As new Chancellor Michael Martin met with reporters Monday for the first time since taking over as chancellor, excitement and confidence beamed over his face. “There is a lot of enthusiasm with this great university,” Martin said Monday afternoon. “I can feel it already. I am looking forward to being part of it for a long time to come.”
Martin said he gets the sense that the University, its faculty and the surrounding community are on a “journey to excellence.”
Martin, who assumed duties Friday, said most of his time as chancellor thus far has been spent meeting with the campus leaders and getting a feel for the place.
“One of the things we talked about this morning was to redouble our commitment on this campus to diversity, and to seek every possible new way to bring various people from various backgrounds into the community to enhance it,” he said.
Martin said there are three big issues everyone affiliated with the University should be moving toward.
“One issue is how do we create national and international recognition for the institution; how do we create access for students while still raising standards and how do we engage the University in the larger community into people of the state’s life,” Martin said.
Martin, who has spent time at the universities of Minnesota and Florida and served nearly four years as president of New Mexico State University before coming to LSU, said every major university has some obstacles.
“One obstacle is always financial,” Martin said. “The public and private owners have to invest, and we have to convince people that we are a winner worth betting on.”
Martin said through the next decade, LSU is going to have to recharge the faculty to bring in new and vibrant members while keeping the strong ones that are already here.
“I hope everybody will give me four to six months to get a handle on the place,” Martin said.
Martin, who said he was called the “bald-headed Yankee” at the University of Florida, acknowledged that while he is not from Louisiana, he wants to serve in the best interest of the people from the state.
“I want to go up to people and say to them, ‘You tell me what you aspire for your institution,’ and if we can achieve it together, we will put every effort into it.” Martin said.
—-Contact Tyler Harvey at [email protected]