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Search Launched For New President In Day Of Campus Meetings

3/25/2009

The City University of New York began the search for Brooklyn College’s ninth president this week as a University search committee hosted a daylong series of campus meetings to solicit input from students, faculty, administrators, alumni and community members with the stated goal of identifying and forwarding a final presidential candidate to CUNY’s Board of Trustees for approval by June.

Following a private welcome from President Kimmich, who last month announced his intention to retire after nine years as president, the seven-person working group (which will eventually become a full 12-person presidential search committee) began by meeting with senior administrators.

"We are here more to listen than to talk," said CUNY’s Dean for Enrollment, Robert Ptachik, whose office spearheads presidential searches for CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein. "We know we are working on a tight deadline, but we fully expect to have a new president ready to begin leading Brooklyn College in time for the fall 2009 semester."

Ptachik then introduced the other trustee members of the search committee: search committee chairperson and former Deputy Mayor of New York City Joseph L. Lhota; public relations executive Freida D. Foster-Tolbert; attorney Peter S. Pantaleo; real estate executive Charles A. Shorter and manufacturer Sam A. Sutton. In addition, outside search consultant Dr. Clara Lovett, a former president of Northern Arizona University with CUNY roots at Baruch College, will serve as a self-described "chief scout" to ensure a broad and inclusive pool of candidates.

Committee members asked for suggestions on the issues the new president would face immediately and on what qualities the final candidate should possess to effectively address those challenges. The responses by senior staff suggested consensus that attention needed to be given to priorities that include: marketing the uniqueness of the College more intensively; maintaining a consensus approach to arriving at and implementing College policy; acknowledging the growing role of business as the College’s largest major while maintaining a commitment to the liberal arts and advancing capital improvements even in challenging economic times. These themes and concerns were echoed in later meetings with faculty, staff and community members.

There was wide agreement among students and staff that women and minorities must be given serious consideration in filling the position. Mr. Lhota assured students that their concerns were being heard and noted that two students would be included among the 12 voting members of the search committee. "This is a team effort and, more than just providing your input, it is very important that students feel they are part of our team," Lhota said."

Senior Ornesha Watson suggested that the committee look forward by looking back for the qualities needed in a new president: "I think we should look for somebody who, like President Kimmich, will consult with and include students on important decisions. I hope the next president will be as open and student-friendly as President Kimmich, somebody who lobbies on our behalf."

The committee described coming steps in the search process, including advertising the search in national publications and with professional organizations. This process, coupled with nominations submitted on behalf of potential candidates and Dr. Lovett’s academic connections, is expected to generate a pool of candidates that the committee will hone to a group of six to 12 finalists. A smaller group from that pool will be brought to campus in May for another round of group meetings. The search committee will then forward the names of three or four  candidates who have best navigated the selection process to Chancellor Goldstein for a final round of interviews.

Maurice Green, a sociology graduate student, had a final thought on the personality best needed to lead Brooklyn College: "I hope the new president is somebody who understands and respects the intellectual diversity of the campus and who will not isolate himself or herself in an ivory tower."