we probably are going to go green much more in the future than
we have done in the past.
Kansan: What are you expectations for the 2007-2008 school year?
Hemenway: Well, we have a lot of successful programs going forward, so part of my expectations are that we continue to do what has lead to our success in the past. And that is to give students the kind of challenge KU is famous for. One thing they will like about the tuition compact is it encourages them to finish their studies in four years. I think they will be more focused on finishing KU in four years.
Kansan: What is your favorite thing about University?
Hemenway: One of the things I like the best about the University is how we chalk on the sidewalks and communicate with people. That is an environmentally effective tool and it helps build a sense of community. People come out with their chalk and communicate with each other about what is going on. I have always thought that was a kind of charming tradition at KU.
Kansan: What is your favorite thing about your job as chancellor?
Hemenway: I get to meet a lot of very interesting students. I think that is the most fun. [There are] 3,000 students each year that you have the potential to get to know, you don't get to know all of them but you can meet a lot of them. And I think students share in what their hopes for the future are and maybe occasionally offer some sage
advice that they could find useful.
Kansan: What advice do you have for incoming freshmen?
Hemenway: Well, my advice would be very practical. Sit at the front of the class, make sure you do your homework, stay up with doing your homework each day, and make sure that you have some fun along the way.
Kansan: What about for graduating seniors?
down to the time where they are going to have to make that decision
Hemenway: My advice to graduating seniors is consciously think about what kind of profession they would like to get into, because it is getting
Kansan: What would your definition of a Javahawk be?
Hemenway: My definition of Jayhawk would be somebody who really cares about the University who believes in its traditions and who wants to share the success of Jawhawk education with their fellow students and people that they meet.
Kansan: In your commencement speech for last May's graduation, you mentioned the strong connection students and KU alumni have with being
a Jayhawk and the logo itself.
Hemenway: I think that is one of the strongest things about KU, everyone identifies with being a Jawhawk. You know they wear the clothes, they buy the license plates, they talk to other people about what a great University it is, and all those things make it pretty special to be a Jayhawk. I think what the Jayhawk as a logo does is give you an immense pride in all the things that a Jayhawk stands for — friendship, community, good bas-
— friendship, community, good basketball teams, a good football team and a beautiful campus.