December 16, 2021

Presidential Search Committee Update

Dear Members of the CSB/SJU Community:

As you may recall from the search timeline circulated in September, we are in the recruitment phase of the presidential search process. The position profile has been posted, advertised, and distributed widely, generating broad awareness of this opportunity. Perhaps more importantly, Maya Ranchod Kirkhope and Scott Flanagan of Academic Search have reached out to specific candidates, nominators, and nominees as they work to build a strong pool of applicants. This is the quietest time for the search committee, which will re-engage in January to begin the process of advancing candidates from among the applicant pool. 

The Search Committee did meet recently to provide feedback on a rating rubric for candidate review, to foreshadow next steps in the process, and to receive an update from our search consultants about the status of the process. Maya and Scott are actively having conversations with potential candidates, including sitting presidents. Application pools typically take shape near the deadline and given that the deadline falls immediately after the Christmas/New Year’s break (January 3) it seems very likely that will be the case here. It is also frequently the case that not only the largest number of candidates come in near the deadline, but the highest quality candidates also enter late—and only after serious discernment. As Maya and Scott identify particularly strong candidates who may benefit from encouragement to apply, we have agreed to be available for conversations. This willingness exemplifies the kind of hospitality and initiative that will prove very important in both identifying and attracting the strongest candidates to advance at each stage of the process. 

We remain on track for initial interviews in late January and finalist interviews in mid-February and expect to have to you a report and recommendation for action by the end of February. Of course, please feel free to contact either of us with any questions you may have, and to reach out to Maya or Scott with any nominations you’d like them to pursue. Thank you for your support of this important process!

Merry Christmas,

Bennett Morgan and Terry Dolan
Presidential Search Committee Co-chairs