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An interview with rector Gerard MolsText: Jules CoenegrachtPhotography: Philip Driessen"Sometimes you must be smartenough to leave people alone"In January of this year, Gerard Mols took over from Arie Nieuwenhuijzen Kruseman as rector of the Universiteit Maastricht.A rector with refreshing ideas. For example, he does not have a programme. He loves gardening and sees parallels betweenthis pleasant pastime and the activities of the Ministry of Education. A talk.continuUM year 3, issue 3, october 20044Judging by the first names of GerardusPetrus Marcus Franciscus Mols – bornin 1951 in Loenen aan de Vecht – onemight justifiably think of a catholicbackground. And that would be right:his parents were catholic and both werefrom Limburg. He himself did "gymnasiumalfa" at a boarding school inCadier en Keer near Maastricht. "I hada fantastic time there." After that, I wentto study Law in Utrecht. "Law was theonly thing I could do. I really wanted togo to Wageningen, but one had to be ascience student for that, and I had onlydone languages, humanities and arts.I never really wanted to become a lawyer.But things may change in life." Thingsdid change indeed, because after hisstudy in criminal law, he had a careeras a lecturer at the Faculty of Law inMaastricht, as a criminal lawyer, professorof law of criminal procedure and,since January 2004, as rector of theUniversiteit Maastricht.Glamour boysToday, the term 'criminal lawyers' conjuresup visions of glamour boys dressedin sharp suits, making regular televisionappearances. How does Gerard Mols viewthis phenomenon? Who do these lawyersserve: themselves, or their clients? "It isnot all that bad. I was chairman of theDutch Association for Criminal Lawlawyers. We had 180 members; most ofthem had absolutely no need to stand inthe limelight all the time. On the contrary,there are only a few who seek publicityin their fashionable suits. Only theodd one, suffering from a genetic defect,makes regular compulsive TV appearances.But they do set the image and indoing so distort the impression thatpeople have of this profession. One mayask oneself indeed whether they servetheir clients in this way. I myself havenever won a case by seeking publicity."The rector and the landscape architectEnough about criminal lawyers, back tothe rector. A rector who loves gardening,or so our well-informed sources tell us.Around his renovated farm in Neer, avillage near Roermond, there is a gardenof more than two hectares. "It gives mepeace." There is a connection betweengardening and the way in which GerardMols looks upon his rectorship. He is arector without a programme. Did nobodyask him about that when he wasappointed? "They do ask you what youwant to do. I was a dean for eight years.I know where the bottlenecks are, inwhich direction things need to go. If youask me: what do you think about PBL?Then I have an answer. But I was not