Blenda Wilson, Part 2

Partial Transcript: BLENDA WILSON: Yes. Well really, something was a sensitivity to the views of faculty in traditional organizations, about the career path, the preferred career path of chancellors. And where presidents, as I said, I don’t share the view at all that an academic experience is the full criteria or preparation for presidency or chancellor. In my experience, at least since the early 1980’s, the role of the chancellor and president has become very much different from the, you know, the first of equals in an academic environment. Over time I suspect faculty, too, will see that what they need from presidents is often very different from the skills that are mastered by being in traditional academic. And I don’t think it’s an accident that many of the chancellors or presidents that came from the faculty in that traditional way are also more likely to be comfortable working by themselves, [laughs] rather than as a part of, you know, as a part of a public leadership.

Segment Synopsis: Blenda Wilson talks more about the "traditional" career path for university leadership, who often start as faculty and work their way towards leadership positions. She explains that although her career path as a professional administrator, not an academic, was not "traditional" to the university community, her background provides valuable skills that are necessary to be a successful chancellor. Wilson also highlights her appreciation of faculty and their needs. She explains that she appointed Chief Academic Officers with backgrounds in academia so faculty felt represented in upper administration.

Keywords: Chief Academic Officer; College administrators; Professional college administrators; University Chancellors; University Presidents; University leadership; University of Michigan Presidents; University of Michigan-Dearborn Chancellors; Career path

Subjects: Universities and colleges--Administration--Attitudes; Universities and colleges--Faculty--Attitudes; Universities and colleges--Administration

Partial Transcript: BLENDA WILSON: —the concept of it was what was powerful to me, in terms of helping the [University of] Michigan-Dearborn campus know that it wasn’t important for our kind of institution to compete with U of M-Ann Arbor, or even, for that matter Wayne State or Michigan. It was important for us to be the best of the kind of institution we were. And, in that sense to create a different—help create a different notion of worth and status.

Segment Synopsis: During her tenure, Blenda Wilson employed the "Best In Class" slogan to help promote and distinguish the Dearborn campus as a regional college. She borrowed the slogan from the Ford Motor Company which used it to distinguish their vehicles as the most refined in a given category. She explains it helped separate UM-Dearborn's worth and identity from the Ann Arbor campus. Instead the slogan placed UM-Dearborn as a leader in the category of regional campuses.

Keywords: "Best In Class"; Ford Motor Company slogans; Slogans; University of Michigan branch campuses; University of Michigan campuses; University of Michigan-Dearborn; branch campus; regional campus; regional college; satellite campus; Campus identity

Subjects: College branch campuses; State universities and colleges; University of Michigan; University of Michigan--Dearborn; Slogans

Partial Transcript: BLENDA WILSON: Oh, yes. In some ways still, my most vivid memories have to do with the ways in which the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus really did respond to the needs of Detroit, despite the history that everybody talked about.

Segment Synopsis: During Blenda Wilson's tenure, she helped improve relations between the campus and the city of Detroit and strengthened relationships with the city of Dearborn. She describes that the campus deepened its relationship with Detroit through partnerships with the Woodward School, the Wade McCree Incentive Scholarship program, the Citizens Advisory Board, and wider recruitment efforts. Wilson talks about partnering with the Mayor of Detroit and other city leaders. She felt her identity as an African-American woman and outgoing personality helped people receive her better compared to her predecessors. She also highlights talents of other administrators who served as ambassadors to Detroit and Dearborn during her time in office.

Keywords: Detroit; Feeder colleges; Henry Ford Community College; Relations between Dearborn and Detroit; University administrators and public relations; University of Michigan-Dearborn; University public relations; University recruitment; feeder schools; Dearborn

Subjects: College-school cooperation; Dearborn (Mich.); Detroit (Mich.); Universities and colleges--Public relations; Detroit Metropolitan Area (Mich.)

Partial Transcript: BLENDA WILSON: So, yes, the Middle Eastern students had increased while I was there. The percentage of African-American students increased. Obviously, women became probably the same, if almost not the majority, of course, the majority during that period of time. And we were just getting, you know, a significant sense of older students who, you know, maybe they didn’t look older, but their lifestyles were older.

