The Northwestern University student government overwhelmingly passed a resolution for the recusal of the school’s chairman of the Board of Trustees from its presidential search committee because of his conservative views.
Associated Student Government passed a resolution calling for the recusal of Board of Trustees Chair J. Landis Martin from Northwestern’s presidential search committee during Wednesday’s session. The bill passed with 17 votes in favor and one nay vote from the NU College Republicans senator. The legislation cites Martin’s past political donations and decision-making as reasons.
Of the 36 members tasked with helping search for the next University president, none are affiliated with the School of Education and Social Policy, the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, the Bienen School of Music and the School of Communication.
In fact, only two of the nine faculty and students on the committee come from non-STEM backgrounds, and the remaining are current or former Board of Trustees members, alumni leadership or staff. And for some students and faculty, this breakdown is a point of concern.
The Presidential Search Committee, announced earlier this month, will help advise the Board on candidate elections and solicit community input and nominations for the next president. While Northwestern community members nominated people to the committee, Board chair J. Landis Martin selected the final group, according to this month’s announcement.
Northwestern announced the launch of a 36-member Presidential Search Committee to find University President Morton Schapiro’s successor.
The announcement comes over a month after Schapiro announced the conclusion of his tenure in August 2022. According to a Monday message to the community signed by Board of Trustees Chairman J. Landis Martin, the committee comprises 18 trustees, seven faculty, two students, two staff members and two alumni leaders. It also includes two ex-officio members and three advisors.
Schapiro was not named a member of the committee, meaning he will not be directly involved in selecting his successor.
The members of the committee were nominated by the Northwestern community and are tasked with advising the Board of Trustees on candidate elections.
Northwestern Now
Search committee established to find the next Northwestern president
Committee of 36 members, representing the University’s many stakeholder groups, will seek broad input from across the Northwestern community
The Presidential Search Committee has been appointed to advise the Board of Trustees in selecting the University’s next president, Board Chair J. Landis Martin announced today.
Last month, President Morton Schapiro announced that he will conclude his tenure on Aug. 31, 2022. Since he took office in September 2009 as the 16th president in Northwestern’s 170-year history, the University has elevated its status as a leader in research and teaching.
Under Schapiro’s leadership, undergraduate applications have nearly doubled as has representation from underrepresented student groups and the acceptance rate has dropped from 27% to 7%. Annual funding for sponsored research activity has risen 86%, from $476.9 million in 2009 to $887.3 million in 2020.