EMU president seeks to rebuild community trust

News Staff Reporter

Rebuilding community trust and resolving lingering rumors regarding wrongdoing were among the pledges that Eastern Michigan University interim president Craig Willis made to area business people Tuesday in his first speech before the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce.

At the chamber's First Tuesday breakfast, Willis acknowledged that misreporting of University House costs during former president Samuel Kirkpatrick's tenure at the university hurt more than just Eastern. He called on the community to work with EMU to "heal the wounds."

"The University and community need to champion a 'we first' and not 'me first' attitude toward the future," Willis said. "If we were to slide backward, that would affect the community as well."

Willis said Eastern spends more than $86 million on goods and services, mostly from Michigan- and local-based businesses, and he noted that he is committed to continuing that tradition, something Ypsilanti City Mayor Cheryl Farmer said shows Willis "understands the importance of the university and community working together."

"I think the thing he's going to do is help us get beyond the issue of the University House," Farmer said. "He's trying to create a more open ... and communicative environment that will allow things that are going wrong to surface early."

Washtenaw Community College President Larry Whitworth met Willis for the first time at Tuesday's breakfast and said he looks forward to working with the interim president.

"The relationship between Washtenaw and Eastern Michigan is extremely important," Whitworth said. "I was very impressed with his presentation."

Whitworth added that, in addition to reaching out to community members, Willis' efforts to be open with Eastern students and faculty will serve him well.

Allison Heinrichs can be reached at aheinrichs@annarbornews.com or (734) 482-2263.

© 2004 Ann Arbor News. Used with permission