FROM:      Christopher M. “Kip” Condron, Chair, Board of Trustees

DATE:      September 20, 2010

RE:            Search for the 25th President of the University

 The Board of Trustees is beginning the process of searching for the University’s next president. As we do so, we are keenly aware that the selection of the President is one of our most important responsibilities. As a framework for the search, the Board has decided first to seek a qualified Jesuit to serve as our next President. We will consider other candidates only if this initial search is unsuccessful.

 The University’s governance system provides the Board with an avenue to secure valuable insight and assistance from across our community through a broadly representative Search Committee. In addition, members of the Search Committee will hold open discussions with faculty, staff and students to hear directly from you about the qualities you think are most important for us to consider in the candidate and your vision for the future of the University.

 A number of our sister Jesuit institutions are actively engaged in presidential searches at this time, intensifying the competition for qualified Jesuits. We are looking for a highly qualified administrator. Given the delicate and deliberate nature of such a search, we must be able to assure candidates that the Search Committee and the Board will conduct its respective work in strict confidence. A confidential process does not accommodate open interviews with candidates, but the Search Committee’s composition ensures that all parties of the University will be adequately represented and heard. We will share with the University community what we learn from the discussions with faculty, staff and students and will keep you informed of our progress on the search.

 We are eager to begin the search and have already identified several members of the Search Committee as prescribed by the Faculty Handbook. I hope to receive appointments of faculty and staff by the Faculty Senate and Staff Senate, respectively, in the coming days.

 Search Committee Chair

Christopher M. Condron ’70, Chair of the Board, ex officio member of the Committee

Representatives from the Board of Trustees

            Mary Beth Farrell ’79
            Francis J. Pearn ’83
            Karen L. Pennington, Ph.D. ’76
            Otto Hentz, S.J.

 Representative from the Administration

            Joseph Dreisbach, Ph.D.

 Representative from the Alumni Society

            John Lanahan, Esq. ’84

  Representatives from the Student Body

            Rita DiLeo ’11
            Michael Molitoris ’11
            Marie Libassi ’12

 Representatives from the Faculty – (4) TBD

One full-time faculty member elected by and from each of the colleges with their own academic departments, and one additional full-time faculty member elected at large.

Representatives from the Clerical and Maintenance Staff – (2) TBD

In addition to the regular members of the Search Committee, the Trustees are asking the Staff Senate to identify two additional representatives – one from the clerical staff and another from the maintenance staff.