Del Shankel is someone Kansas University always can count on to step into a tough job.

The game of baseball has pinch hitters, relief pitchers and utility players. Football has players who can “go both ways,” playing offense or defense.

Basketball has its “sixth man,” the player who can come off the bench and fill about any position to give the team a lift by scoring, rebounding or playing defense.

And Kansas University has Del Shankel.

He is a pinch hitter, a reliever and a utility player. He can fulfill any role he’s assigned and has come off the bench time and time again to help the university in times of need.

Consider the following: Shankel has been a distinguished professor of biology and chairman of the bacteriology and microbiology departments. He has served as both associate dean and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He has served as executive vice chancellor three different times for periods of 6 1/2 years, two years and six months. He served twice as athletic director, once between Bob Marcum and Jim Lessig and once between Lessig and Monte Johnson. He has served as chancellor twice, and now is serving as interim president of the KU Alumni Association.

The quiet, small, gentlemanly educator seems to be able to handle about any challenge without undue strain. It’s obvious many chancellors have been aware of his talents and have called on him to take over major positions within the university when there were vacancies, and it was important to have a steady, dependable and knowledgeable individual in control of the situation.

A university presents a unique environment with egos, turf wars and jealousies. Shankel, with his disarming smile and the twinkle in his eye, shows no sign of wanting to seek the spotlight, claim credit for himself or have his ego stroked. He moves into an assignment, sizes up the situation and the players involved, takes a look at the challenge at hand and gets to work.

He obviously can be tough when necessary, and he certainly knows the workings of the university inside and out. He doesn’t get ruffled, and it is doubtful there has been anyone in recent years, with the possible exception of the late Raymond Nichols, who knew the true “inside” of as many intriguing and even embarrassing situations on campus as does Shankel. He knows where many bodies are buried, but he is too loyal and classy to discuss such matters.

KU has been extremely fortunate to have been able to call on Shankel to fill so many important roles, and he always has come through with a winning performance. Now he is heading the KU Alumni Association until a new president can be found. It is an important post because the association can play a significant role in maintaining close ties and enthusiasm with KU graduates. The time had come for a new president, and Shankel is sure to handle his current responsibilities in a fine manner.

In addition to all the roles he has filled through the years, he continues to return to his first love, being a teacher, researcher and mentor, and will be back in a KU classroom in the upcoming spring semester as a professor of biology.

Who knows what role he may be asked to fill next? He is a true all-star pinch hitter in the game of university academics.