The MU chancellor search committee held an open forum Thursday to gain insight on what students, faculty, staff and alumni want to see in the new chancellor.
The forum focused on what members of the community want to see as far as demonstrated experience, leadership characteristics and key focus areas for the new chancellor. The room was filled with several dozen faculty and staff members, as well as a few graduate and undergraduate students.
Open forums, such as this one, constitute the second step in the process of hiring a chancellor, after the establishment of the committee. The next steps involve recruitment, screening and selection.
“The current plan is for the committee to come up with two or three finalists and, at that point, [UM System President-designate] Dr. Choi will make the selection,” Interim UM System President Mike Middleton said. “But I am certain he will respect the recommendations of the search committee to the extent [that the] search committee suggests a preference. We want this to be a process that really is driven by all of the constituency at Mizzou.”
Elizabeth Loboa, co-chair of the search committee and dean of the College of Engineering, explained the goals of forums such as Thursday’s.
“Currently we’re in the midst of very deep and thoughtful listening sessions,” Loboa said. “The purpose of those meetings is to fully understand the challenges and the opportunities that await the next MU chancellor, as well as identify the traits to be successful.”
Many faculty and staff members present expressed concerns about how a new chancellor would approach issues that are highly prevalent at MU, including budgeting, student governance and overall leadership.
“I think there needs to be somebody who has demonstrated experience with doing more with less,” said Peter Wilden, associate professor at the MU School of Medicine.
There was an overwhelming sense of agreement among those present that the new chancellor must be someone who is a team player who listens to the requests of students, staff and faculty.
“I’m looking for somebody who is courageous without being reckless and somebody who is bold [without] being brash,” said Diane Dahlman, Executive Director of the MU Student Recreation Complex, at the forum.
There is no decision yet on whether the selection process will be closed or open, which would mean the public will know who is vying for the position of chancellor. However, if the choice were up to Middleton, it would be open.
“On a personal level, I agree [that the search should be open], but I won’t be in a position to make that decision,” Middleton said. “It is very difficult to have some candidates identify themselves publicly as candidates when they are holding presidency or chancellorship at another university.”
_Edited by Kyle LaHucik | klahucik@themaneater.com_