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UH links Hobby, Smith

By Nikie Johnson
Senior Staff Writer

They held the same post serving UH, but they are a study in opposites.

When William P. Hobby Jr. was chancellor of the UH System from 1995-1997, he was paid $1 per year. 

His successor, Arthur K. Smith, is the sixth-highest-paid public university leader in the nation, raking in $521,000 per year in salary and other manners of compensation. Although Smith holds the position of UH president as well as System chancellor, thatis quite a raise.

Before his stint at UHS, Hobby was Texasi lieutenant governor, and the president and executive editor of the Houston Post before that. Smith has been in academia since 1974.

Hobby said he was not a supporter of the decision to merge the UH main campus administration with the UH System administration. One of Smithis first charges when he was hired was to guide UHS through that transition.

Hobby is a native Texan, born here in 1932. Smith, just a few years younger, was an East Coaster most of his life and only came to Texas when he was hired by UH. The only striking similarity is that both served in the Navy around the same time.

When Smith succeeded Hobby in 1997 as UHS chancellor, he brought a very different personality to the job. And now, Smith and the rest of the UH community prepares for his departure, planned for September, Hobby had a few words of advice for whoever will become UHSi next leader.

"The three biggest problems are always money, money and money," Hobby said about what challenges the next president and chancellor might face.

He said he feels Smith has done a good job during his six years in Houston, and that his work securing more funding from the Texas Legislature has done well for UH and the System.

As chancellor, Hobby said most of his focus was on different issues than a presidentis work is.

"I spent lots of time with the Legislature," he said. He also focused on coordinating how the four universities in the System ran. A university president, on the other hand, works with the administration and focuses more on educational issues.

Since the System and UH administrations were merged, one person has to fill both roles. Smithis successor will be the second person to do that.

Hobby didnit say what he thought the Board of Regents should be looking for in someone to take over after Smith.

"Theyill have 400 or 500 applicants, theyill narrow it down to five candidates and theyill chose the best one," he said. "Itis not that hard."

Although he only made $1 per year and listed money as a university leaderis biggest challenge, Hobby supported Regents Chairman Gene McDavidis statement that they would "do whatever it takes to get the best person here."

Although Smith is the sixth-highest-paid public university leader in the nation, McDavid said the regents would be willing to pay a replacement more, if thatis what it takes.

"You pay the market price," Hobby said.
 

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