Bollinger also made national headlines in 1987, when he testified against Ronald Reagan's nomination of Judge Robert Bork for Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that Bork was incorrect in stating that only political speech--not novels, poetry or scientific papers--was protected by the First Amendment.

Later, Bollinger's outspokenness on such political issues would nearly cost him the university's presidency. But at least one colleague says that Bollinger's willingness to take a stance was a strength.

Donald N. Duquette, a professor at Michigan's law school, describes Bollinger as a "forward-looking" leader who is aware of the university's evolving goals.

He also brought a humanist's perspective to the law school's top job, Duquette says.

Duquette recounts a dinner conversation in which a newly promoted Bollinger discussed his extensive travel on the law school's behalf.

When Duquette said that Bollinger's frequent excursions must be emotionally taxing, the dean disagreed, saying that he always brought his friends along. The surprised Duquette marvelled at the size of the dean's travelling stipend.

Bollinger's response caught Duquette--and everyone else at the table--off guard. His friends were not human companions, he explained, but rather favorite volumes of poetry and Shakespeare, which he said were the source of his strength.

"I thought that was a really interesting commentary on the man," Duquette says. "It shows his depth."