ASU Retirees Association (ASURA) Video History Project Interviews

Born in Arizona, the son of educators, Lattie F. Coor was the 15th President of ASU. He attended NAU for his undergraduate degree and went on to receive his masters and PhD from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He remained at Washington University as a faculty member, eventually becoming its Vice Chancellor. In 1976, Lattie left to become the 21st President of the University of Vermont. In January of 1990, Lattie returned to Arizona to become the 15th President of ASU, remaining as President until 2002. After his retirement as President of ASU, Lattie stayed as a Professor and Ernest W. McFarland Chair in Leadership and Public Policy in the University's School of Public Affairs. He also co-founded the Center for the Future of Arizona where he continues to serve on the Board of Directors.

In his interview, Lattie recaps his life growing up in Arizona during the war years, providing many stories of his experiences with the various prisoner of war camps located in Arizona. He indicates that originally he thought he would become a lawyer and perhaps enter a political career, but then early on in his post-secondary work, he was greatly influenced by one of his professors at NAU and turned to pursuing a career in academics. From there he unfolds the story of his life as a professor and an academic administrator.

Bob Francis grew up in Yuma, Arizona and graduated from ASU. After spending a year teaching high school in Yuma, he returned to ASU in 1970, starting in the Alumni Association. After a few years, he moved to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions where he spent most of his career. He retired in 2002.

Important / interesting parts of the interview include:
• The beginning of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in Part 2
• The changing attitude about the role of the University in marketing itself to students and parents in Part 3
• The role of the Devils’ Advocates played in selling the University in Part 4
• The role Don Dotts and Christine Kajikawa Wilkinson played in Bob’s career in Part 6

Bob Francis grew up in Yuma, Arizona and graduated from ASU. After spending a year teaching high school in Yuma, he returned to ASU in 1970, starting in the Alumni Association. After a few years, he moved to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions where he spent most of his career. He retired in 2002.

Important / interesting parts of the interview include:
• The beginning of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in Part 2
• The changing attitude about the role of the University in marketing itself to students and parents in Part 3
• The role of the Devils’ Advocates played in selling the University in Part 4
• The role Don Dotts and Christine Kajikawa Wilkinson played in Bob’s career in Part 6

Bob Francis grew up in Yuma, Arizona and graduated from ASU. After spending a year teaching high school in Yuma, he returned to ASU in 1970, starting in the Alumni Association. After a few years, he moved to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions where he spent most of his career. He retired in 2002.

Important / interesting parts of the interview include:
• The beginning of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in Part 2
• The changing attitude about the role of the University in marketing itself to students and parents in Part 3
• The role of the Devils’ Advocates played in selling the University in Part 4
• The role Don Dotts and Christine Kajikawa Wilkinson played in Bob’s career in Part 6

Charlie Arntzen joined ASU in August 2000 as the Florence Ely Nelson Presidential Endowed Chair and retired in 2016 from the School of Life Sciences and Biodesign Institute. Charlie was the founding Director of the Biodesign Institute.
Important ASU stories include:
1) the creation of the Biodesign Institute,
2) the design and operation of the Biodesign labs,
3) the development of ZMapp to fight Ebola,
4) The New American University - a discussion of the importance of collaboration, and
5) several comments about Presidents Coor and Crow and Provost Glick