The man behind the desk

by Mary Ellen Hardies
Online News Editor

Athens, Ohio, isn't such a far cry from the small farm town in Greene County, Iowa, where Robert Glidden grew up, but it was a long journey that put him in his Cutler Hall office.

Glidden sat fireside in his office, twirling his eyeglasses between his thumb and index finger, and told his story of moving from school to school until he finally stopped at Ohio University, where he has been president for the last seven years.

But his original career goal had nothing to do with a university.

"I wanted to be the best high school band director in the state of Iowa, but I went to work in Illinois so that couldn't happen," he said with a chuckle.

Glidden started his musical career at age 10, when he learned to play the saxophone. His love of music stayed with him, and during high school he played in a jazz band on the weekends. He got paid $10 for three hours of work every weekend throughout high school.

"Ten dollars back then would be like $100 now," he said. "My parents would only let me play in the band on the weekends though, so that it didn't interfere with school."

Glidden also played the oboe, clarinet and bassoon.

"My parents thought I would be too scrawny to play sports," he said, explaining his parents' encouragement of his musical interests.

It was his love of music that took him to the University of Iowa instead of Iowa State University, where he would have majored in engineering. "I had more confidence in my musical ability than in my ability to do engineering," he said.

It was also his love of music that introduced him to his wife, Rene. The couple married in 1964 and today have three daughters.

"He was my high school band director for four years, and I met him at a potluck supper," Rene Glidden said. "I had a mad crush on him. When he went to the University of Iowa for his Ph.D., I followed him to see if I couldn't catch him, and I did."

After getting his Ph.D., Glidden eventually made his way to Florida State University, where he was provost for 12 years.

"Once you are provost at a university like that, you get called on to apply for presidencies," he said.

When he arrived at OU, Glidden said the school was better than he thought it would be.

"We do a lot of things very well. There is always room for improvement, but I think the way we attend to our undergraduates is exemplary," he said.

He said the best part about his job is that there isn't a typical day. Every day brings new challenges and issues. It can be more demanding than other full-time jobs, and there isn't much down time, he said.

"There has only been one day in the past year and a half that I haven't checked my e-mail," Glidden said.

But there are upsides, of course, and he firmly believes in the power of the individual.

"One person who has a passion about something, is committed to it and can articulate their vision really can make a difference," he said.

When Glidden does find some free time, he spends it listening to music, mostly symphonic and jazz pieces, and reading historical fiction.

"I tried to keep up with pop culture music, but I kept asking myself why I was listening to it since I didn't like it," he said.

Photography and traveling also top the list of activities Glidden enjoys. He said that because he travels so much for work, he tries to go sightseeing when he has time.

"I take a lot of pictures," he said. "I could take 100 pictures a day if I go sightseeing."

Rene Glidden sat in the sitting room of the president's house and spoke of how her husband is her best friend. She said she enjoys traveling with her husband because she gets to see so many beautiful places.

"We love to travel, but it is usually for business," Rene Glidden said. "But we love to eat too, that is the main thing."

She also has artistic interests.

"We both have our own outlets," Robert Glidden said. "I have my music and Rene has her art. She is really into stained glass."

Another outlet the Gliddens share is their love of travel with friends. Sam Hope of Fairfax, Va., met Glidden when they both were working in Washington, D.C. Hope took over as the executive director of the National Office for Arts Accreditation after Glidden left the position. He and his wife, Judy, now travel with the Gliddens frequently.

Hope said that no matter how much planning they put into their trips, there are always funny, unexpected moments.

"I remember one time, we took a back road through New Hampshire. Well, Dr. Glidden hadn't checked the gas gauge and we realized how low it was," he said.

Hope said Glidden finally found a farmer working in the fields who gave him some complicated directions to a gas station with the preface that he would make it there "if he didn't make any mistakes."

"We were all in the car madly trying to remember the directions," Hope said. "We finally found the gas station and everything was fine."

Hope said one of Glidden's best qualities is his ability to laugh at himself. He added that there are no more vacations planned yet because everyone is so busy.

"We plan last-minute trips," Hope said. "It challenges our planning skills, but we always make it."

Glidden said London was one of his favorite places to visit, but he has yet to see some national landmarks, including the Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park.

"I would love to make it out west," he said. "But I am so busy. It might have to wait until I retire."