We find ourselves in a very difficult cycle of faculty who are very talented being wooed by other universities. We are a prime candidate for cherry-picking. In order to retain the integrity of our programs, we don't want to lose our very best faculty.

The low pay makes it difficult to obtain new faculty.

The recipients of the Leadership for a Changing World award represent the best this country has to offer. On issues from environmental justice to education reform, they bring people together to solve their communities' most urgent problems. They show all of us just how much progress is possible when we work together with effectiveness and persistence.

Our athletic programs are part of our public face, and unfortunately our scandals have become part of the public face. The less-than-glorious but everyday living values that have to do with our research, our teaching and our processes of governance are also valuable to the state.

It's been unevenly difficult for faculty. Some units have embraced it, and some think they've been micromanaged by it.

If you look at any six-year period, it's difficult to find one where you're in a down cycle the whole time. We have concerns [about chances for the contract to be rejected] based on feedback we're getting. Those concerns have been expressed to management.