Presidential Search Update: June 19, 2019
Our deadline for applications came and went last Friday with nominations coming in at the last minute (and a few extensions granted!).
We are extremely grateful to the community for nominating dozens of terrific individuals; over the next 10 days, we expect to complete our first round of interviews with 6-8 candidates: all have higher education experience and represent a variety of extraordinary perspectives and passion for Hampshire College.
As Chair of the Search, I have had the honor to speak to a number of applicants as well as members of the Higher Ed community that have offered their wisdom, experience and guidance to us. I am gratified by the depth of support for Hampshire and it helps me gain confidence that we will be successful not only in finding a great president but in achieving the big hurdles in front of us. I wanted to share some of the comments we received from people who DECLINED the opportunity to apply.
• I have the highest regard for Hampshire and want it to succeed.
• I will continue as an ally to Hampshire.
• I am deeply intrigued by Hampshire’s embrace of its educational future.
• Hampshire is such a remarkable institution—one that offers a model of excellence for liberal education.
• I am eager for Hampshire to find a fantastic leader who will be able to inspire, challenge, co-create, and lead us forward in ways that set a new bar for what higher education can be.
• Despite its current difficulties, I believe that [Hampshire] has a vital role to play in American higher education (and it is critical to western Massachusetts and Five Colleges, Inc).
• Hampshire has always [held] an important place in American higher education.
• There is no question that [Hampshire] is and should be the nation’s leading undergraduate center for socially minded, values-driven entrepreneurship.
We will in the next couple of days put out a call to those that would like to participate in the final round of interviews. We intend to invite five staff, five faculty and five students as well as alumni representatives to join with the Trustees and Search Committee to hear a brief presentation from each candidate and to get some time in a smaller setting. Those that are part of this process will have to commit to, among other things, being present for all finalist interviews; at this point, we are planning for as many as four candidates over two days. Stay tuned.