Former Dartmouth provost Lee Bollinger begins his duties as the 12th president of the University of Michigan this morning, although his official inauguration is several months away.
Bollinger, who moved into the Michigan president's house with little fanfare Jan. 10, will spend today in an equally subdued fashion, making and receiving telephone calls, according to Michigan Daily Reporter Heather Kamins.
Bollinger served as Dartmouth's provost from July 1994 until he left for Michigan at the end of fall 1996. Before coming to Dartmouth, Bollinger served as the Dean of the University of Michigan Law School.
Bollinger returned to Ann Arbor, Mich. on Saturday after spending the week in Israel attending a conference on the First Amendment. Bollinger is an expert in constitutional law.
"It's wonderful to be back," Bollinger told the Michigan Daily.
"Every day, I run into people I've known and haven't seen for a while. It's a very special time for me," he said.
Kamins said Bollinger has yet to speak at any public function since his return from Israel.
"He's just been meeting with people and with different groups," Kamins said. "He has been really low key."
Thus far, Bollinger has divulged little information about his plans for the university.
"He said he wanted to let the interim president do his job without interfering by publicizing his plans," Assistant to the Vice-President of University Relations Kim Clarke said.
"He did say, however, that he wants to re-establish the prominence of deans on campus," Clarke said.
During a meeting with the University Regents Fall term, Bollinger was asked to describe his vision for Michigan in the year 2010.
"Bollinger said he doesn't think it will be as different as many people think," Thomas Dunn, chairman of the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs said.
"He believes there will be significant changes, but does not think there will be a total revolution," he said.
Clarke said Bollinger plans to teach a class similar to the Dartmouth class he taught Fall term, Government 68, "Freedom of Speech and Press."
Bollinger has signed a contract for a five-year term. He will receive a first-year salary of $275,000 and "all benefits traditionally associated with the Presidency of the University of Michigan," according to his contract. Bollinger will live in the presidential residence and will receive an automobile provided by the university.
Bollinger was originally planning to start on Feb. 1, but since that date fell over the weekend, he was unable to begin his presidency until today.
"They chose the date, Feb. 1, a while ago," Kamins said.
"They just didn't realize it was a Saturday when they picked it," she said.