Segment Synopsis: During Blenda Wilson's tenure, the university experienced a growth in the number of Middle Easters, African-American, Women, Returning Education, and international students. Wilson recalls a particularly painful experience for the Arab student population after an on-campus memorial installation was defaced during the Gulf War. She talks about the aftermath of the situation and how the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) assisted administrators in their response and support of students. Wilson also comments on the changing face of New England's population, where she was living and working at the time.

Keywords: African-American Students; Arab students; Black Students; Gulf War; International Students; Middle Eastern Students; Returning Education Students; Student groups; Student opinions on the Gulf War; Women Students; on-campus demonstrations; student demonstrations; University of Michigan-Dearborn student populations

Subjects: College students--Attitudes; College students--Political activity; Middle Eastern American College Students; Women college students; College Students

Partial Transcript: Wilson: The purposes of the Policy Council, in my view, were several, but one was to create a sense of a university community, and it goes back to when I came there, too. My impression was that FACCA always felt that it was knocking on the door of the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor to be heard, and FACCA was the only, you know, governance organization that existed outside of the administration.

Segment Synopsis: Wilson discusses the Policy Council, an advisory group which she created during her tenure to foster a sense of community at the university. She talks about its role in making strategic decisions for the university before the establishment of a formal strategic plan process. Wilson then talks about the Council's efforts to bring transparency to the budget process, previously viewed as secretive, and the debate surrounding policies like creating a smoke-free campus and condom distribution in restrooms. Wilson also talks the Council's role in developing partnerships with institutions like The Henry Ford Museum.

Keywords: FACCA; Henry Ford Museum; Michigan Journal; The Reporter; University administrators; University advisory groups; Vice Chancellor For Academic Affairs; Woodworth Schools; Policy Council

Subjects: Advisory councils; College administrators

Partial Transcript: BLENDA WILSON: Well, yes, in some ways the potential for the campus to build new facilities and modernize its campus was already in place when I got there. Again, I will credit Ed Bagale with some of the wisdom of working with the legislature independently on behalf of the campus to get the kind of financing you need, but the interesting thing that came to my mind was that in those days, and maybe still, within the system and within higher education in Michigan U of M-Dearborn was called the golf course campus. Did you know that?

Segment Synopsis: Blenda Wilson reflects on the major campus renovation initiatives that took place at the University of Michigan-Dearborn during the late 1980s and 1990s. She credits Ed Bagale for working with the Michigan legislature to secure funding for these projects, which modernized the campus and added new buildings like the Computer Wing and the Engineering and Management Building. Wilson talks about how the new architecture aimed to enhance the campus’s academic presence and long-term growth. She also recalls the creation of staff appreciation events during her tenure.

Keywords: Administrative offices; Architectural features; Campus design; Campus renovation; Dean Wong; Engineering and Management Building; Enrollment growth; External funding; Groundskeeping; Legislative financing; Staff appreciation day; Student Affairs; U of M-Dearborn; Ed Bagale

Subjects: University buildings; University of Michigan--Buildings; University of Michigan--Buildings--History

Partial Transcript: BLENDA WILSON: No. I’m sure it was not there. During the time I was there, the national conversations about education, in the same way K-12 schooling is at the heart of national conversations now, the conversations that were occurring nationally had to do with educated organizations that were schools – museums, particularly children’s museums, art galleries if they had a public service mission, and even to a certain extent hospitals around preventive medicine, pediatric care, parenting, and things like that.

Segment Synopsis: Blenda Wilson speaks on her key role in establishing a collaborative agreement between the University of Michigan-Dearborn and the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. Wilson discusses the national conversations surrounding education during her tenure and the significance of partnering with cultural institutions to enhance educational experiences for children. She draws attention to the importance of involving local schools, particularly Woodworth Schools, in this initiative.

Keywords: Education partnerships; Greenfield Village; K-12 schools; UM-Dearborn; Woodworth Schools; Henry Ford Museum

Subjects: Greenfield Village (Dearborn, Mich.); The Henry Ford