<p>Excerpts from the Williams Record pertaining to Northwestern (see rest of linked article for thoughts regarding Williams College):</p>
<p>...How did you make the decision to leave?</p>
<p>I had already said, you know, keep it sort of eight to 10. I would have preferred to do one more year but for family and other reasons this is a good time for me to leave. People who know me say, Im not surprised, and the last two years Ive been saying at faculty meetings and all alumni events, Oh, Im in year eight, now Im in year nine, especially all fall, even though I didnt know Id be leaving until two weeks before I accepted the job. Because I wasnt a candidate for anything. They called me out to look at the place and I went out and liked it. Especially this year, Ive been saying I wish it was the beginning of my term rather than the end. I did the 80s here I did the 90s at USC and this decade here. God willing, Ill do the next decade in Evanston. Ten-year things are easy to remember.</p>
<p>How did you come to Northwestern? What happened?</p>
<p>Well, they called me up at the end of their search, and they said, We heard really good things about you. Would you be willing to look at the place? And at first I said No, Id rather stay another year and stuff but then I thought about it a little bit more. Talked to my wife and figured I should probably look at it. I know a few people there, and the current president is a wonderful guy. And I was going to leave probably next year anyway. I figured, great opportunity, good timing for my family, and that was it. So its one of these things that from the first time I ever thought I would be president of Northwestern until when I said yes was two weeks probably...</p>
<p>Do you think youll still be that community presence at Northwestern?</p>
<p>Oh yes. Two weeks ago, when I gave a series of talks at Northwestern, I ate in a dorm and it was really quite good. They have residential colleges, and I went into one. It was packed, a ton of people stuffed into a big common room. And thats the kind of stuff I love to do. It was like snacks basically. I sat there for an hour and half leading a discussion, asking them why they came to Northwestern, what they dont like about it, all the stuff I usually do if Im lucky enough that you invite me to snacks. I have some Sundays where I just sit at home sad because no one invited me to snacks. They have something called munchies at Northwestern. Maybe Ill get invited to that. Thats how I learn about Williams and thats how Ill learn about Northwestern. Ill ask about what I can do as president of Northwestern to make their lives better.</p>
<p>Will you be teaching at Northwestern?</p>
<p>Oh absolutely. Im actually hoping to teach three classes a year. They have trimesters there, and I actually have tenure in three different departments. Im going to be teaching an upper level economics version of my tutorial on the economics of higher education, a class on applied econometrics. I also have tenure at Kellogg, the business school. I look forward to doing some version of an MBA class. And then I also have tenure in the school of education and social policy, which is really quite good. They have a group of economists doing the economics of higher education, which I do. Im going to be teaching my class with Will Dudley again this semester. Maybe I can find a philosopher at Northwestern to teach a similar class with, because Im really interested in economics and philosophy, and the overlap there...</p>