AUGUST 15,2005
ON THE HILL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
7C
Provost
DAVID SHULENBURGER
Can you describe what your job is at KU and what it means to you?
Essentially everything on the Lawrence campus reports to me ... so it means that my time is occupied. But, I like the job. I've been in this job for about 13 years now. And I really feel like I'm able to make a positive difference for the University. So it's a rewarding job. To watch the increase in quality of students that we bring to KU, and watch the improvements in the environment that we work in, and to watch the faculty get more dedicated to teaching over time. It is an extraordinary research University ... I enjoy what I do and feel like I make a difference.
What is the hardest part about your job?
You know, someone once said the beginning of the semester must be an awful time at the University, how in the world do you organize all of these people to get everything done? When you think about it there is a lot to be done. Well you can take me out of the picture, and that would still happen. That is so imprinted in the organization. The organization is very good at doing those routine things. I guess that the toughest thing is to keep focused on the long run and not to get so 'fire under the tails' that you can't focus on the long run.
If you had just one goal for the University, what would you want to accomplish here?
The difference between KU and other universities has to do with our admissions requirements. We are a qualifying admissions school right now. Most schools like us are selective admissions. I think that we could go in that direction. I hope we move that way ... KU is a pretty tough place and you need preparation ... as a national and international university we really need to be selective about students who benefit from coming here, instead of using low-level selection criteria.
What advice would you give to incoming students to ensure they succeed at KU?
Once they come here, they still need to explore a bit because they probably haven't been exposed to enough at the high school level, to find the best path that will really help them make the best out of their lives. Don't be afraid to do a little exploration in those courses in the first couple years. Focus most of your time on getting your degree. William Sloan Coffin, a chaplain at Yale, said there are two ways to be rich. One is to have lots of goods, the other is to have few needs. And my advice to those students is to have few needs while they are here. Forget about the fancy apartment and car and really focus on their studies to get a degree in four years. It's
a place to have fun but it's also the most serious investment you will ever make that will affect the remainder of your life. Make the investment count and explore and define what the rest of your life is.
I think the march down the hill (during the annual University-wide commencement).
What is your favorite tradition at KU?
Is there anything you'd like to add?
You know, we do a senior survey every four years; we've done it about seven or eight times. Our final question is how satisfied are you with your experience at KU? For the last 28 years or so, that question has ended up with about 80 percent of the students saying they are either satisfied or highly satisfied with their experience at KU. [In the class of 2005, about] 91 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied. This is sort of a magic time at KU. We've had a number of years that have been extraordinarily positive.This is a good place to be a faculty member.
Women's basketball coach BONNIE HENRICKSON
What do you feel you contribute to the University through your coaching?
Even though I'm just a coach ... all of the coaches I feel are all educators. The kids' basketball experience is like a classroom setting. It's an education in itself. And I feel it is important to be a good role model for women in every situation.
What is the best part about coaching at Kansas?
Just being involved.The opportunity to impact people's lives ... to be involved in the love and passion at KU.
What is the hardest part about your job?
Recruiting is a challenge for anybody. Dealing with 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds who are young and impressionable. We have to decide who would work best on the team and we affect their careers. So just dealing with the nuances of recruiting.
How is Kansas different than other places you've coached at?
The love for the sport is phenomenal. I'm thrilled with the support we have from the community, Chancellor Hemenway and Lew Perkins. I've never really been exposed to it anywhere else.
What advice would you give to incoming students to ensure they succeed at KU?
Come see women's basketball Really they should develop good time management skills and just enjoy the experience. I think it surprises a lot of students how much work you have to put into competing in the classroom. The students at KU are smart so you really do have to compete. Also, meet new people and get involved as much as you can. And come see women's basketball.
What is your favorite KU tradition?
The Rock Chalk Chant. I don't know why.