BY AMELIA POSSANZA

In print | Published September 11, 2008

Friday evenings are usually a time to relax and unwind after a hectic week of classes. But last Friday, over forty students opted instead to voice their ideas and questions concerning the current search for the college’s next president.

Six members of the presidential search committee — students Lauren Stokes ’09 and Aaron Schwartz ’09, Barbara Mather ’65, Dean Rafael Zapata, Biology Professor Elizabeth Vallen, and Search Consultant Shelly Weiss — hosted a fireside chat in the Kohlberg coffee bar. The discussion was intended to illuminate the mechanisms of the search process and gather student input concerning the qualities a future president should possess.

“I think it’s important to [attend the fireside chat] because it’s so important to have student input, especially for a presidential search, and it is in keeping with the small college tradition,” Sara Forster ’11 said before the event. Another attendee, Cecilia Marquez ’11, came to the event with a specific mission in mind: to say that she wants to see a woman of color become president.

To begin the session, Schwartz and Mather explained the committee’s work. The members are officially charged with suggesting a candidate for the position of president to the Board of Managers. Advertisements have already been placed in a diverse range of prestigious publications including “The Chronicle of Higher Education” and “The Economist,” for the position of president. Several candidates have already expressed their interest to the committee.

The committee’s next task is to formalize a job description, eliminate candidates, and interview those remaining. Once the committee suggests a candidate, the Board will have the final say.
At the fireside chat, committee members expressed their hope that the process will remain as transparent as possible, with opportunities for student, staff, faculty, and administrative input at every juncture. Some candidates, however, may request confidentiality if they have not already notified their current employers that they are exploring opportunities elsewhere. Before turning the chat over to the students, Weiss addressed one of the questions on everyone’s mind: What exactly is a search consultant? Weiss went on to describe her role as “a professional individual who advises the search process and recruits candidates.” Weiss is part of a minority and female-owned search firm, Storbeck/ Pimentel & Associates, which exclusively advises non-profit organizations such as colleges and universities.

After this introduction the panelists opened the floor to gather student input concerning the qualities they hope to see in the future president. They posed questions ranging from, “What are Swarthmore’s strengths and weaknesses?” to “Do we need to improve the quality of student life here?” to “What specific characteristics would you like to see in the future president?” As expected, the questions generated a variety of responses, but some common threads ran throughout the entire discussion.

Students spoke about the college’s core characteristics: diversity, generous financial aid, rigorous academics, and strong student/faculty relationships. But while acknowledging Swarthmore’s strength in these areas, they also noted that it is equally important for the college to continue pushing boundaries and keep pace with its peer institutions. Whatever its strengths are today, they won’t be strengths tomorrow if the college refuses to change.

The financial aid program could offer money for extra expenses such as dorm essentials and train tickets. The academic program could introduce more activities outside the classroom. The admissions office could work to create political and ideological diversity, students noted, among other suggestions.

Also, many students agreed that the new president should actively communicate with the students to better understand their needs. His or her interaction with students could include anything from fireside chats to teaching a class every year.

“There is a remarkable consistency in what people have said about basic characteristics,” Mather said. Most of the people she has spoken to, in conversation and in open events with other members of the community, have said they want a president who is a good listener and has the ability to bring people together.

The committee urges those who were not present at the fireside chat to share their thoughts online. Visit http://www.swarthmore.edu/x17191.xml.

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