August 2000

Martin Jischke was introduced as the 10th president of Purdue University on May 23. Shortly after, Jischke, the former president of Iowa State University, discussed some of his goals for Purdue and Purdue Agriculture with the editor of CONNECTIONS. What follows is the complete text of the interview.

Q: What appealed to you about the Purdue president's job?

Jischke: (There were quite a number of things that appealed to me about the Purdue presidency) Certainly, the reputation Purdue enjoys as a very excellent university. I was impressed and pleased with the persistence of the board of trustees and their passion for Purdue. They are very intense in their feelings about Purdue and the importance of the university, not just to the people of Indiana, but the people of the U.S. and beyond.

I was also taken by a willingness on almost everyone's part to change to get better. There was a widespread desire that I detected, not just at the board of trustees level, but across the people I met during the interview process with their desire to take Purdue to the next level.

I sensed, among the people I talked to, an understanding and willingness to change to reach that next level. (I thought that was very impressive).

Q: What do you see as Purdue's greatest strengths?

Jischke: My impressions are at this point preliminary, but there are clearly excellent people. The board of trustees, faculty, staff, the students I have met have been very impressive people. Nothing is as important to the success of the university as having first-rate people. I would again repeat the excellent reputation that Purdue enjoys as a university across the country and around the world.

As people have heard about my appointment, they have complimented me on my good fortune of going to an excellent university. I've been impressed with the physical plant and the efforts to both expand and upgrade facilities.

Clearly, every university can get better in every aspect of its work. That's part of the magic of a university, it's never finished, it's never completed, it never achieves a final status, and it can always improve.

But it would be premature for me to start commenting about specific areas of the university until I have a chance to meet with more people and make more careful assessments of where there are particularly ripe opportunities for improvement.

I have no doubt that there are those opportunities, though, and, I am looking forward to both discovering them and then taking advantage of the opportunity. There is nothing more important to a university than the excellence of its people and our ability to attract and retain absolutely first-rate faculty, staff, and students who have heard of our success. That will always be a priority for me. I am sure it is an area where Purdue, although strong now, could get even better.

Q: What would you like undergraduate students to know about yourself and your wife?

Jischke: Well, my wife is an absolutely wonderful person and I think she feels the same way about me, so I think students will find us fun and interesting to be around. More importantly, I hope the students all know and understand that we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to ensure that they get a first-rate education.

We are passionate about education, we both believe strongly in it. We work very hard in our efforts in this regard. We want students to have some of the same types of opportunities that Patty and I have had as a result of our education.

Second, we genuinely enjoy students, we look forward to the opportunity to meet and interact with the students. Given that there are a total of 67,000 Purdue students, it is unlikely we would meet every student, but we surely want to meet lots of them. I look forward to working with students generally, and the student leadership in particular, in trying to make their experience at Purdue as rewarding as possible. And to give them the opportunity to play their important role in shaping the future of the university.

Q: Agriculturally speaking, Purdue and Iowa are similar states. Does that help you understand the needs and the problems faced by Indiana farm families?

Jischke: I surely hope it does. Obviously, both Iowa and Indiana are part of the great farm belt of middle America, and we are both very important producers of corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle and poultry. Agriculture not only plays a very important role in the economy of these two states, but it also plays an important role in the values and traditions of these two states. Family farms are the heart of Iowa's agriculture, and I am certain that that is also the case in Indiana.

Both states and their agricultural communities face very intriguing opportunities as well as some challenges. There is new science and technology that is developing for agriculture that particularly grows out of modern biology that offer real opportunities for farm families to add value to their crops and to be even better environmental stewards. Technology that offers the possibility of participating more effectively in the global markets that we now have in agriculture.

At the same time there are challenges to be faced in agriculture. Profitability is always a challenge, particularly in the last year and a half when we've seen some very low commodity prices that have created real challenges for some of our farmers and caused great concern.

Impacts on the environment and occasional clashes that take place between the urban and rural communities and the use of land is another challenge that American agriculture and agriculture in the Midwest faces. I am an optimist. I believe American agriculture feeds the world. And because off the efficiency, the productivity and the talents of American family farmers, not just the U.S., but many places around the world enjoy abundant, high-quality, low-cost food. We want to make sure that that tradition of success continues both in agriculture service to consumers, but also in agriculture remaining in part of the American economy that allows farmers to get a good return on their investment of labor and capital.

Q: What insights have you gained as president of the Global Consortium of Higher Education and Research for Agriculture?

Jischke: There is no question that there are forces of change at work in agriculture all across the globe, although the circumstances vary because of the differences and the nature of farming and the economic, political, and social environment that farmers around the world find themselves in. There are some general trends that affect higher education as it relates to agriculture.

