Says outreach is top priority
AMHERST - Oct. 20, 2011Pointing to the need to obtain as much campus input as possible, the UMass Amherst Chancellor Search Committee today scheduled two days of campus hearings as the Chancellor search process begins to move forward.
The campus forums will take place in Amherst on November 3 and 4 and will involve members of the Search Committee meeting with various campus constituency groups, including students and faculty.
"Given that the next Chancellor will play a key role in charting a course into the future, we want to thoroughly engage with the campus and hear as many thoughts and gain as many perspectives as possible," said Philip W. Johnston, a UMass Trustee and chairman of the 18-member chancellor search committee.
"We want this search to be open, thorough and comprehensive and will be reaching out to important constituencies throughout this process," Johnston said. "We believe that a good process yields a good outcome."
The University is seeking a successor to Chancellor Robert C. Holub, who has announced that he will step down at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year. The Search Committee's role is to identify finalist candidates for the position. President Robert L. Caret would then make a recommendation to the UMass Board of Trustees, which has the final say in the selection process.
Additionally, it was announced that the University has retained Witt/Kieffer to serve as the executive search firm. Witt/Kieffer, a national firm specializing in conducting searches for educational institutions and other non-profit organizations, was selected via a competitive bidding process that drew responses from eight search companies.
"I believe that Witt/Kieffer's experience and expertise will serve us well as we seek to identify outstanding potential leaders for the University's flagship campus," Johnston said.
Contact: Robert P. Connolly, 617.287.7073