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U. of Houston Regents Pick New President

October 19, 2007, 11:15 am

By Gabriela Montell

The University of Houston’s governing board has unanimously picked Renu Khator, provost and senior vice president at the University of South Florida, as the only finalist for the job of UH system chancellor and president of the main UH campus, the Houston Chronicle reports. The regents are required by state law to wait 21 days before finalizing the appointment, the reporter, Matthew Tresaugue, writes. If confirmed, she’ll succeed Jay Gogue — who left UH this summer to lead Auburn University, his alma mater — in January 2008. John M. Rudley will continue to serve as interim chancellor and president until Khator takes office. See a press release on the UH system Web site for more details.

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15 Responses to U. of Houston Regents Pick New President

12029355 - May 18, 2012 at 8:27 am

Is the “FOG” reference really necessary, especially in a professional journal? It begins to suggest, to me at least, some of the reasons why you might feel so intimidated by the ”rich” people you encounter. Mastery of the English language — which includes knowing what is appropriate and acceptable — is one of the first steps toward putting yourself on a level playing field with people from other socio-economic backgrounds.

johnbarnes - May 18, 2012 at 8:29 am

Meh.  It’s a little bit you and a little bit them, as the Monkees would say.  I’ve been in similar situations and known highly successful people from run of the mill origins.  Some rich people are raised to be gracious (and some of them don’t get it very well and come across as condescending); some are raised not to be; many follow the temperaments, regardless of their raising.  Some of the rest of us, around the raised-rich, have chips on our shoulders, some try too hard, some have mostly gotten over it or were just too socially obtuse to notice there was a problem in the first place.  Class is like any other awkward, noticeable difference — race, gender, preference — sometimes everyone handles it well, sometimes no one does, an assumption of good will usually helps but can be blinding.  It sounds to me like you’re trying and at least many of them are, so you don’t need tips so much as the simple encouragement: you’re doing what you can.  (One way class is a little different is that it’s still downplayed; I can’t imagine in this day and age anyone would ask for “any other suggestions” for getting along with people of different races, preferences, genders, etc., because mostly we’d recognize that the one size fits all in relationships across the divide is already pretty well established; it’s the individual details that are tough to negotiate).

tolivier - May 18, 2012 at 9:15 am

Because of course rich people never use bad words. I have been in a similar position to the author of the article, and it didn’t get much easier over the years. I think the only thing to do, other than wear out your smile, is to keep asserting the strengths of your institution and how much it means that Mr. and Mrs Never-Say-Fuck take an interest.

12029355 - May 18, 2012 at 9:28 am

In polite and educated company, I just don’t think the use of that word is necessary or appropriate — including this forum.

bfrank1 - May 18, 2012 at 10:03 am

Well, as the nice old ladies where I grew up (rich or poor) used to say to me – “Well, Bless your heart, honey, you just keep trying!”

iep_university - May 18, 2012 at 11:44 am

This piece is just weird to me.

ufenglish - May 18, 2012 at 12:18 pm

What you have not identified as a source of social awkwardness, and what I find often a fundamental issue, is politics. Class does not always dictate politics, of course–in fact, simple wealth these days seems to do so much more than inherited class. But there is often a correlation between having the money to be courted as a donor and espousing political positions that can be difficult not to react to in conversation. Of course,region also has something to do with that, and I am in the South.

katisumas - May 18, 2012 at 11:45 pm

I like “FOG’ .  It’s pretty clever and creative.  Plus, the implied use of its component show a deeper knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon roots of what is now English….

katisumas - May 18, 2012 at 11:49 pm

You’re so right about class and classism being downplayed.  This is of major import at this point in time when the US  middle  class seems to be going down the tube (according to easily available stats), classism should become a concern before if destroys our democracy…..

theatheist - May 19, 2012 at 11:48 am

So stop reading Lesboprof. Problem solved.

11301218 - May 19, 2012 at 10:10 pm

Amen, sister.  I am first generation immigrant and first generation university graduate of a genuinely proletarian family.  I am also a professor and ex-administrator.  I never felt at ease speaking with members of the 1%.  Since I am a former administrator, I am thankful not ever having to do that again.  One thing I noticed is that money has little to do with being interesting or smart.  There was more than once I wanted to shout, “If you are so rich, how come you’re not smart?”  You give some (a lot) of these folks a pile of money and all of a sudden they think that they are brilliant and wonderful and among God’s anointed whose opinions cannot be challenged.

pianiste - May 20, 2012 at 7:30 pm

This isn’t England, where every nanostratum of class is marked by an accent recognizable to those who want to parse them. Being a first-generation college student from a working-class background isn’t all that much to overcome. (I was one once.) If one can learn to miwith all the various examples of “diversity” in academe, then one should certainly be able to learn–observe, think, act–to mix with rich people.

Why is it that everybody seems to want to have some kind of sympathy-inducing debility?

lmg0407 - May 21, 2012 at 11:12 am

I serve on a nonprofit board, and mix and mingle with people “above my station,” and it can be  uncomfortable.  Then again, these are just people after all – other human beings.  If you are talking to them, it probably means they are already donating or thinking of donating to your program, which means they must appreciate or believe in it at some level.  So you have THAT in common.  Some concrete things I have found to work well:  Ask lots of questions about them – what they like about your program, why they donate now or are thinking of donating, keeping the focus on them and the program and not you.  When they do ask a question about you, frame your answer to include information about your program.  Listen very, very carefully, especially when talking about your institution and the donor’s wishes for your institution/program/whatever.  Then use that information to strengthen your case.  Most importantly, I think, is to recognize the good human being that exists under the wealth.

mraymond - May 21, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Not all wealthy people grew up that way.  Be open to people’s origin stories; some of them will surprise you pleasantly, and those people may actually feel more rapport with you than you expect.

jffoster - May 23, 2012 at 11:48 am

Take a look at the following:

Ryan, Jake and Charles Sackrey
          Strangers in Paradise: Academics form the Working Class.

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