Grad students key, candidate says
Deborah Freund shared her passions for higher education and her commitment to research in yesterday's presidential candidate forums.
Because the UA is a Research I institution, Freund said, the university depends on graduate students and emphasized the need to ensure they have a proper working environment.
When Freund was asked how she would improve funding for graduate students, specifically with increasing stipends, she admitted it's a financial problem shared by all universities.
"In my experience, that's the hardest thing to find," Freund said, but added she would take a look at the graduate student population and how it is funded to find an answer.
With the state slashing dollars for higher education, Rhonda Tubbs, a business administration senior and student government senator, asked Freund how she planned to bring more general money to the UA.
Freund said as an economist, she is knowledgeable about different studies showing how valuable a college education is to the economy, and also a student's life.
"Having a college education makes a palpable difference in anyone's life," Freund said.
Freund also said she's able to particularize her reasoning about needs for increased funding and can put it into legislative language, which is a beneficial quality that has proved successful in the past.
Faculty members also expressed their funding concerns, specifically in terms of how Freund could help fundraise private dollars for disciplines like humanities and fine arts.
"I would need to be part of the effort," Freund said. "One of the president's responsibilities is to help fundraise, and in my experience, potential donors like to give to the arts."
Given the scarce resources that are offered to disciplines like humanities, Georgie Miller, a graduate student majoring in English, asked Freund what her stance was on these fields and if they play an integral role in a university's environment.
Freund, who has a bachelor's degree in classics, spoke of her multicultural experiences and related them to Tucson's share of world-class museums and local talent.
Fields like humanities and fine arts are crucial, Freund said, because they have an impact on our lives every day.
"Humanities is about our lives in a very fundamental way, a way that you can't feel and you can't quantify," Freund said. "Think about what life would be like without good music, art museums, drama."
When Freund was asked how she would deal with spiraling construction costs matched with an expanding student population, she paused.
"Building projects are a reality of university life," Freund said, adding that her philosophy on construction is to expand and remodel buildings rather than build new ones.
"In general, if something can be expanded, do it," Freund said. "If there's an old building I would preserve it rather than raze it."
Dorothy Vezo, assistant director of human resources at Facilities Management, asked how a president could continue campus growth when it's hard to retain skilled workers.
Though she couldn't give an absolute answer, Freund said she thinks if it's impossible to adequately compensate any employee, then the working environment has to be great.
"We have to send a message that they are valued, and they need to know we care," Freund said. "If they feel marginalized, they won't stay."
When it comes to Freund's top initiatives for the UA, she said it's important to make sure women and people of color feel welcome in the sciences.
Freund said she knows what its like to be a woman in a doctorate program when there are none, and she would work closely with faculty to ensure graduate students have a quality academic environment.
Part of that environment includes an on-campus day care service, which Freund said would benefit both faculty and students because they wouldn't have to take time off to watch their children.
"If anyone can articulate that, I can," Freund said, detailing her experience as being the only pregnant vice chancellor of academic affairs to work at Indiana University-Bloomington.
While she may relate well to graduate students, Andrew Record, Arizona Students' Association director, asked Freund how she would address the student government and work for undergraduate student needs.
Freund, who insisted on being called "Debbie," said she is very approachable and that students can expect to be able to speak with her, even if it may take a while.
While working as provost at Syracuse University, Freund said she meets with student leaders often to get more perspective on campus life and also schedules student brunches.
Chris Dang, a political science senior and ASA director, asked Freund to share aspects of her life that would show insight into her personality.
Freund answered with a brief background on herself, proclaiming she was a "soccer mom," but also told students how important higher education has been to her.
"You have an incredibly rich and diverse community and I want to be part of that," Freund said. "This is the first place that has me right here - in my heart and in my gut."