When Richard Norton Smith analyzes President Bush’s speech today on MSNBC, he hopes to bring some attention to Kansas University.
Smith, who began last week as director of the Dole Institute of Politics, is one of a handful of presidential historians who make regular TV appearances.
After years of leading presidential libraries and museums, Smith for the first time is starting a facility from scratch and TV time could help.
“Hopefully, it’s good for the institute, good for the university, and it’s not bad for me,” he said with a laugh. “Almost anything that draws attention to the Dole Institute and the university is a good thing as long as I don’t completely embarrass myself.”
Though his first official day on the job was Monday, Smith started work last week.
Ground was broken in October on the $8 million Dole Institute west of the Lied Center. The building, which will archive former senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole’s papers and present political events and speakers, will be completed in spring 2003 and dedicated that summer.
Smith moved into his office in the Dole Institute’s temporary home in the Pinet House at 12th and Indiana streets last week.
He’s living upstairs at the house. That’s a benefit, he said, because he doesn’t drive and wants to be close to his work.
But the fact he doesn’t drive he’s a self-described “autophobe” may make his TV appearances a challenge. He’s trying to find a place in Lawrence that can televise live broadcasts, but he may have to catch a ride to Topeka or Kansas City.
In addition to occasional spots on MSNBC and other networks, Smith makes frequent appearances on “NewsHour” with Jim Lehrer.
Several projects will consume the early months of Smith’s tenure at KU:
Hiring three staff members an executive secretary, associate director and fund-raiser. He hopes to have those positions filled by early next year. Eventually, two more staff members will be hired for programming.
Working with the construction company on the building and a design company for an exhibit that will chronicle Dole’s political life.
Planning programming, which will begin next year. Though he is waiting until early next year to announce a schedule, he has said possible speakers include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Sen. Joseph Lieberman. He’s also looking to start an oral history project about Kansas history.
Raising money for the institute’s operating expenses. The building is paid for with $3 million in state funds and $5 million in private donations. Smith would like a $20 million endowment for programming, but only about $5 million has been raised so far.
Smith, who has known Dole since the senator hired him as a speech writer in 1978, will fly to Washington, D.C., next week to discuss his plans with Dole.
“I’ve been talking to folks in D.C. to make sure we’re on their radar screens both folks in the media and Capitol Hill and others,” Smith said.
Before coming to KU, Smith led presidential libraries and museums for Gerald Ford, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. He also helped the Doles write three books.
Smith’s connections should help KU’s image both statewide and nationally, said Janet Murguia, KU’s executive vice chancellor for University Relations.
“It’s going to be a great asset to the university,” she said. “The presence of the institute will put KU on the map in a new and different way.”
When Richard Norton Smith analyzes President Bush’s speech today on MSNBC, he hopes to bring some attention to Kansas University.
Smith, who began last week as director of the Dole Institute of Politics, is one of a handful of presidential historians who make regular TV appearances.
After years of leading presidential libraries and museums, Smith for the first time is starting a facility from scratch and TV time could help.
“Hopefully, it’s good for the institute, good for the university, and it’s not bad for me,” he said with a laugh. “Almost anything that draws attention to the Dole Institute and the university is a good thing as long as I don’t completely embarrass myself.”
Though his first official day on the job was Monday, Smith started work last week.
Ground was broken in October on the $8 million Dole Institute west of the Lied Center. The building, which will archive former senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole’s papers and present political events and speakers, will be completed in spring 2003 and dedicated that summer.
Smith moved into his office in the Dole Institute’s temporary home in the Pinet House at 12th and Indiana streets last week.
He’s living upstairs at the house. That’s a benefit, he said, because he doesn’t drive and wants to be close to his work.
But the fact he doesn’t drive he’s a self-described “autophobe” may make his TV appearances a challenge. He’s trying to find a place in Lawrence that can televise live broadcasts, but he may have to catch a ride to Topeka or Kansas City.
In addition to occasional spots on MSNBC and other networks, Smith makes frequent appearances on “NewsHour” with Jim Lehrer.
Several projects will consume the early months of Smith’s tenure at KU:
Hiring three staff members an executive secretary, associate director and fund-raiser. He hopes to have those positions filled by early next year. Eventually, two more staff members will be hired for programming.
Working with the construction company on the building and a design company for an exhibit that will chronicle Dole’s political life.
Planning programming, which will begin next year. Though he is waiting until early next year to announce a schedule, he has said possible speakers include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Sen. Joseph Lieberman. He’s also looking to start an oral history project about Kansas history.
Raising money for the institute’s operating expenses. The building is paid for with $3 million in state funds and $5 million in private donations. Smith would like a $20 million endowment for programming, but only about $5 million has been raised so far.
Smith, who has known Dole since the senator hired him as a speech writer in 1978, will fly to Washington, D.C., next week to discuss his plans with Dole.
“I’ve been talking to folks in D.C. to make sure we’re on their radar screens both folks in the media and Capitol Hill and others,” Smith said.
Before coming to KU, Smith led presidential libraries and museums for Gerald Ford, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. He also helped the Doles write three books.
Smith’s connections should help KU’s image both statewide and nationally, said Janet Murguia, KU’s executive vice chancellor for University Relations.
“It’s going to be a great asset to the university,” she said. “The presence of the institute will put KU on the map in a new and different way.”
