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President-elect Barry Glassner to assume office in October

September 10, 2010

by Lindsey Bosse

In August of 2009, former President Thomas Hochstettler resigned to take a position with the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates; since then Provost Jane Atkinson has been serving as the interim president.  The search has lasted many months, but in late July, Lewis & Clark finally announced that the search has ended; Barry Glassner will be taking the presidential position in late October. 

In an email to students prior to the beginning of school, Glassner expressed his utter enthusiasm to be joining LC, specifically calling out student and faculty achievements alike.  Glassner has also expressed that LC is one of the most beautiful campuses he has ever seen.

Prior to joining LC, Glassner was the Executive Vice Provost and a Professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California; he will continue to be at USC through October wrapping up last-minute parts of his job.  Glassner also headed academic departments at both Syracuse University and the University of Connecticut prior to his stint at USC.   

       
 As for his own college experience, Glassner graduated from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Journalism and then also earned a M.A. and Ph.D., both in Sociology from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Glassner reflects on his time at Northwestern, with a specific memory that landed him in an ABC radio station.  At the time he was an under-qualified college kid with the dream to work for a major national radio network, since at the time he was majoring in journalism. 

“I mustered my courage, talked my way into an interview, ironed my best shirt and somehow convinced the bureau chief to hire me,” Glassner said.

Like any other first, important job as a college student, Glassner ran into many issues that taught him big lessons.  Overall, the man who hired him continued to support him, saying that when he had called Glassner’s references they had told him that Glassner, “had something that many brash college students do not.”

Since his college days, Glassner has continued his success, not only playing vital academic roles for many colleges, but also writing or co-writing nine books.  He has also had a slew of TV appearances, including a brief moment in Bowling for Columbine. 

The transition from USC to LC should be interesting, considering the population difference alone.  Glassner has never worked for an institution that has such close faculty-student relations.  The transition from Los Angeles to Portland will also be quite a shock; sunny days at the beach to foggy rain in the forest. Portland is also a very big community, and one that LC participates in frequently, which differs from USC that is more separate from Los Angeles.  Coming into LC, Glassner was able to sum up his expectations in five words, saying, “Find and pursue your passions.”

“I also hasten to add, that’s not as easy as it may sound.  It requires a lot of work and discipline, in class and outside the classroom, and identifying professors and others who can serve as mentors and advisors,” said Glassner.

When Glassner finally joins us on the hill, his first act of business is to become acquainted with all levels of the LC community, from first years to staff to alumni.  He feels that both the students and faculty have an incredible level of commitment when it comes to education and life after college, especially in relation to the subject of community.

As for the world off the hill, Glassner is just as excited as any new LC student become a “Portlander.”  He looks forward to the new community aspects that make Portland, Portland, such as street markets, gardens, and the food scene.