Vanderbilt Register:Infante looks forward to 'enabling' Arts and Science faculty, students

Infante looks forward to 'enabling'

Arts and Science faculty, students

by: Jamie Lawson Reeves

Newly appointed College of Arts and Science Dean Ettore F. Infante's tenure at the University of Minnesota may best be remembered for his ability to rise to the challenge.

One example that may stand out in the minds of many was his willingness to sacrifice a 38-year habit for the university.

In 1992, a wealthy benefactor and friend of Infante's agreed to donate $50,000 to the school if Infante gave up smoking. Infante tossed the smokes; the benefactor wrote the check.

"That was quite a challenge, quite a challenge," he said. "I took it and she has been laughing at it ever since."

At Minnesota, Infante had a reputation for arriving at work before dawn and staying past sunset. "This man was a human dynamo when it came to work," said Florence Funk, his assistant for five years at Minnesota. His early mornings continue at Vanderbilt with weekly faculty breakfasts at 6:45.

"I am discussing with them the challenges and opportunities here," he said. "I'm also asking them what their hopes and expectations are for me."

Funk said one of the greatest things about working with Infante was that "he wanted to hear what you had to say."

"Jim has a heart of gold and a voice of a lion," said Funk, who noted his penchant for a great debate. One of his greatest joys in the workplace "was from people who said, 'Oh, come on. Let's look at this from a different perspective.' He always wanted to discuss things," she said.

Infante was also known for his colorful phrases.

"If he were discussing a difficult problem during a meeting he'd say, 'It's as difficult as herding cats,' which is pretty humorous if you picture that in your mind," she said. "The other thing he often said, something I truly took to heart, is 'There is no such thing as a stupid person, just stupid ideas.'

"He is an interesting guy and I miss him a lot. We all do. He's talked about fondly," she said.

New College of Arts and Science Dean Ettore F. Infante has been busy meeting with faculty and deans since his arrival July 30.

Since arriving at Vanderbilt July 30, Infante, who goes by Jim, has been busy meeting as many people as possible. "I'm very excited to be here and very impressed," he said.

He is anxious to return to his professorial roots, but said he will be the student this first year at Vanderbilt.

"This year is the year to learn. This year I want to take the maximum amount of time to learn about the faculty and staff," he said. "I also want to be clear in what I think are things that we need to focus on in the College and get to know the culture at Vanderbilt."

He wants to teach a freshman-level math class his second year at Vanderbilt.

"Earlier today when I spoke to the freshmen I told them I'm a freshman dean," he said in his warm Italian accent during an Aug. 25 interview. Infante had just returned to his office following an address to the College of Arts and Science freshman class. "I feel exactly like they do. I have the same feelings of curiosity, anxiety, expectation, wonder."

Infante's academic career has been varied, with experience in policy and administration and a strong teaching background.

A professor of mathematics at the University of Minnesota, Infante served as senior vice president for academic affairs from July 1991 to June 1996. He stepped down as second in command at Minnesota in 1996 to return to "activities closer to teaching, learning and scholarship," reported the Minneapolis Star Tribune last spring.

In addition to his vice president post, Infante served as provost of Minnesota's Twin Cities Campus from July 1991 to June 1995. From 1984 to June 1991 he was dean of the Institute of Technology. For nearly 20 years he served on the faculty at Brown University in Providence, R.I., and then spent five years with the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C., before joining the University of Minnesota in 1984.

How does an academician with a hard science background best represent the diversity of the College of Arts and Science - from classical studies to physics?

"I'm fortunate along those lines because at Minnesota I served for seven years as director of the Institute of Technology, then I served as provost for five years.

"I would like to think that I have developed an ecumenical taste. There are some components of the College I am not as familiar with but I would like to think that I have developed an understanding of what I think is essential in a position like this."

One of the things that attracted Infante to Vanderbilt is the commitment to strong teaching.

"I really believe in the concept of professing," he said. "Young people are very, very appealing. They are curious. They are the next mathematicians, physicists, doctors, philosophers, lawyers, and to make a contribution to them is great."

Born in Italy in 1938, Infante received undergraduate degrees in mathematics and aeronautical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He received his Ph.D. from the university in 1962.

At Texas, he was responsible for watching the university's mascot, a longhorn steer, during football games. It was also during college that a frustrated math professor gave up on the pronunciation of his given Italian name and began calling him Jim. He's gone by Jim ever since.

In his spare time, Infante said he is a voracious reader. He also enjoys running. He and his wife of 13 years, Trudi Miller, a political science professor, are dedicated museum buffs and are looking forward to exploring Nashville, especially its musical offerings. They have two children, Cecilia, a professor at the University of Michigan, and Michael, who is in graduate school at the University of Minnesota.

He is also interested in Vanderbilt athletics. "I have always been a believer that athletics adds an important component to academic life," he said, fondly recalling his support of the soccer team at Brown and his friendships with the student athletes, many of whom were enrolled in a mathematics course he taught.

One area Infante said he is interested in after meeting with the University's deans is the developments at the interfaces of scholarly disciplines such as the environment and information technology, which cross political and economical realms.

Infante said he believes that the role of his office is to enable the faculty and students to progress further along the path to excellence already worn.

"Vanderbilt is no doubt one of the best research and teaching universities in the nation," he said. "The genius is going to be not to balance, but to leverage the scholarly activities and teaching activities so that Vanderbilt can continue to have our wonderful reputation, a reputation that is based on reality."

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