Peter Likins President of the University of Arizona

UA president used scholarship to buy ring for his wife, prefers Batman to Superman

Wildcat: My name's Nathan and you're On the Spot. Dr. Likins · do you tango?

Likins: Do I tango? No, I don't.

Wildcat: Do you dance at all?

Likins: I love to dance. I met my wife at a dance when I was 13 and I've been dancing with her for 54 years.

Wildcat: Where did you propose to your wife? At a restaurant? In a field?

Likins: You know, it's funny; my girl and I were serious in high school and we just kind of always knew we'd get married. So there was never a proposal. I gave her an engagement ring the night before my 18th birthday ÷ how old are you, my friend?

Wildcat: 22.

Likins: OK. Think about it. I gave her a ring ÷ a ring I bought with a scholarship. I got a lot of scholarships, so I had used my scholarship money to buy my girl a ring.

Wildcat: Do you guys have a favorite song? You said "My Girl" · like the Temptations? Do you listen to anything new, like Dr. Dre, Eminem, System of a Down, Modest Mouse?

Likins: No, I don't know who any of those groups are today. I've always been a serious, hardworking guy. Not very much fun to write about, actually ÷

Wildcat: (mumbling) Your · um · do ÷

Likins: I have an interesting family; I don't know if you know that. I have six adopted kids. It's a multiracial family, so it's been an adventure of my life that people find unusual about me.

Wildcat: If you could compare Batman to Superman, who would be your favorite?

Likins: I guess I'm more a Batman type than a Superman type.

Wildcat: I like Superman because he doesn't have to have all those gadgets.

Likins: Well, Superman is less human than Batman, you know?

Wildcat: Another thing I have against Superman too is that he didn't have enough guts to · he loved Lois, but he didn't say anything about it. I guess I have that problem too, but ÷

Likins: Your Superman is a movie. My Superman is a comic book. You have to remember I'm 67 years old · so my whole world view is different.