Local Educators Hope For Longevity, Cooperation From UConn's New President

As the University of Connecticut community applauded the announcement of its new president, local educators too welcomed Dr. Susan Herbst to the center of the Nutmeg state.

Shortly before 3 p.m. Monday, the university's Board of Trustees unanimously approved Herbst, a respected academic leader, scholar and author as UConn's 15th president, the first woman to hold the post in the university's nearly 130-year history.

"This is my dream job," said Herbst, 48, during a press conference after her appointment. "For me, being at a flagship university in a state that really cares about higher education, and has shown that by investing billions of dollars here, for me, that is the best I could do."

Herbst leaves her position as the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer for the University System of Georgia for the post at UConn.

For local educators, Herbst's commitment to the university and to the community is refreshing.

"UConn has a long history of cooperating with local officials,"  Chairman Mark LaPlaca said Monday afternoon. "We certainly welcome any opportunity to interact and positively impact the relationship between all the boards and commissions."

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway said she respects the six-month search process that has been underway and recognizes that it was most likely an arduous one.

Conway, who received her sixth year and doctorate degrees from UConn, said that it is her belief that the success of a university president, or the leader of any academic institution or district, can be partially attributed to the person's longevity.

When asked during a press conference whether she intends to stick around, before Herbst could answer, university Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence McHugh, said, "she'd better."

Although his comment drew laughter from the crowd and Herbst, his point was well taken. The university's previous president held the post for about 3 years and drew the ire of many by not residing in the president's house on campus.

To answer, Herbst said she and her family will live in the president's house on Oak Hill and that they will to be in Storrs for a while, so long as the university trustees consider her to be an effective president.

To underscore her commitment to the community, her children – Daniel Hughes 16, and Becky Hughes, 15 – will attend school at nearby Region 19 .

Although a bit different from the private school they attend in the Atlanta area, Daniel Hughes said he is happy about relocating to Connecticut, particularly because of the prospect of being able to snowboard again.

Herbst's husband, Doug Hughes, a marketing consultant who owns his own business, said the family is excited to come in July to a place that his wife has described as a community where "everybody is nice, the staff is highly professional and the facilities are top notch."

He added that they are also looking forward to "exploring the cultural, artistic and gastronomic opportunities in the area."

"Everybody keeps talking about the ice cream," he said, referring to the .

As for her professional relationship with the community, Herbst said that she considers the relationship between the university and the local school districts as critical.

"You know the future for a place like UConn really is in K-to-12 because the better they do, and the more supported they are, the better the students that are gong to come to the state universities," said Herbst, who has served on boards of schools where her children have attended and was active in Georgia's Race to the Top process. 

"I think I'm a very open person and really do like as much public opinion as possible I like people to be very straight with me," she said.

Conway said that she hopes Herbst can continue the university's success that is has enjoyed over the past two decades.

"UConn has become nationally known, at least in my field, education, and I hope that expands," Conway said.

Tolland Superintendent of Schools William Guzman said he looks forward to the continued good relationship that his school district has enjoyed with the university over the past years.

Guzman said Tolland has benefit in many ways by having UConn as a neighbor, whether through the support of analyzing student and curricular data or by adding depth to teacher professional development days.

Willis Potts, chairman of the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia, said, Connecticut and the smaller towns that surround the university are fortunate to have Herbst as UConn's next president.

 "She is a remarkable individual. She understands small town America to a metropolis the size of Atlanta," Potts said.

Charles "Skip" Lowe, professor and head of the UConn psychology department, said one of the reasons Herbst was unanimously chosen is "she believes that this university is a partner in many ways."

"Not only with the state, but with the local communities. UConn is a big employer, to say the least. We're responsible for bringing in 15,000, 21-years-olds to this community," Lowe said, adding that they talked extensively about drinking on campus and its affect on the surrounding municipalities.

McHugh said the board of trustees and the search committee "have the utmost confidence in her ability to effectively work with all UConn stakeholders," including the greater Storrs and central Connecticut community.

Mansfield Patch Local Editor Elyssa Millspaugh contributed to this story.