GEORGE RUSSELL, BERTRAND NATIVE, TO HEAD MU SYSTEM

The decision to make Bertrand native George Russell president of the University of Missouri system was a unanimous one, said Board of Curators member John Lichtenegger.

"This unanimous vote," said Lichtenegger, of Jackson and one of nine curators for the university system, "shows how strongly we felt about making George the new president.

"The board has had many differences of opinion in the past but not on this. I think this shows a very strong endorsement of Dr. Russell. His familiarity with the system will enable him to hit the ground running once Dr. Magrath leaves in November."

Russell will succeed C. Peter Magrath in November as president of the system Magrath will head to Washington, D.C., in January. The system controls four universities in Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla and St. Louis.

Russell had been chancellor of the Kansas City campus since 1977. His familiarity with the system is one of the many reasons that the board chose him, said Lichtenegger.

"We knew we could get a 100 percent commitment from him," he said. "We know that he will give a full-time effort to this job.

"In the five-and-a-half years I have been a curator, I have been impressed with the way his leadership dominated the meetings he had been in with me. We really feel that he is the best for the job and the best we could find to take over."

Russell is 70 years old. Lichtenegger said his age did not play a role in his selection.

"I think it's hogwash to think that age will play a factor with him," he said. "He has a great amount of energy and vitality for his age and he goes 90 miles an hour all the time.

"I hope this shows people that those 70 or older do still have many talents to offer businesses and organizations."

Russell is a 1938 graduate of Sikeston High School. From 1940 to 1960, he served in the Navy and retired as a commander. In 1947, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a electrical engineering degree. He has also earned a masters and doctorate from the University of Illinois.

His familiarity with the University of Illinois is also a big plus, said Lichtenegger.

"We look up to the University of Illinois," he said, "because they are one of the premier research schools in the country. His background with them will help us tremendously."

Lichtenegger said that Russell commands an extremely knowledgeable background in research, math, science and telecommunications. He said these areas of expertise will be important to the university system.

"Telecommunications is going to play a very important role in universities in the near future," he said, "and his knowledge on this area will be crucial.

"His math and science background will help with Proposition B since a lot of the proposed money in the proposition will be going to improving these areas."

If Proposition B is approved by the voters in November, it will provide $190 million to higher education in Missouri. Lichtenegger said that about $90 million of that will go to the four University of Missouri schools.

"That money will be used," said Lichtenegger, "to start a number of reforms with the university system like repairs and updating of computer equipment. The reforms will be put into place if the proposition passes."

One of Russell's first tasks as new president will be to help in the search to find replacements for the now-vacant positions of chancellor at the Rolla and Kansas City schools and a new director of Extension, said Lichtenegger.

Russell also was in favor of the recent fee increase that will boost the fees for the university system $200 a year for five years and will begin in fall 1992. Annual adjustments for inflation will also be made.