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Penn State faculty members are calling for more input from professors, students and staff in picking the next president of the university to replace Eric Barron, who is retiring in 2022.
More than 700 have signed an online petition started by Professor of Media Studies Mary Beth Oliver in support of more academic involvement in the search.
“We, the undersigned, want to express our concern that the search committee is largely devoid of input from people who are employed as faculty or staff at Penn State or who are obtaining advanced degrees at Penn State,” the petition reads, urging the ongoing process to be “substantially revised.”
Universities are
sui generis, which is a fancy way of saying that they’re not businesses or governments or non-governmental organizations or bowling leagues. They’re their own thing – nothing else quite like them.
I bring this up amid staff and faculty concerns about the way Penn State has launched its search for a successor to President Eric Barron.
Specifically, the board of trustees has appointed an 18-member Presidential Recruitment and Selection Committee. Number of faculty members on the committee: two.
A lot of faculty members are unhappy about this. At this writing, more than 700 of us have signed a petition to that effect. (Kudos to my colleague Mary Beth Oliver for getting the ball rolling.)
Penn State students, faculty, staff, alumni and community stakeholders are encouraged to participate beginning April 13
As part of the Next Gen Penn State listening process, the survey will seek feedback on characteristics, priorities and goals for Penn State’s next leader.Image: Alina Gluck
Take the Next Gen Penn State Survey on search for next president
April 13, 2021
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Beginning today, April 13, Penn State community members across every campus location are invited to participate in a survey about the upcoming search for the University’s 19th president. As part of the Next Gen Penn State listening process, the survey will seek feedback from students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as other community stakeholders on characteristics, priorities and goals for the institution’s next leader.
Next Gen Penn State members named and ready for input on next president
Next Gen Penn State listening process will inform search process led by Board of Trustees Presidential Recruitment and Selection Committee
An important step of the official search process, which will be led by the Board of Trustees’ Presidential Recruitment and Selection Committee, is a listening element that kicks off this month, known as “Next Gen Penn State.”Image: Chris Koleno
Next Gen Penn State members named and ready for input on next president
April 05, 2021
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. As part of a phased approach to select a new president for Penn State, the Board of Trustees is engaging the University community beginning this spring in a process to inform the selection of a world-class leader to be Penn State’s 19