The house is still on the market, of course. There are still some things to pack, some details to arrange, a checking account to set up. But come Monday, Michael Lane will finally be in Emporia.
Lane doesn’t take over as Emporia State University’s president until Wednesday. But he’s been preparing almost constantly. Ever since accepting the job in September, there have been more briefings to read and data to review.
“The job transition is a lot harder than last time,” said Lane, who is leaving a post as provost at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. “When you’re the chief operating officer, the training doesn’t start till you get there. When you’re president, it starts the minute you say yes.”
Lane’s been taking an at-home vacation to give himself some time to relax — and to pack. But since his wife, Peggy, won’t move to Emporia until the semester break in December, the packing isn’t too taxing.
“Fortunately, most of the house stuff won’t have to be moved yet,” he said.
Meanwhile, the house itself is looking for a buyer, just as it has been since May. Once Lane actually got the job, he said, he and his wife started asking a substantially lower price.
His wife’s year-old Toyota Camry was sold as the couple prepares to receive the Buick formerly driven by interim president John Schwenn. A new job has some perks, after all.
His first few days are going to have to be informative, Lane said. He still hasn’t met many alumni outside the search committee. And the Lanes never really got a chance to explore Emporia while interviewing for the job, something they said they hope to correct.
“The thing one only gets the briefest glimpse of is the quality of diverse kinds of entertainment,” he said. “Things like ‘What’s there to do on the weekend?’”
Lane sings and plays golf, although, he will insist, not well.
There has been a lot to straighten out at Fort Smith as well. A new chancellor starts there in mid-November, the culmination of a search process in which Lane participated.
And yes, he said he’ll miss Peggy. But it’s a shorter separation than you might think. She can still come up some weekends and during Thanksgiving, helping shorten the time before the two are together again.
As for meeting alumni, Lane is about to be baptized by total immersion. He’ll be attending an alumni event in Wichita his first day on the job and a basketball game.
He also wants to start sounding out others at ESU about a new strategic plan.
“We want to concentrate on the strategic planning process,” Lane said, “but I want to take some time to get lots of input, so we can hear from all the campus constituencies.”
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October 28, 2006 at 11:45 a.m. ( permalink )