Image:bernie_machen_headshot.jpg Dr. '''James Bernard "Bernie" Machen''' (born 26_March 1944) is an American Professor and academic administrator. As of 2006, he is the president of the University_of_Florida. Before starting at Florida in 2004, he was president of the University_of_Utah. Machen was born in Greenwood,_Mississippi and grew up in St._Louis,_Missouri. He attended Vanderbilt_University for his Undergraduate studies, Saint_Louis_University for his DDS, and the University_of_Iowa for his Master_of_science in Pediatric_dentistry and Ph.D. in Educational_psychology. Before Utah and Florida, Machen was employed in various capacities as professor or administrator by the University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill and the University_of_Michigan. Additionally, he served in various ways with the Walter_Reed_Army_Medical_Center, the National_Academy_of_Sciences, and the American_Association_of_Dental_Schools. While at Utah, he served on the board of trustees of the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee for the 2002_Winter_Olympics. After Florida's 2004 hiring of head football coach Urban_Meyer, it was speculated that Machen's relationship with Meyer may have played a role in the hiring. Machen was the president of Utah when Meyer was hired as head coach there. Machen is also noteworthy for taking the lead on offering fully-subsidized health insurance for graduate students who work for the university as teaching or research assistants. The new program, GatorGradCare, was announced on June 17, 2006, and is scheduled to begin in January, 2007. Machen and his wife, Chris, have three children and three grandchildren. Lee, born in 1972, is married to Julie and lives in Portland,_Oregon, with son Noah born in 2003 and daughter Neve born in 2005. Michael, born in 1975, is married to Monika and lives in Chicago,_Illinois, with daughter Maya born in 2005. Daughter Maggie, born in 1980, lives in Gainesville,_Florida. ==References== *English, Antonya. "Florida president will be heard." ''St. Petersburg Times''. October 29, 2004. Accessed May 3, 2005. *"J. Bernard Machen." University of Florida Office of the President. August 2, 2004. Accessed May 3, 2005. *Pillat, Nicholas. "No coincidences in Machen hiring his former head coach." ''The Independent Florida Alligator''. December 6, 2004. Accessed May 3, 2005. ==External links== *University of Florida Office of the President Machen, Bernie Machen, Bernie Machen, Bernie Machen, Bernie