Clearly the emergence of global markets, the capacity to communicate globally, the capacity to transport goods globally, has made the marketplace for farmers — whether they be American, Chinese or Indian farmers — truly global in character.

Second, the impact of science and technology on agriculture is a global phenomenon. It is everything from better seeds and genetics, to mechanical improvements that increase the efficiency with which farmers can do their work, to a deeper understanding of the economics, means of managing risks, all having their origins in a deeper understanding of the science and the related technology that supports agriculture. Certainly part of the global trend toward increased efficiency and effectiveness is part of what drives the growing size of farms in the U.S. and other parts of the world.

Third, a growing recognition of the importance of good stewardship moved to preserve the productivity of farmland around the world, but also to be attentive to the environmental impacts of agriculture, on the air, on the soil, on the water. There is growing recognition by farmers everywhere that this is an important responsibility, not only in their own self-interest as the owners and stewards of that land, but also as part of a larger global community concerned about the environment.

All of this comes together for colleges of agriculture, agriculture universities, in the need to change, reform. Both in terms of curriculum as well as in terms of a research agenda to ensure that the students are better prepared and that the institutions, the colleges, the universities, are handling the most important problems on behalf of those they serve.

The real need for leadership that can effect that kind of change and reform and that global need for change and reform in the agricultural higher education and research is what brings this consortium together. Today we have nearly 270 universities from around the world that are members of the consortium. It clearly has struck a resonant chord among universities' presidents, chancellors, rectors, deans of agriculture, faculty members that maybe conversation and discussion and interaction at a global scale can help inform everybody about the opportunities we face as well as the challenges. Second, how can one effectively go about meeting these opportunities and challenges?

Q: How long is your term with the consortium?

Jischke: I will continue to be president until next July. Then Richard Melnychuk, who is the rector of the National Agricultural University of Ukraine, will take over as president. He is the president-elect.)

Q: International Programs in Agriculture at Purdue has increased the number of students who study abroad in each of the last three years. They expect this trend to continue in the future. Why is studying abroad important to the students specifically and to the university?

Jischke: There is no question the trend will continue. The reasons are fundamental. Agriculture is truly operating in a global environment, and for students to be well-prepared for that global environment they have to experience it, they have to learn about it.

We have a generation of young people who increasingly see themselves as global citizens. They are quite prepared to travel to new parts of the world to experience that world.

Not only is it easier to get around the world with modern transportation and communication, I think there has been a shift in attitudes where students find travel very attractive and exciting and understand that it is an important part of their education.

At a deeper level, I think study abroad can, and does for many students, enhance their education wonderfully. It provides them with a deeper understanding and awareness of another part of the world. The contrast with their experience abroad and their experience at home makes them much more aware, much more sensitive to the U.S. and its role in the world. Almost every student I know who has studied abroad comes back, not only a bit more worldly, but more confident of their ability to be successful in this global environment. So this has enormous impacts on the general education of students.

Q: Does the university gain in stature as an ambassador of good will by having its students living and learning all around the world?

Jischke: I don't think there is any question that students traveling around the world conveying or carrying with them a positive impression of the U.S. lends itself to greater understanding globally, which is, ultimately, at the heart of world peace. I think the more conversations that we can have with our fellow inhabitants of this globe makes it much more likely that the world will be both a safe place and a place where more people can prosper sooner. I think that exchange is very important in that regard. I'm sure the students at Purdue are being ambassadors for not just Purdue and Indiana, but for the whole country.

Q: What role will you take in positioning Purdue Extension for the future?

Jischke: I think the role the president plays, on the one hand, is to articulate the important mission that Extension plays in Indiana through Purdue. And on the other, trying to understand carefully the needs of the state of Indiana and helping to see that that is reflected in the programs of Purdue Extension.

Extension is a unique aspect of the land-grant mission. It is a way of connecting the university and its programs and the people where they are and help them make better decisions in their lives. It is a part of land-grant institutions that is quite distinctive.

Purdue enjoys a very fine reputation in Extension. I am sure the agricultural interests of the state of Indiana rely heavily on Extension for expertise and problem-solving capacities. We'll do everything we can to make sure those in Indiana understand the opportunity Extension offers to help them make good decisions. At the same time, in visiting with people around Indiana, we'll make sure that Extension is being responsive to the real needs of the people of the state.

Q: How can Purdue Agriculture better compete for available research funding?

Jischke: There is nothing more important to the competition for research funding than having first-rate people, first-rate faculty, first-rate support staff and first-rate students. If you have very talented people working on important problems, you are as well positioned for research funding as one could possibly be.

Many of the most interesting problems today require a multidisciplinary approach. The problems are either so complex or the tools that are needed to understand the research problem are so many that it requires a number of expertises or disciplinary capacities to tackle them.

