Incoming President Draws Praise

School officials would not disclose his salary.

Knapp grew up in New Jersey, planned on a career as a professional drummer (mostly jazz and, more recently, world music, playing hand drums) but decided to go to Yale to explore other interests, including literature, history and political science. He went on to Cornell for a doctorate in English and taught for16 years at Berkeley, specializing in 18th- and 19th-century British literature.

He came to Hopkins as dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and soon moved on to become provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. He had a stronger role there than many provosts -- the board rewrote the bylaws to reflect the new responsibilities -- serving as acting president when William R. Brody was off campus, fundraising, helping expand overseas campuses and handling crises including murders, the death of a volunteer at the medical center and recent protests over race relations at the school. He worked closely with William Polk Carey, whose $50 million donation will allow Hopkins to establish business and education schools.

At GWU, a 20,000-student school with a medical center and a particular focus on topics important in Washington, including politics, international relations and public policy, Knapp will have a more public role.

Some of his biggest challenges are likely to come from the city, said David Ward, president of the American Council on Education, from neighbors and political leaders as the university moves forward with a 20-year campus plan.

There's a lack of trust between the community and the university, which has grown rapidly over the years of Trachtenberg's tenure, said Joy Howell, president of the Foggy Bottom Association. "We have a rampant developer in our midst. . . .

"Our hope is that he would be someone who will keep his word to the community and guide GW's growth in a way that makes GW a good neighbor for the rest of Foggy Bottom," she said.

Knapp said he looks forward to working with neighbors, "strengthening and deepening ties to the community" and taking advantage of all the city has to offer.

He said he is interested in building research, raising more money, increasing diversity of faculty and students and bolstering international programs.

The most important question he had when talking with GWU officials, he said, was: "Are you happy with the way things are here, or is there more to be done?" He kept asking what their aspirations were and whether the will was there to accomplish them.

Major change is ahead for the campus, he said -- not taking off in a completely new direction, but building on what's there to make GWU a top-tier research university.

He's got what it takes to make that vision a reality, said trustee W. Russell Ramsey, who headed the presidential search committee

"Steve obviously has got great depth and background knowledge and expertise." He laughed, thinking of the sheep. "And the physical strength to wrestle things to the ground."