Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: News

Last week's meeting of DePauw's board of trustees marked the end of an era, as it was the 22nd and final time the group met under the presidency of Robert G. Bottoms.

Board chairman David Hoover '67 said the meetings on Thursday and Friday included "a little bit of reminiscing and looking forward" as the trustees paid tribute to Bottoms and many met informally with incoming president Brian Casey for the first time.

At a media conference Friday, Hoover didn't announce any major new initiatives or decisions coming from the trustee meetings. The board continued to examine several campus renovation projects, however. Hoover said the trustees want to have a plan to replace the Charter House by October, and that they are still weighing alternatives for the current University book store space in the Union Building.

The trustees also heard the recently completed findings of the Campus Climate Task Force, but Hoover didn't discuss what changes may be made from the group's recommendations.

Hoover said the trustees look forward to Casey's input on important issues, but that they feel it would be inappropriate to include him in decisions until he starts his tenure.

"I don't think that we're trying to slow anything down, but we're trying not to preempt his involvement and participation," Hoover said.

Casey did come to campus for the trustees' visit in order to attend a reception with them, but much of his time was spent meeting with University administrators.

"I'm meeting with various offices just to find out about their operations and how they work," Casey said. "It's all part of the learning-the-landscape sort of thing."

Last week's meetings made clear Bottoms' importance to the landscape of DePauw as he prepares to step down. The trustees passed a proclamation expressing "their affection for, and their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to, Robert G. Bottoms for his unparalleled service to the University." But the trustees' thanks went further than words, as they offered Bottoms' grandchildren the opportunity to attend DePauw free of charge.

Bottoms said he greatly appreciates the offer, but that with his two grandchildren currently at ages 4 and 1, their college search is far on the horizon.

"I was very flattered that the board would do something like that," he said. "I do take a lot of pride in this institution and I think it would be a grand place to come to school if they chose."

Another piece of Bottoms news was announced Friday, as the trustees agreed to a title change for the longest serving president in DePauw's history. After he finishes his tenure this summer, Bottoms was slated to take on the role of University chancellor. Now he will be called president emeritus - a change that will have no effect on his responsibilities as director of the Prindle Institute for Ethics.

"The reason I requested that is because already I was finding it confusing. Nobody quite knows what a chancellor does," Bottoms said.

- Courtney Hime contributed to this article

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