Business week named him one of Silicon Valley's top power brokers. Grad student Dave Ofelt says he's "fun, sociable -- and a nice guy." Engineering professor John Bravman deems him "one of the most respected computers scientists in the world."
Whatever you call John Hennessy, don't forget his new title: provost. On April 13, President Gerhard Casper named Hennessy to the University's top budgetary and academic post. He assumes the job July 1, moving up after three years as dean of the School of Engineering. Condoleezza Rice, who served six years as provost, is stepping down to work in the private sector (see interview).
"The School of Engineering is a model of academic excellence and good management," Casper says. "John will bring his talent and experience in sustaining that to the provost's office."
A burly, bespectacled computer pioneer, Hennessy is following the same trajectory as Frederick Terman, the legendary engineering dean who became provost in 1955. Like Terman, Hennessy views technology as key to the future of the University.
His innovations already have shown up in classrooms and beyond. As dean, he oversaw the launch of the first online master's degree offered by a major research university. As a professor of electrical engineering, Hennessy supplements lectures with a website that invites students to ask questions -- and promises quick answers from teaching assistants. "It's almost a 24-hour mode of operation," says Hennessy. "It's a way for students and faculty to interact in a more vibrant, creative way."
Hennessy's no ivory-tower academic. In 1984 he took a one-year leave from Stanford to found MIPS Computer Systems, which grew out of his research on computer architecture. He keeps up with industry by consulting one day a week at Silicon Graphics Inc., which now holds the majority of MIPS shares. "He knows what's interesting, what's been tried, what's failed, what's underway," says Ofelt, a PhD student in electrical engineering. "That has served him well as dean."
Since arriving at Stanford in 1977, Hennessy has balanced an active research career with a series of administrative posts. He spent a decade as director of the Computer Systems Laboratory before becoming chair of the computer science department in 1994. Two years later he was named Engineering School dean.
As provost, Hennessy will oversee the University's $1.4 billion budget and ride herd on academic programs from African studies to zoology. He knows it will be a steep learning curve. "One of the very special things about Stanford is that it can embrace with equal gusto everything from the broad humanities, the arts and music to engineering and the professional schools," he says. "I'm looking forward to learning that side of the campus."
