By Jon White
VCU InSight
RICHMOND, Va. — A third and final meeting on November 20th marked the last time the general public will get the chance to meet face-to-face with the officials who will ultimately pick VCU’s next president.
The 17-member presidential search committee is made up of the Board of Visitors, faculty and staff members, and two students. Since its creation in September 2008, shortly after current president Eugene Trani announced his retirement, on-campus Town Hall meetings have been advertised, seeking to gather input from anyone interested in the search.
Committee chairman Ed Bersoff said that although university policy specifies closed-door meetings for the final decision, it is vital that the committee has a well-rounded idea of the presidential qualities that are important to members of the VCU community.
“If you take the sum of all the input we get, you’d describe a person who doesn’t exist,” Bersoff said. “So, that’s the dilemma we have. We’d like to have all those characteristics that people put forward, but that’s too hard.”
Committee ex-officio Tom Rosenthal stressed the importance of diversity.
“This is one of the most diverse campuses in the country. We have lots of students from lots of different cultures and backgrounds and we are very concerned with the fact that the new President understands and can appreciate that,” Rosenthal said.
While fewer than 25 people in the audience made for a lower-than-expected turnout, there was no shortage of comment. Faculty members and students voiced a variety of opinions ranging from rising textbook prices to the possibility of a football team.
On more than one occasion, it was stressed that building construction and expansion projects like the $228 million Business and Engineering School facilities would be a key issue for the new leader.
“We as faculty (want to) feel like money’s not going into just buildings,” said Mary Snyder Shall, professor of physical therapy. “Maybe our research also needs to be developed at this point.”
