Last week, this writer called attention to the importance of Richard Norton Smith remaining as director of the Dole Institute of Politics at Kansas University and what a loss it would be to the school and the state if he were to leave.

Although there has been no formal announcement, it appears Smith has made the decision to leave KU and Lawrence to become director of a memorial or institute honoring Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Ill.

Smith has been the top choice to head the Lincoln project, and Illinois officials have been after him for some time. It is understood he will receive a substantial increase in salary and a much larger support staff and will be free of the many entanglements, egos and turf wars present on a university campus.

He will exchange these unpleasant situations here on Mount Oread for the internal fights and raw politics so prevalent in about every statehouse effort such as the Illinois/Lincoln position.

The unfortunate fact is that this move didn’t have to happen. Although Smith had a record of making many moves and not sticking around at previous positions, such as the Ford, Nixon and Reagan libraries, Smith took the KU position with the idea of making it a long-term commitment.

This writer hosted a small dinner party for Smith and several Kansas City friends soon after he arrived in Lawrence. The Kansas City people were well aware of Smith’s outstanding record. They had many mutual friends and were excited about the nationally recognized historian, writer and speaker coming to KU. One of the first things one of the Kansas Citians said to Smith was, “How do we nail your feet to the ground so you don’t leave Lawrence and KU?”

Years later, it is clear KU officials did not do a good job of nailing Smith’s feet to Mount Oread and the Dole Institute.

Smith apparently will leave sometime in November for his new position. His departure leaves a major hole at KU and places the Dole Institute in a critical situation.

When KU officials were searching for a director for the Dole Institute, this writer visited with several friends who had played major roles in a couple of U.S. presidential libraries and museums. These individuals said it was critical that the Dole director be a person held in the highest regard by Sen. and Mrs. Dole and someone who returned that high regard and respect for the former senator, as well as Elizabeth Dole, now a senator from North Carolina.

Smith was the ideal choice. This writer also has been told that if Smith should leave, it would be a major mistake to fill Smith’s position with someone from the academic community.

It doesn’t do much good to publicly air the primary reasons Smith is leaving, but those directly involved in the selection process and those who will be working with the new director should have a private and confidential visit with Smith to hear his concerns, as well as his ideas and dreams for the institute’s future.

Smith is a genius in many respects, and often, geniuses can be difficult to live with. They have egos and they find it difficult to tolerate those who aren’t dreamers, visionaries and people who want to strive for the very best. They also expect those with whom they work to honor their commitments.

Under Smith’s leadership and vision, the future of the Dole Institute was extremely bright. He had plans to make the institute a nationally and internationally known think tank or center for discussion and debate of national issues. It was sure to become one of the state’s most visited tourist sites and it would have been a tremendous addition to the academic excellence and excitement at KU.

Now, this future is an unknown. What kind of person will be selected to replace Smith? What kind of budget will he or she have? What degree of freedom will the director have? Will the institute be set up as a separate operation reporting directly to the chancellor’s office or will some want the institute to be under the umbrella of a single university school or department? There are many questions that need to be resolved before a search for a new director is put into motion.

Smith should be asked his ideas about a possible successor. Along with Smith’s departure, it is understood his assistant, Eric Nelson, also will be leaving, which also is a loss.

The Smith-Nelson team, aided by a handful of helpers, did a magnificent job of getting the institute building completed on time for the dedication in August. KU’s Warren Corman played a major role in coordinating the effort. The dedication ceremony was a winner in every respect and drew national attention to KU, Lawrence and Kansas.

At this time, the institute is in a launch mode, ready to soar if given the go-ahead. In this case, the director plays a critical role. Granted, the chancellor runs the university, sets priorities and decides fiscal support. A chancellor may want the institute to reach its true potential and he may commit all kinds of support, independence and dollars, but without the right director, the institute might not lift off or might not reach its potential to contribute so significantly to the excellence of KU. Just as in the U.S. space program, there are delays and disasters, as well as magnificent successes.

At this critical time for the institute, perhaps it would be good for university officials to pause and give serious thought to what kind of institute they want and what kind of person would be the ideal director. Sen. Dole should be a central figure in this discussion.

It is unfortunate Smith is leaving, doubly unfortunate in that it didn’t have to happen. But now that it is about to happen, every effort should be made to capitalize on what Smith has started by finding a truly outstanding, visionary individual to direct and oversee the institute.

To do less would be a disservice to Smith, Sen. Dole and the many individuals who have played a major role in the development of the institute as well as to the university, its students and faculty.

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Switching to a different matter, the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center dinner Thursday night saluting former KU football coach Don Fambrough was a huge success. Many in the standing-room-only audience had never been exposed to the inside of the collegiate sports fraternity and were spellbound by the remarks and emotion of Fambrough, former KU coaches Jack Mitchell and Pepper Rodgers, as well as former KU players David Lawrence, David Jaynes, Gale Sayers and John Hadl.

John Novotny, a former assistant athletic director at KU, did a superb job of organizing the gathering of KU football greats and lettermen. The special tone of the evening was a clear display of the unique and deep affection and ties these athletes have with the university and their coaches. It isn’t a matter of dollars and cents but one of respect, appreciation and team chemistry, something that is important to guard and not take for granted.