MSU Alumni Magazine, Fall 2004 issue - MSU Alumni Association ...

“I am proud of the many accomplishments
of faculty, students
and staff over the past 10-
plus years,” he said after
announcing his departure plans
at the spring undergraduate commencement
ceremony at Breslin
Center. “From the Guiding Principles
to the Biomedical and
Physical Sciences Building to the
20-20 Vision. From becoming
the nations’ leader in study
abroad to dramatic growth in external
research funding. From
the Honors College renaissance
to the Beaumont Tower renovation.
“I was honored to be president
for a national debate championship
and a national basketball
championship. We now have a
law school on our campus. It’s
been exciting and invigorating.”
McPherson boasts strong MSU
roots. He earned a bachelor of
arts in political science from
MSU in 1963. His family’s ties
with the university run even
Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Treasury
McPherson receives the Distinguished Service Award from U.S. Treasury
Secretary John Snow (left) and Under Secretary for International
Affairs John Taylor (right).
deeper; both his parents are MSU
graduates, as are all seven of his
brothers and sisters. And his
grandfather, Melville, for whom
he is named, was a member of the
board that elected John Hannah
MSU president in 1941.
Why, with that background,
would he leave MSU McPherson
says that while serving in Iraq
as the financial coordinator for
the Office of Reconstruction and
Humanitarian Assistance last
year, he had time to reflect on
both his future and that of the
university.
“Every decade or so, it’s important
to have new ideas,” he explains.
“Big organizations need
to have change.
“It’s been 11 wonderful years.
I’ve deeply enjoyed this role.”
The appreciation for McPherson’s
contribution to MSU has
flowed from newspapers, alumni,
and friends. In a statement,
Board of Trustees Chairperson
David Porteous said, “On behalf
of the Board of Trustees, collectively
and individually, I express
our deepest gratitude to Peter
McPherson for his outstanding
leadership.”
McPherson’s departure will
mark the end of the longest-serving
president-provost team in the
Big Ten. “I have had the privilege
to work closely with Peter, who is
a valued colleague and good
friend,” says Provost Lou Anna K.
Simon. “He works tirelessly to
raise MSU’s profile and reputa-
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE
MCPHERSON YEARS
1994
• Establishes “Guiding Principles” for MSU following
campuswide dialogue
• Names Lou Anna K. Simon as Provost
• Promulgates “Tuition Guarantee,” which held tuition
increases to the rate of inflation, to enhance access to MSU
• Hires Nick Saban to replace George Perles as football coach
• First Lady Joanne spearheads the founding of MSU Safe Place,
the first such campus facility in the nation
• Named chair of the Presidents Council, State
Universities of Michigan
1995
• Establishes affiliation with the Detroit College of Law, which
has since moved onto campus and been renamed the MSU College
of Law
• MSU’s Eli Broad College of Business and Graduate School of
Management offers Weekend MBA Program
• President Bill Clinton becomes first sitting president to be
commencement speaker since Teddy Roosevelt in 1907
• Prevails on state legislators to increase MSU’s base funding for
technology by $10.4 million a year
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