1985-1998: The James Years

Nearly every morning around 8 o'clock since 1985, the runner striding past the Bunce Green, loosening his gait and swinging his arms skyward, has been Herman D. James on the home stretch of his workout. With all the demands placed upon the University president's schedule, James' morning run is virtually sacred to him not only as an essential part of his fitness routine, but also as a time to sort out the day and take a man-on-the-street's look at the 200-acre campus. After the run, James' day belongs to the University, in meetings, writing projects, addresses and the myriad tasks of a university CEO.

But that's all about to change: James announced his resignation from the pres­idency last September. Now he will take on the unfa­miliar task of running his own life and not just his morning jog. "You think I run my own life? My wife runs my life at home. And Gail runs my life professionally," James laughs, referring to his managing administrative assistant, Gail Mossman.

James is anticipating his departure at the end of June with a little trepidation mixed with excitement. He plans to take a year off to read, catch up on the latest research in the field of sociology (in which he has a Ph.D.) and then return to Rowan's class­rooms as a professor. He admits he'll miss his roomy office and the prestige that come with the top job. But he insists that he is ready to teach again and the university is ready for a new leader.

His successor will have big shoes to fill: James' term has been characterized by tremendous success and growth. Admit­tedly, it has been achieved despite some­times fierce resistance in a complex internal and external environment. "I saw the poten­tial of this place when I came here as acad­emic vice president" in 1982, he said. He attributed the University's success to some fixed characteristics, like its geographic loca­tion and the solid state of higher education in southern New Jersey. But more impor­tant, he said, is the changed mindset of many people connected to the University, includ­ing administrators, faculty and staff, stu­dents, townspeople and politicians.

Growing a community in Glassboro has been a defining feature of James' presidency. He made a deliberate effort to establish a sense of community through receptions and parties at his family's campus home, wel­coming all segments of the University pop­ulation. The addition of arts performances on campus and increased attention to the quality of the athletic programs were two other significant James initiatives.

The results are impressive. "People look upon the University as more than a place to come to work 9 to 5," he said. "Now, you see faculty and staff at campus events. They like spending time together socially. You know they're here because they enjoy it, not because they have to be."

This "feel good" attitude about the University has extended to students as well. "These days, the student parking lots are filled on the weekends," James said. "It was not like this in the early days, which was indicative of us being a 'suitcase college.'"

Students agree. They are impressed by James' vis­ibility and accessibility, observed Cathy Ragan, presi­dent of the Student Government Association. "He is always attending student events, and he seems to really want to be there. He's never in a rush to leave," she said. To students, the opening of the Student Recre­ation Center in 1993 is one of James' crowning achieve­ments. "It is a great, healthy gathering place, another social outlet" for students, Ragan said, adding that it also impresses prospective students.

Indeed, improving the physical plant was a real boon to the campus, James said, remembering his first student orientation as president. It was the first sum­mer parents were invited to stay on campus with their children who would enter as freshmen that fall. "I received a call from a building supervisor who said the parents staying in the Triad Building were leaving for local hotels because of the poor condition of the rooms," James said. "I had just become president—I hadn't even seen the rooms." 

Upon inspection, James said he didn't blame the parents, and even would understand if they wouldn't allow their children to live there. "The mattresses hadn't been replaced in 20 years. Twenty years!" he repeated, still upset at the thought.

"I told the supervisor to refund the parents' fee for housing. Then we started working on a capital improvement plan," he said. "Students make their decisions about where to attend col­lege 10 minutes after visiting a campus. And they were not coming here because of the looks of the place." Today, James hopes, visitors have a much more positive reaction.

Aesthetics have always been a top priority for James, according to practically everyone who has worked with him. "He is always dressed impeccably," said Mossman, his man­aging administrative assistant. "And he expects everyone in his office, even everyone working at the University, to be dressed professionally. We tease him that his next job may be model­ing," she added.

But James' commitment to transforming this state institution didn't end with making the campus aesthetically pleasing. "He has always been a person who is hands-on with everything and interested in everything that happens on this campus," Mossman said. "Athletics, arts shows, the grounds—he puts his personal mark on everything."

A few years after his personal touch had begun to make a difference, staff, students and alumni started to feel better about the school. "Great things began to happen," James said. "People who in the early days scoffed at my ideas and said 'It'll never hap­pen' started to say, 'Well, maybe ...'"

In fact, one of the reasons James cited for stepping down from the presidency was that he met all of his goals. They included man­dating a greater commitment to excellence, establishing a strategic planning mode, improving diversity and quality among stu­dents and staff and opening an arts center. His goals of attaining university status, estab­lishing an engineering college and doctoral program, and creating a college of commu­nication from a department were all "fast­tracked" because of the Rowan gift.

"We got there more quickly because of the $100 million gift, which was really a mir­acle situation for us, and because of our polit­ical connections," James said, acknowledging that he and top administrators purposely designed the University's aggressive fund rais­ing and governmental relations plans to help the University achieve its goals faster.

Combined with his own aspirations for the institution, the volatile internal and external environments made his job at the same time maddening, exhilarating and frustrating, but always challenging. His four predecessors laid the ground­work. "No other president had to deal with as much com­plexity as I have," he said, pointing to state government administration, autonomy legislation, Gov. Christine Whit­man's restructuring of higher education, union activities and an active University senate.

Those who have worked with James over the years speak of enjoying good chemistry with him. They also point to his love of students and college life; his vision of the school's potential; his desire to create a close-knit, "family" atmosphere among the University community; and his good humor. "The job has not changed him. He isn't any different today than when he took the job," said Edie Huston, James' for­mer assistant of 11 years.

His vision is the trait most admired by Margaret Tannen­baum, secondary education professor and president of the University Senate. "He has always had a vision, and he has taken the necessary steps to reach that vision," she said. "Not everyone has agreed with his vision, but it is an important characteristic of leadership."

Tannenbaum admitted that she has been one of the peo­ple who "has disagreed, sometimes vehemently," with James' vision, but believes the University is better in many ways because of James' leadership. "His attention to buildings and grounds was an important step that had to be taken," Tannenbaum said. She added that the University becoming more well known is also a positive outcome of his presidency, as is people's attitude on campus.

But the person who knows him best is his wife of 33 years, Marie. She has been with him through his achievements and disappointments. The job, she said, has had a huge impact on them. "It is very encompassing. Our whole lives revolve around his job and responsibilities," Marie said. "It has become difficult to separate our personal and public lives." Once, while strolling down Park Avenue on a vaca­tion weekend in New York, she was amazed when they were greeted by a Rowan student.

Marie attributed her husband's near-celebrity stature to his outgoing nature and his commit­ment to the University. "We didn't have to live on campus," she said. "But he felt that if he was­n't willing to live on campus and become part of the campus community, it would be better if he didn't take the job."

She believes the position has made her hus­band stronger. "He's taken some pretty unpopu­lar stands, but he sticks to what he believes in. He doesn't need the public to go along with him when he believes he's doing the right thing."

Their relationship has grown stronger as well. "There were times when it seemed it was just the two of us, and other times when the whole Uni­versity community was behind us," Marie said. "The job gave Herman a chance to grow and expand and find out what he was capable of. He stretched himself farther than he thought he could."

After such high-level work, some doubt that James will be fulfilled in the classroom as a teacher. "I guess that's to be tested," he said. So, although James will no longer be running the show, his passionate commitment to Rowan will surely set the pace in the classroom.