Missoula News

Opinion: UM President's Departure

George Dennison to Retire; What Will His Legacy Be?

By Amy Linn, 1-25-10

Flickr photo by Julia Manzerova

George Dennison has been president of the University of Montana since 1990, ruling with what some faculty members call an autocratic touch—and getting an awful lot of things built. During his tenure, the once quaint UM campus has sprouted many new buildings, offered new programs, and forged a number of new paths to the future, observers say.

But as news spread today about Dennison’s retirement, there was also a sense of relief among some faculty who think his style of leadership is outdated and give him bad marks for responsiveness, whether it’s in handling the needs of faculty, the community or students. Some locals refer to him as ”King George.”

“What he’s done right is that he has updated the campus toward the 21st century, and he’s been a pretty good fundraiser,” said one faculty member. “Having said that, I think he’s been autocratic, distanced from the faculty, and I think he has really worsened the town-gown relationships,” between the campus and city residents, the professor said. “I think he’s been terrible when it comes to trying to make the university fit well in the larger community. So he gets bad grades on all that.”

The relationship between UM and residents has been strained, for example, by the university’s plans to expand its campus and build alumni housing on the UM golf course, a treasured open space.

Similarly, some people have watched the building boom and other signs of “kingdom making” on campus and wondered whether they were happening to benefit a few at the expense of many—among them, faculty members and students. The university has been beset by faculty furloughs, pay freezes, and other fiscal woes as the nation struggles in recession.

The university system this year is in particular trouble with its budget, which might need to shrink by 5 percent in 2011, to meet a recent demand by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. The state Board of Regents is looking for possible cuts to present to the Governor by week’s end.

In his address on campus today, Dennison laid out a variety of proposals to reduce spending, including a four-day work week for faculty members, charging part-time students more per credit, and a 1 percent increase in tuition for in-state students over the next three years.

Dennison, a UM alumnus, left a job as provost for Western Michigan University to take the top job on campus here in 1990. At the time, he was offered $89,000—$6,000 less than what he was making at Western Michigan, according to the Missoulian. Last year, Dennison’s salary was $205,000, and a large bump upward was thought to be in the cards.

That’s because the Board of Regents this fall offered the new Montana State University president, Waded Cruzado, a $280,000 base salary. As the Missoulian has noted, UM and MSU presidents’ salaries have been the same since the mid-1970s, which means that Dennison stood to get a $75,000 raise. With the retirement announcement, it’s unclear whether that’s still in the works.

In the meantime, here’s the text of what Dennison said today in his convocation speech at UM’s University Theatre:

“Finally, this occasion affords me the opportunity to inform the campus and larger communities that I have notified the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Regents that I will retire from the Presidency of The University of Montana on 15 August 2010 - or as soon thereafter as the Board of Regents arranges for a successor to assume the position - twenty years to the day since my arrival on campus in 1990.  I originally intended to announce this decision last September but delayed it on request until after the successful conclusion of the search for a new President of Montana State University. 

I consider it a high honor and rare privilege to have served as President of a wonderful institution, made so by the people who constitute it.  I cannot speak about stepping out of the role as President of The University of Montana without expressing my deep gratitude and profound respect for the faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have worked with me over the years to advance the University.  I truly believe we have together positioned the University to respond to the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century.  Make no mistake, Presidents come and go, but students, faculty, staff, and alumni remain.  You deserve the credit for making The University of Montana a remarkable success.  I can take my leave knowing that my alma mater remains in good hands and will continue to develop, whatever the challenges before it.

In the next couple of weeks the Commissioner and Regents will organize a search process to identify the next President of The University of Montana.  I will do all I can to assist, but intend to stay out of the way.  Over the coming three years, I plan to write a history of The University of Montana - a labor of love as well as hard work - so I will spend a good deal of time doing the necessary research and talking to people.  I will also consider some teaching as the opportunities present themselves.  I have enjoyed these past twenty years more than words can convey, in large measure because of the quality of the people who constitute The University of Montana.  I must also express my appreciation to the Commissioner and the Regents - as well as their predecessors since 1990 - for the friendship and support they have bestowed upon me.  Their support and your collaborative efforts made my work as President a rewarding and fulfilling experience.  Based on all I have learned, I can confidently paraphrase the oft-invoked toast coined by founding President Oscar John Craig:

TO THE UNIVERSITY, BECAUSE OF YOU, IT SHALL PROSPER!

Thank you for your attention today.  As you can see, we have no reason for panic and every reason to move forward.  But in doing so, we must pay attention to our priorities.”

This story has been updated.

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