Hugs for Coleman

	PHOTOS BY JEFF FITLOW
	Above: Vice Provost for Research Jim Coleman said he will miss all the “spectacular people” at Rice who are committed to making the university better. Below: Coleman received a hug from Mary ”Cindy” Farach-Carson, associate vice provost for research and professor of biochemistry and cell biology.

FROM RICE NEWS STAFF REPORTS

Vice Provost for Research Jim Coleman had one request for the faculty and staff who attended his going-away reception at Brochstein Pavilion Wednesday night: ”I want to hug every one of you before I leave. I really want to have a sense of the deep connections I’ve had as I walk out the door.”

Coleman will become dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Va., July 15. He came to Rice as vice provost and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in September 2007.

Provost George McLendon said working with Coleman has been an ”extraordinary blessing” because Coleman ”combines the ability to do things extraordinarily well at a technical level with the ability to reach out to people in a personal way that helps each of us who do research to feel special.”

Coleman ”has really transformed the research infrastructure at Rice and everyone who does research has benefited enormously from his leadership and his good humor. And I personally have benefited enormously from his lead guitar skills,” McLendon joked.

President David Leebron cited Coleman’s ”decency and caring,” which characterized how he dealt with the Rice community. Leebron applauded ”everything you’ve done for this community to move us along the research spectrum.”

Coleman said working at Rice has been ”a tremendously great thing,” and he gave kudos to his caring staff, the extraordinary faculty and the visionary leadership team at Rice. ”Rice has been a great place, but the memories I’m going to take are of all the spectacular people here who are committed to making this institution better,” he said.

And then the hug fest began.