When Richard Norton Smith analyzes President Bush’s speech today on MSNBC, he hopes to bring some attention to Kansas University.
Smith, who began last week as director of the Dole Institute of Politics, is one of a handful of presidential historians who make regular TV appearances.
After years of leading presidential libraries and museums, Smith for the first time is starting a facility from scratch and TV time could help.
“Hopefully, it’s good for the institute, good for the university, and it’s not bad for me,” he said with a laugh. “Almost anything that draws attention to the Dole Institute and the university is a good thing as long as I don’t completely embarrass myself.”
Though his first official day on the job was Monday, Smith started work last week.
Ground was broken in October on the $8 million Dole Institute west of the Lied Center. The building, which will archive former senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole’s papers and present political events and speakers, will be completed in spring 2003 and dedicated that summer.
Smith moved into his office in the Dole Institute’s temporary home in the Pinet House at 12th and Indiana streets last week.
He’s living upstairs at the house. That’s a benefit, he said, because he doesn’t drive and wants to be close to his work.
But the fact he doesn’t drive he’s a self-described “autophobe” may make his TV appearances a challenge. He’s trying to find a place in Lawrence that can televise live broadcasts, but he may have to catch a ride to Topeka or Kansas City.
In addition to occasional spots on MSNBC and other networks, Smith makes frequent appearances on “NewsHour” with Jim Lehrer.
Several projects will consume the early months of Smith’s tenure at KU:
Hiring three staff members an executive secretary, associate director and fund-raiser. He hopes to have those positions filled by early next year. Eventually, two more staff members will be hired for programming.
Working with the construction company on the building and a design company for an exhibit that will chronicle Dole’s political life.
Planning programming, which will begin next year. Though he is waiting until early next year to announce a schedule, he has said possible speakers include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Sen. Joseph Lieberman. He’s also looking to start an oral history project about Kansas history.
Raising money for the institute’s operating expenses. The building is paid for with $3 million in state funds and $5 million in private donations. Smith would like a $20 million endowment for programming, but only about $5 million has been raised so far.
Smith, who has known Dole since the senator hired him as a speech writer in 1978, will fly to Washington, D.C., next week to discuss his plans with Dole.
“I’ve been talking to folks in D.C. to make sure we’re on their radar screens both folks in the media and Capitol Hill and others,” Smith said.
Before coming to KU, Smith led presidential libraries and museums for Gerald Ford, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. He also helped the Doles write three books.
Smith’s connections should help KU’s image both statewide and nationally, said Janet Murguia, KU’s executive vice chancellor for University Relations.
“It’s going to be a great asset to the university,” she said. “The presence of the institute will put KU on the map in a new and different way.”
When Richard Norton Smith analyzes President Bush’s speech today on MSNBC, he hopes to bring some attention to Kansas University.
Smith, who began last week as director of the Dole Institute of Politics, is one of a handful of presidential historians who make regular TV appearances.
After years of leading presidential libraries and museums, Smith for the first time is starting a facility from scratch and TV time could help.
“Hopefully, it’s good for the institute, good for the university, and it’s not bad for me,” he said with a laugh. “Almost anything that draws attention to the Dole Institute and the university is a good thing as long as I don’t completely embarrass myself.”
Though his first official day on the job was Monday, Smith started work last week.
Ground was broken in October on the $8 million Dole Institute west of the Lied Center. The building, which will archive former senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole’s papers and present political events and speakers, will be completed in spring 2003 and dedicated that summer.
Smith moved into his office in the Dole Institute’s temporary home in the Pinet House at 12th and Indiana streets last week.
He’s living upstairs at the house. That’s a benefit, he said, because he doesn’t drive and wants to be close to his work.
But the fact he doesn’t drive he’s a self-described “autophobe” may make his TV appearances a challenge. He’s trying to find a place in Lawrence that can televise live broadcasts, but he may have to catch a ride to Topeka or Kansas City.
In addition to occasional spots on MSNBC and other networks, Smith makes frequent appearances on “NewsHour” with Jim Lehrer.
Several projects will consume the early months of Smith’s tenure at KU:
Hiring three staff members an executive secretary, associate director and fund-raiser. He hopes to have those positions filled by early next year. Eventually, two more staff members will be hired for programming.
Working with the construction company on the building and a design company for an exhibit that will chronicle Dole’s political life.
Planning programming, which will begin next year. Though he is waiting until early next year to announce a schedule, he has said possible speakers include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Sen. Joseph Lieberman. He’s also looking to start an oral history project about Kansas history.
Raising money for the institute’s operating expenses. The building is paid for with $3 million in state funds and $5 million in private donations. Smith would like a $20 million endowment for programming, but only about $5 million has been raised so far.
Smith, who has known Dole since the senator hired him as a speech writer in 1978, will fly to Washington, D.C., next week to discuss his plans with Dole.
“I’ve been talking to folks in D.C. to make sure we’re on their radar screens both folks in the media and Capitol Hill and others,” Smith said.
Before coming to KU, Smith led presidential libraries and museums for Gerald Ford, Herbert Hoover, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. He also helped the Doles write three books.
Smith’s connections should help KU’s image both statewide and nationally, said Janet Murguia, KU’s executive vice chancellor for University Relations.
“It’s going to be a great asset to the university,” she said. “The presence of the institute will put KU on the map in a new and different way.”
