A new president

UR is currently in the process of searching for a successor to President Jackson, who is set to retire in June 2005. A committee comprised of trustees and advisory committees of faculty and students has been formed to this end. As we have discussed before, we feel President Jackson’s administration has been a successful one. We hope that the next president of UR is just as successful.In order to select an appropriate successor who will live up to Jackson’s legacy, there are several important considerations any presidential search committee should take into account. Firstly, we are encouraged to note that an advisory committee of students has been formed to partake in this process. It is especially good that students can provide input through a Web site that has been set up at http://www.rochester.edu/presidentialsearch. Students form the core of any university, and they are in a unique position to help select a president whose administration is responsive to the student body. We hope that these students are representative of students as a whole and are given a suitably important voice in the search.As far as the actual president is concerned, we feel that the next must be a person who is prepared to be active in the local Rochester community. He or she must be in a position to facilitate good relations with local political and business leaders. This is especially important given that UR is one of the largest employers in Rochester, boasting a great many native Rochestarians on its payroll. Additionally, the president would have to ensure that the transition bringing UR into the fold of a future booming city life is as smooth as possible. Next, the committee would do well to select a new president who would follow through on the decentralization reforms of President Jackson, perpetuating a university whose primary concern is the students and is accordingly responsive to them.The president is the most important official in determining the course and policies of the university. Accordingly, the selection of the next president must be carefully deliberated and such considerations as we have discussed must be taken into account.