In light of President Val Smith’s recent announcement that she will conclude her presidency at Swarthmore College, and as the search for the next president begins, The Phoenix’s Opinions Section has sought to understand how the Swarthmore community is imagining their next leader.
Last week, as a part of our regular opinions series “Office Hours,” we reached out to all faculty members asking what they would like to see in Swarthmore’s next president. We received several responses that differed dramatically in both their content and scope and that provided a window into professors’ hopes for and concerns about the next chapter of Swarthmore’s presidency.
This week, we have spent the past few days talking with students around campus about what they want to see from the next president. In our discussions, we found that many students shared similar hopes for the college’s next president to those of the faculty. While these conversations do capture the perspectives of a wide variety of students, it is important to note that the very nature of such an informal survey means that the responses we received certainly do not reflect the full views of the student body. Nonetheless, they can still help us learn a lot about the perspectives, worries, and desires of Swarthmore students regarding the college’s future president.
- One of the most pervasive themes that our conversations revealed was the desire among students for a president who is present on campus and engaged with the Swarthmore community:
Bohou Zhang ’27: I think it would be nice if the next president were more in touch with the student community – being on campus a bit more and having actual contact with the students. I’m sure Val Smith is very busy, but I do think it would be nice for the next college president to be more present.
Daniel Wu ’26: When it comes to the next president of Swarthmore College, I can only speak for our future generations, because I’m getting very old. I think engagement with the student body would be very nice. One of the perks of a liberal arts education is that we tend to have a very close relationship with our professors, so I think, as students, it would be meaningful if we could develop some personal connection to the president as well.
Katerina Krysan ’28: I want to see someone who is more present with the student body. The only thing I know about Val Smith is the bad things people say about her. I see her outside sometimes and she does say hello to students, but I think we need someone who is more engaged than just saying hello — maybe going to some events.
Kathryn Young ’28: I would like a president who is involved with the student body. Somebody who would be present at different student events, panels, stuff like that if their schedule allows for it. It would also be good to have more opportunities for the student body to connect and get to know the president of the college would be ideal, for example having question sessions.
Kathleen Shiffer ’26: Something that would have been nice to have during my four years here is a president with higher visibility on campus. I can’t really remember seeing Val in classes or walking around campus. So a little more accessibility would be nice.
Taisa Wilder ’29: I’d maybe want a president more immersed into student events. I only saw her during admission.
Devon Smith ’28: I have seen President Val Smith maybe one time on campus. I want someone who is involved in the school community.
Gabrielle McFarlane ’26: I want someone who’s more chill and is around campus and willing to interact with the community.
- On a related note, other students we talked with wanted not only greater presence on and engagement with the campus but a particular commitment to listen to the perspectives, desires, and demands of the student body:
Benjamin Gottlieb ’26: The administration feels very detached right now from students and faculty — there’s really not a sense of community. The students who I know who’ve tried meeting with Val Smith have really struggled; there isn’t really any easy accessibility. For example, for no reason at all, you can’t get into other dorms until 4 p.m. That’s a nonsense policy that’s leftover from COVID. If there was any avenue through which students were regularly talking with administrators, that would have been solved years ago. It would be nice if people felt as comfortable with the administration as they do with faculty in office hours.
Andrew Priest ’29: I know there’s been a lot of political conflict on campus, especially last year before I came, so in the next president I would want someone who not only listens to students but also who makes an effort to be more accommodating. I wouldn’t expect a president to give into every single one of the students’ demands, but it would be reassuring to me if the new president did tangible things and seemed like they were trying to honor what the students wanted.
Derrick Nyaga ’27: I’d like better communication from the next president between the administration and the students so that we’re not always at each other’s throats when something happens. I don’t think divesting is a big ask — although I know no one likes people messing with their money — but is this really something you want to be investing in on a broad scale? Anyway, I’d like someone who can meld students and admin better than they have before.
