"Long term, I want people to stand up and take notice of UDC," Pollard told The Common Denominator during a recent telephone interview.

The UDC Board of Trustees hired Pollard, the founder and dean of the Syracuse University College of Human Services and Health Professions, after a lengthy, nationwide search for a new president. The search came after the resignation of former president Julius F. Nimmons last year.

Pollard, 57, will take over the presidency on July 1, replacing interim President Timothy L. Jenkins. Pollard is considered an expert in the history of the U.S. welfare system, having conducted in-depth research on the subject while studying as a doctoral student at the University of Chicago, where he received his Ph.D. in 1976.

Announced as UDC president on May 10, Pollard said he was unprepared to discuss specific plans for the university. But he said his first order of business would be to meet with as many of the trustees, city council members and officials from the mayor’s office as possible in order to map out a strategy for his administration.

"I think that what I have to do in the first few weeks is to have a very clear understanding of what the major players in the city understand to be the critical issues for UDC," Pollard said.

Among the key issues sure to be addressed in the weeks and months ahead is the university’s economic difficulties, which many people associated with UDC have attributed to the school’s lack of control over its operating budget. As the District’s only public college, UDC relies heavily on local and federal funding for its programs and infrastructure, something that interim President Jenkins said could be a major obstacle for Pollard to overcome.

"It’s a very daunting task to be a chief executive officer without controlling the money," Jenkins said.

But Jenkins also said he believes Pollard is the right man for the job because of his experience starting new programs at other colleges. Pollard built academic departments from the ground up at Syracuse and at Grambling State University’s School of Social Work, where he was dean from 1984-1989.

City Councilman Kevin P. Chavous, D-Ward 7, who heads the council’s education committee, said he fully endorses the decision to hire Pollard.

"I’m very impressed with Dr. Pollard and have high hopes for him as president of the University of the District of Columbia," Chavous said. "We’re going to work very closely together, and I believe he’s going to be a fine addition to the city, as well."

Pollard said he is aware of the university’s need to achieve more financial independence if it expects to improve its status as a viable four-year college.

"I had concerns about that and I have concerns about that," he said. "I’m looking forward to working with the mayor and the city council to see that a land grant school such as UDC has all the autonomy that it needs."

Pollard acknowledged that an overhaul of the UDC fund-raising system would be a vital component to the university’s success. By forging stronger ties to the local community, the school could bring in more money from sources around the city, he said.

"It’s more than fund-raising – it’s friend-raising," he said. "It’s about building quality relationships that will build concern for the future of UDC, so that people will want to invest in that future."

One of the major changes that could take place at UDC as a result of the search for private funding, is the system of numbered buildings on campus. Universities typically receive large endowments from wealthy donors by naming their buildings after the contributors, a fund-raising strategy that could be employed by UDC in the future. While Pollard didn’t address the financial considerations involved in the issue, he said that the numbered-building system could be changed.

"I think that the people in the District who have concerns with the numbers on the buildings have something in common with me," he said.

He also said he plans to reach out to the city’s schools and faith-based organizations, something Jenkins said UDC has failed to accomplish in recent years. Jenkins said he is confident that Pollard would collaborate with various community leaders to create a better image for UDC within the District.

"He has a strong appreciation for the involvement of the community in the institution," Jenkins said. "I think for too long, UDC has been divorced from the constituency elements of the community."

Pollard has worked in higher education for more than 20 years. Prior to becoming dean of the Syracuse University School of Social Work in 1989, he held the same position at Grambling State University for five years. Although he has never served as president of a university, his lack of experience doesn’t seem to bother him.

"Some of the best presidents that I know didn’t have previous experience as presidents," he said. "What makes good presidents is experience as academic leaders."

Copyright 2002, The Common Denominator