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Crow: ASU can be "world-class"

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Michael Crow, a finalist for the ASU presidency, said ASU can be a "world-class" institution.

If he's given the top job at ASU, Michael Crow will work to upgrade three to five entities into world-class units over the next five years, he told a public forum Friday.

Crow, the executive vice provost of Columbia University, one of two finalists to replace Lattie Coor who is schedule to retire June 30. The other finalist, Karen Holbrook, provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of Georgia, spoke to the public Tuesday.

Crow said ASU will also become more well-known on an international scale and become more embedded in the economic and social development of the Phoenix community.

"ASU is embedded in a bigger social setting in the Phoenix metropolitan area and gives me an unparalleled opportunity to do something different," Crow said at the Memorial Union.

Unlike what Crow characterized as elitist institutions, ASU has the responsibility to help shape the outcome of the entire region.

Crow also said ASU is too dependent on state funding. The university gets close to 45 percent of its funding from the state, he said.

"We should try to change the state from an appropriation model to an investment model," he said.

Crow also outlined the need for ASU to look at different levels to get research funding through national grants. At present, some of the university's departments are ill-equipped to bid for greater national research grants.

Explaining his vision to create a better academic climate, Crow called for greater integration between departments and the hiring of senior exemplars. These exemplars, who would be far along in their respective fields, could then mentor and guide different departments.

"We need to populate the university with more of these exemplars," he said.

Crow described graduate students as "critical catalysts" in the success of a university and said ASU should put more incentives on the table to attract the best graduate students.

"The school will fail as a knowledge producer unless it can attract the best graduate students," he said.

Crow said successful athletic departments must "play to win" and should focus on the success of student athletes.

He described the graduation rate of the basketball team as "unbelievably low."

He also outlined an interdependent relationship between ASU Main, ASU West, ASU East, and the university's downtown center.

Crow said he would "make the three sites inextricably linked where they either live together or die together."

The two finalists will interview with the state Board of Regents next Friday. The new president is expected to be announced that afternoon.


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