So another ingredient beyond having very talented people is having the kind of organizational structures, the flexibility, the nimbleness, to bring people together to tackle the problems. The problems don't always line up with the traditional disciplines or organizations in the university, so being nimble, being flexible, being a bit more entrepreneurial, in that sense, is another key ingredient to gaining research support.

Q: Your wife, Patty, has been involved with several agricultural-related projects at Iowa State. Do you see this carrying over into your tenure at Purdue?

Jischke: Absolutely. We are very much a team, and Patty will certainly be active in the university. What she will do specifically remains to be seen over time, but she has been very active with Heifer Project International (a charitable organization working to remove chronic, persistent hunger in the world through agricultural development) with youth development programs and so on. I can't imagine that that won't continue.

Patty absolutely loves to grow things. She is an avid gardener. So there is kind of a natural affinity that she has for people who are engaged in agriculture. And I think thirdly, particularly with her experience with the Heifer Project, she knows that it is really quite inspiring to see what the addition of a productive farm animal, a milking cow, a goat, can have on the prospects of families in developing countries. It can make all of the difference in the world in health and nutrition of young children. It can make all the difference in the world in availability of funds to allow those young children to be educated. I think Patty has witnessed this first-hand through her work with Heifer ... the powerful impact of agriculture on the development of the country.

Q: As a member of the Kellogg Commission on the future of land-grant universities, how does the future look for land-grant universities?

Jischke: The future is very bright and very interesting. The work of the Kellogg Commission suggests that we are going to have to continue to adapt and change to meet the needs of our country in this century. We have every reason to believe that land-grant universities are going to continue to play an absolutely central role in the economic, social, cultural progress of our country.

In many ways, the land-grant mission remains as timely, as central, as powerful, to the successive states, like Indiana, as ever.

The development of talented people, the capacity to solve problems, the capacity to be innovative and create new opportunities, that is the agenda of the land-grant research university. Those are the ingredients of success for the future. The future is very bright, although it is clear we are going to have to make some changes to adapt to be more effective. I think all the history of land-grant universities is that they are fully capable of that adaptation.

Q: What sort of changes?

Jischke: Just let me quickly run through the agenda of the Kellogg Commission. The first report dealt with the student experience, and the most important message in it was "Put students first." Students are our most important responsibility.

The second report dealt with the issue of access and opportunity. While land-grant universities have historically played a significant role in expanding educational opportunities for Americans, the agenda is as of yet an unfinished agenda. There are still Americans who don't have the same opportunities as others to attend these great universities, and we have to pay attention to that.

Third, the engagement to university. That is the report that I led the effort in preparing. There is a call to expand the mutuality, the shared nature of setting the agenda for engagement, for outreach, for Extension for land-grant universities. So that they become both more responsive and take advantage of the opportunities that engagement provides in shaping our research agenda and in shaping the educational experience of our students.

Fourth item on the agenda was life-long learning, the learning society. I think everyone recognizes now that learning does not stop at the end of four years, five years, or six years at the university. It is a life-long agenda for each of us as individuals. And we as universities must find ways to assure that people have the opportunity throughout their life to continue to learn and take advantage of the resources that are available at great universities like Purdue.

The fifth item, the final report, was a report on campus culture. It was a call to look carefully at how we are organized, how we carry out our work so that we can be even more responsive, even more effective in the future. Some of the more traditional ways we have approached doing our work may not be as effective as they need to be. We have to have the courage and fortitude to take a careful look at ourselves and ask, "Are we organized in the best way to carry out our important educational work?"

Q: What goals do you have for the School of Agriculture as it relates to your overall goals for the entire university?

Jischke: We haven't yet set specific goals. I can tell you that we're clearly committed to making Purdue an even better university, to take it to the next level. And that is true for all of the schools of Purdue. How we will translate that into more specific actions and strategies, that remains to be done. I believe that ought to be done in an open, shared, collaborative way. And that will take us a little time. Right now we are trying to learn about the university and understand more carefully its strengths and traditions. We want to do that before we start thinking about how we might change things to make it better.

Q: Having spent your first summer in Indiana, perhaps you could settle this age-old dispute. Is it the heat or is it the humidity?

Jischke: Well I can tell you as somebody who has studied heat transfer as an engineer. The answer to the question has got to be both. That is the rate at which you transfer heat, or sweat, or are not comfortable depends on both the temperature, the heat, and the humidity. So I am going to guess that the real answer to the question is both.

I would like to conclude by saying it is an extraordinary honor to be invited to serve as the president of Purdue University. It is a great university with a rich tradition in many academic areas, including in particular agriculture. Both Patty and I are really looking forward to being part of the Purdue family. We see this as both a great honor and a great opportunity. We come with much enthusiasm and much energy. We look forward to working with everyone to make Purdue just as fine a university as it can possibly be.