First impressions

President Hogan meets the University Community

I have big shoes to fill in this space. Phil Austin graciously passed the baton of the UConn presidency to me on Sept. 14.

Ever since, I’ve been learning how much he cared for the University and how much he enjoyed his job. I’m learning a lot from him: about UConn, about its faculty and students, and about its alumni.

UConn's 14th president, Michael J. Hogan, with Kristan Ingraham '11 (CLAS) and Steve Paniati '10 (CLAS) on the Academic Way, Storrs campus.

Photo by Peter Morenus

As I write this, I’m fresh from the 2007 UConn Homecoming, when my wife, Virginia, and I met many of the alums who came back to the Storrs campus to celebrate. And they have a lot to celebrate.

I came to UConn because something special is happening here, and I want to be part of it. There’s energy and excitement everywhere — you can feel it when you talk with students and faculty and alumni. You can see it in the extraordinary investment that the state of Connecticut has made in the physical campus.

You can see it in the research laboratories in Storrs and in Farmington and at regional campuses such as Avery Point, where our faculty are taking on cutting-edge research in biochemistry, cancer, engineering, animal science and marine biology, to name just a few. 

I’m impressed by our students. They’re bright, they’re energetic, they’re creative, and they’re committed. Just like you were, when you walked our campus and climbed the stairways to class, to the dorm and to the Student Union. If you’ve been back to campus recently, you know that some things are changing.

We have new buildings and classrooms and laboratories, wonderful new facilities that will afford our faculty and students the best possible opportunities. But our students are still the lifeblood of the campus. I’m making a special effort to get out and about, to see for myself what’s going on here and to meet the people who are making it happen. 

Many people are describing UConn as being on a “steep upward trajectory.” Not many public universities in the country are. Most are struggling with declining state support, eroding enrollment bases, no funds to recruit bright new teachers and researchers, crumbling buildings and a kind of pessimism about where they are going.

But not here. We have issues to address, of course. But UConn is poised at a unique point where we can continue moving up—into the elite top 20 public universities in the nation. I’m eager to help shape and lead that progress, and I know that you will want to be part of it, too. 

It goes without saying that strong alumni are a crucial part of a great university. Look again at the great public universities in this country — Michigan, Wisconsin, Cal-Berkeley and others. Their alumni helped build those institutions with their support and volunteering spirit, and with the conviction that their alma mater is something to be treasured and highly regarded.

I know that UConn alumni feel that way and, now, so do I!

For this reason, your voice is extremely important to me as we work together to move UConn forward. The University of Connecticut is your University! So, at the risk of seeming grossly selfish, I urge you to get involved in what’s going on here at UConn. Consider giving some of your time and talents to this University. Watch what we’re doing in the media and in the communications you receive.

Talk us up. Let us know what you like, and what you don’t like. I intend to keep you in the know about what’s happening at UConn.

I hope you have a chance to visit campus soon. If you don’t, visit us online: www.uconn.edu.  There’s a lot going on!

Michael J. Hogan
President