November 2006

CAMPUS NEWS

Committee Sets Out to Find New AU President

The search is on. One year since Benjamin Ladner stepped down from his 11-year tenure as president of AU, AU’s Board of Trustees (BOT) announced in September the commencement of a formal search for a new university president.

“Following the outstanding work of the governance committee and the beneficial results of that process, we are ready to begin this important search for American University,” said Matthew Pittinsky, SPA/BA '94, the AU trustee who coordinated an effort on behalf of the board to prepare the search. Pittinsky thanked the board, as well as the faculty, deans, students, alumni, staff, and outside experts who helped the committee "think through the interrelated issues of timing, process, and committee design.”

AU Trustees Matt Pittinsky '94, Gary Abramson '68, and Jack Cassell '77 (pictured with Pennie Abramson at the 2006 President's Circle Dinner)

After consulting with outside experts and various campus groups, the board voted unanimously that the time has come to create a team that will find a new leader for AU. Following the appointment of committee members in September, the Presidential Search Committee, chaired by Trustees’ Chair Gary Abramson, SPA/BA '68, and composed of 15 board members and others from the AU community, has met twice, on September 25 and October 19,

"An outcome from the first meeting is that we decided to solicit bids from seven higher education executive/presidential search firms, and the process to request for proposals was launched in early October," explained Abramson. "The committee received responses from five firms and interviewed four on October 19. The committee is currently narrowing even further the firms under consideration, with final selection expected in early November. After we contract with the firm, a search plan process and timeline will be created and shared with the campus community," the BOT chair said.

A presidential search Web site has been created as part of the Board of Trustees site, and updates and information will be posted on a regular basis. The address is http://www.american.edu/trustees/pres_search.html. In addition, a dedicated e-mail address, pressearch@american.edu, has been established for individuals who wish to nominate candidates for the position or provide comments or feedback about the search. All nominations and other communications sent to the committee will be held in confidence by the committee and the board, Abramson assured.

Before candidate recommendations begin, the committee must assess the type of leader who's right for AU, based on personal qualities and qualifications, as well as the type of leadership that will help the university excel, meet challenges, and capitalize on opportunities.

Following the assessment, the committee will be ready to list potential candidates based on campus, national, and international recommendations. As they cull the list to the best candidates, they’ll arrange for a campus visit and review by constituent groups. The last step will include proposing a few finalists to the board for final review and selection.

The search will highlight three core values—inclusiveness, accountability, and transparency—adopted by the board during meetings earlier this summer.

The following people—eight trustees; three faculty members; two students; a dean; and a staff member—comprise the Presidential Search (in alphabetical order):

• Gary M. Abramson, SPA/BA '68, chair, Board of Trustees, and chair of the Search Committee;
• Patricia Aufderheide, professor, School of Communication;
• Robin Beads, associate director, Institutional Research and Assessment, staff member;
• Stephanie M. Bennett-Smith, president emerita, Centenary College, trustee member;
• Jack C. Cassell, SOC/BA '77, president and CEO, Visual Aids Electronics and Conference
  Systems, Inc., trustee member;
• Gisela B. Huberman, WCL/JD '80, president, GBH Radio, Inc., trustee member;
• Alan Kraut, professor, College of Arts & Sciences;
• William M. LeoGrande, dean, School of Public Affairs;
• Robyn Rafferty Mathias, CAS/BA '64, WCL/JD '92, principal (retired), Rolling Terrace    Elementary School, trustee member;
• Mary Mintz, senior reference librarian, University Library;
• Wade Murphy, executive director, Graduate Leadership Council, graduate student member;
• Ashley Mushnick, expected graduation in 2007, president, Student Government, undergraduate    student member;
• Matthew S. Pittinsky, SPA/BA ’94, chair and cofounder, Blackboard Inc., trustee member;
• Rev. John R. Schol, bishop, Baltimore-Washington Conference, United Methodist Church, trustee   member; and
• Jeffrey A. Sine, SIS/BA '76, vice chair/global head, Telecommunications and Technology, UBS    Securities, trustee member.

By its nature a search process is confidential and lengthy, said Abramson. "The search committee is committed to maintaining as open communication as possible throughout this search process. To that effect we will be providing regular updates on the status of the search and the committee’s activities."

For more information and updates, visit AU’s governance Web site: http://www.american.edu/governance/index.cfm

-Tara Shlimowitz ‘08 and Melissa Reichley

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