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Indiana Gov. Daniels Prepares To Take Helm At Purdue University

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (CBS) -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says he has a lesson plan for his next job as the president of Purdue University.

As WBBM Newsradio's Dave Berner reports, the plan involves meeting with skeptics who question his qualifications, talking to some of the nation's top higher education leaders, and taking lots of notes.

Daniels, 63, says he is using vacation days from his job as governor to meet with faculty, staff and students at Purdue. But he says the visits are designed to learn the job, not to win anybody over.

Daniels' appointment drew fire from critics who were uneasy about his lack of experience in academia and his reputation for privatizing services and cutting education funding.

Daniels tells the Lafayette Journal & Courier the decisions he made as governor were appropriate but shouldn't be used to predict how he will run Purdue.

He told the newspaper he is a "passionate believer" in higher education.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Dave Berner reports

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(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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