Favorite food?

Almost everything, I like to eat. If I had to just eat one thing though, it would be a really great cheeseburger — despite the fact that I’ve eaten all over the world.

Favorite movie?

I don’t go to a lot of movies, but I tend to like fantasy and espionage/spy movies. I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy, all the Bourne films and It’s a Wonderful Life, which I watch every year at least once.

Favorite book?

Most of my reading is academic stuff, but when I have time to read for fun I like detective novels. I’ve also read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings several times starting back in middle school.

Favorite spot on campus?

I really like Park Shops so I stop in there for coffee fairly frequently. My other favorite would be the Brickyard. I went to school here in the ‘80s and when I wasn’t in classes, I was on the Brickyard. It seems to me to be a wonderful integrator. It feels like the heart of campus to me.

Biggest challenge coming to N.C. State?

Coming into an administrative job without knowing a lot of people is hard. It’s an exciting challenge, but it’s difficult. Here, I moved into the top of a system that I didn’t know so I have to learn the network from the top down. I’m not unlike a freshman coming here for the first time.

First goal on his list for changes at N.C. State?

There are a number … the Division of Academic and Student Affairs is part of what attracted me here. I wasn’t looking for a job last year, but the idea that a large university would do something unusual like this was exciting to me…

That also means I have the challenge in the very short term of unifying two divisions into one in reality. We’ve got everyone together and started the process of thinking about ourselves as one division. That will continue for a couple of years. My staff has been outstanding, and everyone is excited.

Beyond that, it’s going to be important to focus on services for all students to make them more available and better communicated, like expanding access to tutoring, expanding services in the Career Center, getting more students to participate in undergraduate research or to take advantage of study abroad opportunities and get involved in community based learning … incoming students, living and learning communities, more first year seminars. The question is: How do we get more students involved in high impact education?

I’d also like to see us increase the number of students graduating with a bachelor’s degree. We’d like to see a much higher graduation rate, particularly in the next six years. We’re going to work with OIT to use technology to make it easier to progress toward a degree.

Favorite student interaction so far?

I’ve started having monthly lunch meetings with students (one is happening Monday). I want to talk to students I wouldn’t normally get to talk to and get them to come and have lunch and give me feedback on what works well and what kinds of things would work better.

So far though, I’ve really enjoyed working with student government.

Best place on Hillsborough Street to eat?

Mitch’s and Porters. I used to eat at Mitch’s as a grad student in the ‘80s—it’s like coming home. The food is cheap and pretty excellent. Also, a lot of lunch meetings happen at Porters and it’s really great. There are many other restaurants though; I plan to try them all before I’m done.

What do you miss about Kentucky?

There are always things that are hard about making a major change, and I was there for ten years. I keep in touch over email with friends from the neighborhood, faculty and staff. Every October and April there’s a nice racetrack with thoroughbred horse racing and it’s a huge community event. All our friends and family would come to Kentucky for a visit and it was a really nice memory I will miss here.

Most intimidating part about taking over for Stafford?

Stafford is a great guy — I’ve gotten to know him well. Anytime anyone spends 30 years doing what he loves, he is going to leave behind a legacy. I certainly respect what he’s done but I don’t know that I feel intimidated because I’m in a different position. I suppose the most daunting part is coming in knowing that tradition is there and finding a path to serve students really well in an environment that mandates my day-to-day activities are very different than Stafford’s. This reorganization gives me the opportunity to redefine the role in my own vision.

Favorite N.C. State tradition?

I love college basketball and the opportunity to watch it here is great. I can remember back to my days watching Jim Valvano’s team playing. I’ve also always loved the Free Expression Tunnel.