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Deseret News, February 15, 2009
Wendy Leonard The confidential search for Utah Valley University's next president is ongoing, but a top candidate withdrew his resume because he didn't feel his leadership abilities should be put to the test of local politicians.
Ned C. Hill, former dean of the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business, was told by a member of the State Board of Regents, whose name he would not disclose, that he needed to "make nice with the Utah County delegation" after his wife, Claralyn Hill, ran as a Democrat against Rep. Chris Herrod, R-Provo, on an ethics reform platform.
"We've been Republicans everywhere we lived but she wanted to give people an alternative," he said. "She wasn't necessarily saying the elected members were unethical, but that the system needed some reform."
Despite his wife's attempts to clear the air, Hill said a Utah County legislator told him he could facilitate a meeting where an apology could be made because "there were a number of legislators feeling that she called them into question."
Hill decided that if the delegation was not in favor of him — after having served 10 years as dean of the BYU business school and increasing the endowment there by more than $100 million, and raising money for a building expansion — he would not have a chance and their decisions might be adverse to the direction the UVU is headed.
"It's a hard enough job as it is," he said, not looking forward to further budget cuts and possible layoffs at the growing university.
Refusing to eat a slice of humble pie, Hill chose to withdraw his resume from consideration in January and is continuing to work at BYU, where he expects to return to the classroom this fall.
The Board of Regents would not confirm or deny that Hill was a candidate. "Regent policy is that names and status are kept confidential until they are released," spokesman Spencer Jenkins said. Typically, the names are released only a short time before the final decision is made. No names in the UVU presidential search have been made public, he said.
Utah County Republican Party Chairwoman Marian Monnahan said she had no knowledge of the squabble and believed "it must have been a personal matter." She said state leaders need to have good relations with all the universities in the state, as "they are always coming to them looking for funding."
Hill said he'd rather be considered for his caliber.
"I find it inappropriate that my politics had to be correct if I wanted to be president of the university," he said. "I could have done it and I would have done it well." Hill said it was the people, the student issues and donor interaction that he enjoyed most as dean of the business school but that it wasn't "in my ego to be president, it wasn't something I desperately needed."
Hill is on sabbatical, but involved in many ventures, including teaching and speaking professionally about business ethics around the world.
"It would've been a better strategy if they really wanted me as the president, to try to convince me this would be a great place to be a president, but instead they said if you want to be the president, you have to apologize … and show allegiance to these Republican leaders," he said.
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