St. Cloud Times – Good morning, St. Cloud area.
St. Cloud State University President Earl H. Potter III was one of the most influential people in Central Minnesota. He was one of our biggest newsmakers because of his leadership at the university and involvement in the community.
His death in a traffic accident Monday leaves a big void in our community.
I asked our journalists who covered Potter to share an insight or anecdote from their encounters with one of our area’s most interesting and forceful personalities.
David Unze, watchdog reporter:
I was the reporter assigned to cover St. Cloud State University when Earl H. Potter III was hired in 2007 as the university’s 22nd president. I spent the next five years (and some of 2014) writing about Potter’s efforts to implement a vision for preparing students to succeed in a global economy.
There was a lot thrown at him that he probably didn’t expect and likely couldn’t have predicted: budget shortfalls and resulting program and staff reductions, a hockey conference realignment, negative publicity (some of it written by me) about swastikas drawn in campus buildings, lawsuits, the possible elimination of the football team.
Through it all, he was always gracious with his time, treated me with respect and talked to me about anything I asked.
And he got things done. That’s a monumental task at any university, but especially at St. Cloud State, where he had professors publicly and bitterly criticizing him for the tough decisions that he made. They were decisions that had to be made and were sure to upset someone.
Potter had an incredible ability to acknowledge that criticism yet remain confident in his vision and a dedication to achieving it.
My memories of him are many. The ones that bring a smile to my face often involved the conversations we had in his office every few months. He would set aside 30 minutes for me to ask about anything. He often stretched that time at the expense of other meetings and we would talk about my kids, his family and things that had nothing to do with his job or mine.
But when we got down to business on the realities of those budget cuts or lawsuits or achievements — Fifth Avenue Live!, the Integrated Science and Engineering Laboratory Facility, Welcome Center and many others — it was his candor and intelligence that impressed me most.
Loren Boone, vice president of marketing and communications, often sat in on those meetings and I sensed he was there to not let Potter say too much.
I’ll always remember the times when he would look at Boone, look at me and then start in on a long explanation that clearly was more than what he had to tell me. It always brought much-needed context and understanding of the complex business of higher education and his challenges and decisions.
Our conversations always ended with a warm handshake and a genuine desire (for sure on my part, and I think on his) to spar again next time. Even though we still talked after I was done “covering” St. Cloud State, I miss those conversations.
I know I’ll miss him even more.
Mick Hatten, sports reporter, beat includes St. Cloud State hockey and other sports:
There was not a lot of guesswork as to how he felt about a question that you asked him. There was always a definitive direction in what he did and said.
Dave Schwarz, lead photojournalist/videographer:
I remember that he had this crazy pair of bright red loafers that he would wear to SCSU home hockey games sometimes. Here he was in a suit or sport coat, with these bright red shoes.
More than anything, I remember that he always showed up. No matter what the event or venue or time, he was there. He never gave the impression that he was above anybody. He seemed perfectly comfortable whether he was talking with students or the governor.
Mitch LeClair, reporter, technology, transitions and higher education:
Potter always treated me with respect. He was clearly an incredibly busy person, and he certainly had his critics. But in my experiences with the president, he never avoided tough questions through his schedule or answers.
Vicki Ikeogu, business/consumer reporter:
My first interaction with President Potter was nerve wracking, to say the least.
I was a junior in college, and assistant news director of KVSC and working on a story. I was gutsy and fearless when it came to setting up the interview. Nervous as heck as I trudged my way up those steps in the Administration Building.
I remember my hands shaking as I set up the recording device and waited in the fancy chairs of his office.
I fumbled for words addressing him. President? Mr.? Potter?
The interview went fine. He was a gracious source.
But the real gem was after I packed up the reporter gear and turned on my genuine curiosity. That day, I spent nearly an hour questioning Potter about his life, his career and who he was. I found out he drove old cars (even older than mine), was a military man and loved his family.
I ran into Potter several times during the remainder of my college career. I interviewed him live on KVSC, the student radio station. He always seemed to remember who I was.
After I started at the Times, he sent me a letter congratulating me on my new career.
I even got to hug him at graduation.
I’m going to miss Potter. Not because of his role with the university. But because of the man he was. Behind that stoic persona was a real person, a person who cared about each of his students, including a dorky news reporter.
Read: http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2016/06/18/scsus-potter-showed-he-cared-and-leader/85893090/
