THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY

1230 YORK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10021

May 4, 1981

 

TOSHUA LEDERBERG

PRESIDENT

Dr. Derek H. Willard
Presidential Candidate
Screening Committee
The University of Iowa
Jessup Hall, Room 102
Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Dear Dr. Willard:

I was very glad to have your letter of April 22nd mention-
ing the name of Dr. Margery W. Shaw as a nominee for the position
of President at your university.

As you doubtless know, the demands of a university presidency
are so different from any other stage of academic experience that
it is difficult to find either prior training or screening tests
that will assure successful performance in that complicated,
stressful, and multi-faceted role. Having known Dr. Shaw now for
at least 35 years, and followed her scientific and professional
careers with great interest and admiration, I think I can give you
a reading and believe it will be a very positive one.

Dr. Shaw is one of the most accomplished and notable women
scientists that we have in America today. She has been very wide-
ly recognized as one of the pioneers of human cytogenetic research:
which has required the most deft combination of clinical insight
and laboratory analysis. Her bibliography speaks for itself and
I have no doubt that she would be found to be one of the most dis-
tinguished scientists and scholars to occupy a university presi-
dency anywhere in the country.

Add to that her energy and a sense of responsibility that were
reflected in her undertaking a program of legal education and teach-
ing, and then upon that her administrative role at the University of
Texas Graduate School at Houston; and it seems to me you will be
hard put to find anyone who could have matching credentials in any
of the relevant spheres of thought and action. She is also unflap-
pable under stress and a cool-headed moderator of difficult inter-
personal situations.
Dr. Derek H. Willard
May 4, 1981

-2-

I do not know whether the task would actually be to her own
edification, particularly with all of the further political com-
plexities that are involved in a state university today at a time
of increasing budgetary and other pressures on support for higher
education. She is certainly an eloquent exponent of the whole
range of values in higher education; but having had no experience
myself in dealing with legislators on crucial. budgetary matters,
it is a bit difficult for me to project what talents are most
required for that role. She does have a beguilingly modest and
unassuming manner which should not deceive you as to her decisive-
ness of purpose;and it just may be that that could be the most
successful combination for those particular purposes.

If the detailed texture of the responsibilities of your task
are such as to attract her interest after the kind of careful con-
sideration that I know she would give to this as to all other
problems, she surely would be among the most highly qualified and
eventually successful candidates that you could hope to find.

I would strongly urge that you give her the most serious con-
sideration; and then that you make further inquiries among those
who have worked in her immediate ambience for a more detailed
assessment of the way she functions in an academic administrative
setting, which I can know about only at second hand.

I do not know of another person that I would regard as prefer-
able as a candidate. but without a more material list in front of
me it is very difficult for me to make a more concrete assessment.

a

sincerely

 
 
  

shua Lederberg /