The search for its 13th permanent president has faced further timeline adjustments after a delayed start, though officials reaffirm their goal to seat a new leader by the start of the 2024-2025 academic year.
The process, initially stalled when the Board of Trustees required three meetings to finalize an executive search firm. The search gained momentum in February with on-campus and virtual listening sessions for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community stakeholders. A second round of listening sessions, which were not planned, were added and took place on March 6.
With more than 60 applicants applying by the March 14th deadline for 'best consideration', the committee had planned begin its first round of interviews on yesterday, with the goal of inviting finalist in for campus visits April 7-11. However, the timeline has now shifted:
The new timeline is as follows:
March 31: Initial candidate reviews (closed session)
April 14-15: First-round interviews (closed session)
May 12-16: Campus interviews (open to the public)
The revised schedule extends the search by roughly a month, pushing public-facing candidate visits into mid-May. Despite delays, the 15-member search committee emphasized its commitment to transparency and rigor, stating the process remains “on track” to meet its goal.