V.P. Weygand eyes university presidency

09/26/08 - Despite a troublesome financial situation and waning support from the R.I. Statehouse, University of Rhode Island Vice President of Administration Robert Weygand has declared his interest in the presidency of URI."I would like to be considered and I hope people would view my candidacy in an objective way," Weygand said. "And most importantly, I hope I could add to the quality of the institution and move it faster in the direction that [URI President Robert L.] Carothers has moved it."

His announcement comes only days after Carothers said he would retire - June 30 of 2009 - after a historic term at URI spanning almost 18 years.

Despite the fiscal situation of the university, which will undoubtedly cause headaches for the next president, Weygand said he hopes to be appointed for the office for a number of reasons. These include attracting more research dollars, working with public and private partnerships and finding new "strategies for revenue."

"I think that's our future because our old paradigm ... has changed dramatically," Weygand said.

He has a unique background that the R.I. Board of Governors for Higher Education, the organization in charge of choosing the next president, will examine. He served as President and CEO of the New England Board of Higher Education before he was chosen as vice president of administration at URI. Weygand also served as a congressman from 1997 to 2001, representing Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District, and he is a former lieutenant governor and state representative.

Through his political positions, he has netted somewhere in the range of $15 million for the university.

"I think my background can contribute to what the university needs," Weygand said. "But I'm not the person who'll judge, that'll be the Board of Governors for Higher Education."

Weygand also has personal connections to the university as an alumnus. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in theater in 1971 and a Bachelor of Science in civil and environmental engineering in 1976.

He said he has served the university in many respects since graduating, including as an adjunct faculty member, acquiring money for the university and, most recently, as vice president of Administration.

"I feel like I owe a lot for what they gave me 40 years ago," Weygand said. "This is a great place, this is a great university. I think we need to continue moving forward."

He added he doesn't think an alumnus has ever been president before, but sufficient biographical information could not be found in URI library online records. Of the biographies that could be found, no presidents were alumni.

Weygand also does not have a doctorate, a commodity among university presidents around the country. Even Weygand admits he is an unconventional candidate for the office on the corner of Green Hall, the current location of the President's Office.

"Non-traditional, but extremely dedicated," Weygand said. "I also recognize this will be an uphill battle."

Though he could be the first URI alumnus to be president, he would not be the first without a doctorate. Weygand said Frank Newman also did not have a doctorate when he took the office.

According to URI library records, Newman was the eighth president at URI, who served from 1974 to 1983 and received his doctorate in 1981 from Stanford University. Library records say the process for Newman took a panel six months to review 389 applications, and the committee had two students.

Two other presidents, Kenyon Butterfield, president from 1903 to 1906, and Raymond Bressler, president from 1931 to 1940, also did not have doctorates when they took office, according to library records. Several other presidents could not be verified.

He added that having a doctorate might help get more respect from the faculty, "if you've gone through the same rigors that they did to get their doctorate."

URI Vice President of Student Affairs Tom Dougan, who has served at URI in various positions for almost 25 years, emphasized the importance of Weygand's connections around the state.

"He knows and understands the University of Rhode Island," Dougan said. "He knows and understands the state of Rhode Island, and how all of that works."

Dougan gave positive impressions of Weygand.

"I think my first reaction to that is the university could do an awful lot worse than Bob Weygand," he said. "That's my initial thought. I think it's a good thing that he's very interested and is willing to pursue that position."

Dougan said URI will enlist the help of a professional search team, who "are experts" in attracting good candidates. "I would hope that [Weygand] would be one, but I don't have a vote," he said with a laugh.

Dougan stopped short of saying if he had a vote he would cast it for Weygand, explaining he would have to look at the pool of candidates, which doesn't exist yet, before choosing. "I think that's a preliminary question," he said.

Carothers declined to comment on the candidate search, and the state's Commissioner of Higher Education, Jack Warner said it was too early to comment.