Q + A: The President in Person, Getting to Know Karen Lawrence by Suzanne Gray MFA '04
work
Biggest difference between U.C. Irvine and Sarah Lawrence:
At Sarah Lawrence, I get to live on a residential campus. It’s exciting to be a part of the community in that way, and I look forward to taking part in campus life and getting to know students and faculty. It’s very different from being at a big public institution. There were 28,000 students at U.C. Irvine—I like the intimacy of Sarah Lawrence.
Biggest similarity between the two:
U.C. Irvine was intellectually exciting. Like Sarah Lawrence, it has a sense of innovation, of not doing things just because that was the way it was done. It isn’t academically rigid. I like the interdisciplinary aspects of both schools, and thinking about the connection between fields.
Hardest part of her former job:
Figuring out how to do new, creative things and get people to work together despite limited resources. There’s a natural tendency to be territorial when resources are limited, but if you want to do new things you have to work together. It’s always a challenge. But an exciting challenge, and well worth taking up.
Thoughts on living in a culturally conservative state for 19 years:
We lived in Salt Lake City and were connected to the University of Utah, which was crucial to our transition to such a different environment. But we loved it. We were part of a vibrant intellectual community and had great friends. Plus Salt Lake City was diverse enough that you didn’t feel like you were one of five people who shared your interests.
What she learned at breakfast meetings with campus staff during August:
I was surprised by the incredible loyalty that staff and faculty have for the College, no matter what their position. Everyone has a real concern for the financial situation, and wants to make sure that the College thrives.
entertainment
Three films that are personal classics:
Babette’s Feast, Fellini’s La Strada, and The Godfather.
Recent movies she didn’t enjoy:
I was disappointed in The Simpsons Movie—and I’m a fan of The Simpsons. A half-hour show is great and funny, but I thought it just couldn’t sustain itself in the longer format.
Favorite entertainment indulgence:
Television. I watch more than most academics, I think. I’m interested in all kinds of culture, and TV is a part of that. But also I watch it just to relax. I like “David Letterman,” “Law and Order,” “CSI,” and “Big Love” on HBO.
The music that moves her:
I like jazz. I love Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Thelonious Monk. I also have a great album of Caetano Veloso, the Brazilian singer and composer, and one of Yo-Yo Ma performing Astor Piazzolla’s tangos.
family
Best moment involving James Joyce and her progeny:
When he was 8 or 9, my son Jeff came with me to the annual James Joyce symposium in Dublin. The group always plays Finnegans Wake charades, where you have to guess a phrase from the book. Somehow Jeff guessed the right answer for one round, which really impressed my colleagues. He hadn’t read the book, of course, but he still figured it out. Now Jeff is studying for a Ph.D. in comparative literature.
Why there’s a jukebox in her library:
I gave Peter a 1957 Rockola for his 40th birthday. I bought it from a vending machine place when we lived in Utah. I thought that the records would be included with the sale, but they weren’t, so for the birthday party, everyone had to bring a 45 as the price of admission.
Why she admires her husband’s profession:
I’m astounded by the long and complicated surgeries Peter performs. Vascular surgery is very satisfying because not only can you save lives, you can improve the quality of life. You can take someone who can’t walk because of problems with his arteries, perform bypass surgery, and he can walk again.
Family joke that’s guaranteed to make her laugh:
“The goat.” It’s a line from Addams Family Values. It doesn’t make any sense out of context, but it cracks us up.
