Presidential Search Update: June 5, 2019
We hope to announce our new President by mid-July with a start date before the start of the fall semester. We have received over 50 nominations so far and ask our community to reach out to your networks to call for more nominations and applications. A one-page Qualifications summary that includes information on applying has been released today; please share it broadly.
The Search Committee was formed by the Board of Trustees, which has the legal authority and responsibility to hire a President. The members of the Search Committee are:
- Ellen Sturgis 77F, search chair
- Luis Hernandez 70F, chair, Board of Trustees
- Jose Fuentes 05F, trustee
- Anthony Thomas 07F, trustee
- Daya Mena 15F, student trustee 2017-19, new alum
- Sarah Steely 02F, elected by staff
- Christoph Cox (at Hampshire since 1998), elected by faculty
- Jenny Chandler, Chief of Staff, ex officio member and staff support
The obvious question is, why the rush to fill the role this summer? Hampshire College was extremely fortunate that Ken Rosenthal was willing to step up as interim president on such short notice, but the College is at a critical juncture and we have much to do. Permanent leadership will help us secure our governance, operations, and finances; advance a major fundraising campaign; and renew our academic program and enrollment. During this “turnaround” time, we need someone who is committed to Hampshire, who believes deeply in who we are as a College and what we can be.
Because of this fast pace, we have decided to conduct this search without using a professional search firm. We believe nominations and referrals are best in this case if they come from the extended Hampshire community.
In addition to nominations, we also invite you to email us potential questions for candidates that we may incorporate into our interview process. Please contact us at presidentialsearch@hampshire.edu.
Submitted by: Board of Trustees Hampshire College