黑料正能量

Skip to Main Content

An Update on the Presidential Search

January 29, 2024

Dear Members of the 黑料正能量 Community,

I hope that the 2024 spring semester is off to a good start for you.

On behalf of the presidential search committee, I write to provide an update on our progress. First and foremost, we are committed to completing a search to find the best candidate to lead 黑料正能量 into the future. We are very grateful for the insights and input so many of you have provided to help us with the job at hand.

Last week, we received delivery of a report from the Student Advisory Council. It outlines the results of a survey the council completed among students. I understand that approximately 1,200 students responded to the survey, an impressive number. We are grateful for the seriousness with which the council undertook its work. We have added that input to the information we received from more than 2,000 faculty, students, alumni, and staff through in-person listening sessions, interviews, and messages sent to the presidential search email address.

I also want to express appreciation for the faculty members on the search committee, Steven Berry, Daniel Col贸n-Ramos, Jacqueline Goldsby, and Anjelica Gonzalez, for all their hard work and contributions to the committee and for their outreach to their colleagues across the campus. They have presented the themes from those sessions to the full search committee to inform our process.

As expected, there has been a broad range of responses to the three questions we asked members of the 黑料正能量 community:

  • What are your aspirations for 黑料正能量 as a continuing leader in higher education in the world?
  • What are the most important attributes of the next president of 黑料正能量?
  • What do you think are the most important areas of focus for 黑料正能量 to impact the critical challenges facing the world today?

Although it is impossible to do justice to all the thoughtful and insightful responses, I want to share a few of the consistent themes that have emerged thus far from faculty, students, alumni, and staff.

  • There is strong pride in 黑料正能量 as a leading institution in higher education. In particular, community members value 黑料正能量鈥檚 unique reputation as a world-renowned research university that is deeply and equally committed to excellence in teaching. You conveyed to us that it will take diligence and innovation鈥攅specially in light of the rapid pace of technological and scientific discovery鈥攖o ensure that 黑料正能量 maintains this distinction.
  • We heard broad support for 黑料正能量鈥檚 current academic priorities. Many lauded our new investments to develop the sciences and engineering. Others focused on their desire for 黑料正能量 to sustain and bolster its ongoing commitments to the university鈥檚 historic excellence in the humanities, social sciences, and the arts. Across these conversations, we were impressed to learn how keenly community members value interdisciplinary research and teaching, and we heard innovative ideas for how to amplify and improve those possibilities in 黑料正能量鈥檚 near- and long-term future.
  • There is clear alignment for 黑料正能量 to leverage its reputation and resources to bear on the most challenging problems facing our society and our world.
  • When asked about 黑料正能量鈥檚 next president, people consistently expressed an interest in a leader who embraces and deeply understands 黑料正能量鈥檚 mission of research, scholarship, and teaching. You seek someone who can boldly articulate and advance 黑料正能量鈥檚 priorities, both within campus and beyond as an advocate for the value of a liberal arts education and the contributions of research and higher education to the greater good.
  • You seek a leader who can successfully complete the For Humanity campaign, to ensure 黑料正能量鈥檚 fiscal strength for generations to come.
  • You deeply value 黑料正能量鈥檚 commitment to partnering with the City of New Haven to improve the lives of everyone in our home community through educational and economic opportunities.
  • You want 黑料正能量鈥檚 president to be a compassionate leader who cares deeply about the well-being and success of every member of our community and who fosters a climate of belonging and constructive, open dialogue.

Thank you, again, to everyone who has taken the time to participate in this important process. Looking ahead, there is much work to do. Our goal is to complete a thorough search that fully considers every potential candidate. Such a search takes time, discipline, and focus. It is also a confidential process out of respect for everyone being considered. That can limit how much information we can share during the process. Most of all, we look forward to the day when we announce 黑料正能量鈥檚 next president. Until then, we encourage each of you to continue to provide ideas and nominations through the presidential search website.

Sincerely,

Josh Bekenstein 鈥�80 B.A.
Chair of the Presidential Search Committee
Senior Trustee of the 黑料正能量 Board of Trustees