View the full transcript for this interview.
As Executive Vice President John Fry prepares to leave for his new job as president of Franklin and Marshall College on June 30, he sat down for an interview with representatives from The Daily Pennsylvanian yesterday. The following contains excerpts from the interview.
Daily Pennsylvanian: Why did you decide to take the presidency at Franklin and Marshall College? John Fry: I decided to take the F&M; presidency because I think it was most compatible with the things that I'm interested in, which is liberal arts education.... It's been a lifetime goal to return to one of those institutions, and so the F&M; thing couldn't have been closer to what I really wanted to do. It's formed of four years of great undergraduate experience at a similar place, five years of trusteeship, a dozen years of consulting in the industry with a number of assignments with those types of requirements led me to conclude that that's the place I'd like to end up in. DP: Looking back over your seven-plus years at Penn, which accomplishments are you most proud of? Fry: ...The reorganization and professionalization of the University of Pennsylvania Police Department and the formation of the University City District, sort of in tandem as a way to deal with the significant crime situation that we faced back in the 1995-1996 time period. The second is taking significant steps to expand the envelope of the campus from a physical standpoint.... The third is the quality of the people I've recruited to work at Penn.
DP: Are there any projects that have disappointed you? What in particular do you feel you could have handled differently? Fry: I'm disappointed that we've had so much trouble bringing the movie theater to a close. I don't fault us for the meltdown of the theater industry, and in fact, I count ourselves lucky that if we do decide to go forward, and that's a question that will be decided by the president and the [University Board of Trustees], that we have such a good potential partner in National Amusements.... I remain frustrated because we've basically lost two years.... It would have been nice just to have wrapped this thing up two years ago so we could have gone on to other things.
DP: What is the status of the movie theater project? Do you think a deal with National Amusements will be reached prior to your departure? Fry: I think that we have without a doubt the ability to finalize this deal before I depart. The issue is going to be whether or not the University wants to invest additional money beyond what it's already invested in the movie theater. And I think that's a question that basically has to be taken up by the president, in consultation with the provost and the deans, as well as the Trustees.... Do you want to put the money there, or do you want to put the money somewhere else? I think that's a fair question for people to be asking right now.
DP: There are several retail vacancies on campus, particularly along Walnut Street and the 40th Street corridor. What is the status of these vacancies, and why have they remained vacant for as long as they have? Fry: Part of the reason for maintaining the vacancy is to know that if you have the cinema coming in, in that case when we decide to go forward, that is going to dramatically change the profile and the rents that we'll be able to attract to those open spaces.... I think if we can, in fact, do this deal, our prospects for higher-profile tenants who can pay more rent and add more to the area is going to be greater than if we don't. It's been an intentional strategy to leave ourselves the flexibility to bring tenants in who might be of a better standing.
DP: You were involved in the outsourcing of the management of University facilities to Trammell Crow. The role of that company has since been dramatically reduced, and outsourcing does not seem to be as popular a concept as it once was. What is the status of Penn's relationship with Trammell Crow, and what is the future of Trammell Crow with the University? Fry: I'm not going to answer that question directly. The only thing I'll say is that I believe that the decision back in 1997 to make that change, I think, will prove to be a very good decision. I think the situation we had in '97 in terms of the quality of the leadership and management and processes and financial systems of the facilities division were very, very questionable. I think we had to make a wholesale dramatic change in the way in which we did that, and I think [Trammell] Crow in that regard has done many good things in terms of helping us. I think together, there are some things that we have not yet achieved, but I'll leave it at that.... I think the University of Pennsylvania is a lot better off from a facilities standpoint than it's ever been.
DP: How would you evaluate University relations with West Philadelphia? Fry: I think it's at a very good point right now. I'm not going to comment on the outlying groups like the McPenntrifiers [Neighbors Against McPenntrification] or whatever they call themselves, because I think they're a fringe group. I think at the core, when you go out and talk to the neighborhood groups, Spruce Hill and other things like that, I think that people feel very good about the progress that's been made. Is it perfect? No, and I don't think it ever will be.... I don't think it is our goal to try to be loved by everyone, and so I do not personally have any aspirations to make McPenntrification happy. I think what they stand for is ridiculous, and in fact, I think they've used intimidating behavior to try to have their issues raised, which I think is a childish thing.
DP: If you were on the search committee for your successor, what kind of person would you be looking for? Fry: I think someone who can be very energetic and persistent in the face of a lot of obstacles.... I think, secondly, someone who really does appreciate that in the end, this is all about developing good relationships with people.... You don't do things by edict around here or by memo -- you do it by knowing people, helping them and then getting them to support what you're trying to do.... I think someone who at least has some background in higher education, whether it be as a consultant or a practitioner or even as a trustee who's been deeply involved in these institutions, would be very helpful.
DP: Do you have any regrets about leaving Penn? Fry: I'll miss Penn terribly. I love Penn. I also really believe strongly in not overstaying my welcome, and I think after seven years, a lot has been done. I think the issues for the future are cued up and ready to go. I have a good team in place, and I don't want to stay beyond the point where I feel tired or burned out or I start seeing things that make me unhappy. I've loved every day that I've worked here. I've sprang out of bed and ran to work. I think I have the greatest job around, and I want to walk out on June 30 still feeling the same way. I think for the first time, I began to feel a little bit tired this year, and that was a sign to me that it was time to begin to think about what happens next.
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