Bee De Leon ’29: I think that the next president should listen to student voices. I know that it is a recurring issue that student voices go basically unheard and demands are not met. Having a president that is very transparent about certain policies, for example being more clear about ICE and sanctuary status for immigrant and undocumented students is important. Also, having better rights for student protesting on campus, that is a very big thing I would want from a president.
Savanna Wilcox ’28: One of the things I would be concerned about is a potential shift away from DEI measures and from inclusivity of FLI students in particular, because I do know that these are things that [President Val Smith] has advocated for. My biggest desire would be someone who listens to the student body’s concerns and does not shift back to elitism by reducing programs that help include students who weren’t born into a wealthy culture.
Aaliyah Quaiyum ’29: I want the new president to consider the perspectives of everyone on campus. I do know that this is a [predominantly white institution], but I would like this person to consider the perspectives of the minority races, as well as what accommodations they want for classes and events on campus.
Kaylie Milton ’28: All I can think of right now is just that I’d like more free speech on campus. I think many people are afraid to speak out because they are afraid of the consequences.
William Gomez ’27: I would like a college president that advocates for the different organizations that are on campus, and takes into account what these organizations call for.
Solomon Block ’29: I don’t have any major opinions, but I would like someone who listens to students and cares about the issues they care about.
- Students also expressed a particular desire for clarity and transparency on political and campus issues, a perceived lack of which was seen by many as a shortcoming with Swarthmore’s current administration:
Asiya Johnson ’27: I would like more clarity from our next president. There is a lineage of past presidents being ambiguous to students, and Valerie fits right into this group. There is this ongoing problem with presidents not being honest about what they stand for, and I want my next president to be honest.
Arina Garifullina ’27: I’d want more transparency. Maybe more information about their goals and where they’re headed and what they’re working towards. Right now it feels like the president is there as a mascot, kind of, and I don’t really know anything else about what she does and what impact she has had in the past couple of years … It would be good to have a president who has more concrete stances on controversial issues.
Jasmine Flowers ’28: One thing that drew me to Swarthmore is that it is a Quaker institution, so I’d love to have a president whose values align with those of Quakerism. I’m a Quaker, so for me that would mean someone who values the SPICEs — which means Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. I would also love someone who has a commitment to outreach to students and faculty, and I think that really getting to get to know the community as a whole and develop those relationships would be what I’m looking for in the next president.
Berenice Benitez-Carlos ’26: I think there was a big problem with the current presidency with Val Smith being more apolitical — I really don’t think she had a backbone in many instances, such as those involving the encampment, students getting suspended, divestment. I just hope that this next president is able to listen and be a lot more compassionate. Maybe a little bit of empathy would go a long way.
Riya Rao ’26: I’d want someone with a backbone. When President Smith was meeting with [Students for Justice in Palestine], apparently she did say that what was going on [in Gaza] was a genocide. And I find it so absurd that you could utter those words and still continue to do what you’re doing.
- A couple of students pointed to particular characteristics that they would like to see reflected in the next president:
Gabrielle McFarlane ’26: One thing I’d like is to have a younger president. I feel like, and this extends to the government in general, a lot of leaders tend to have older values that don’t tend to align with younger people.
Juan David Torres ’29: I would really like to see another person of color again. I’ve only gotten to enjoy Val for a year, and what I got to see wasn’t necessarily favorable. So I would really like to see a president that is more in the community. I want to see them. I don’t want this weird scary vibes energy. It gives standoffish, like you as my president, why are you up here? I also want one who has a sense of humor. I like when people in leadership embarrass themselves, you know. I think it shows humility.
- Finally, some students we talked with highlighted specific campus initiatives, projects, and changes that they hoped a new president would take on:
Kuzi Mavera ’26: I feel like, over the years, Swarthmore has been getting less and less fun. I don’t know whether there are fewer events happening, or I’ve just not been engaging as much, but I think it would be important to have more fun stuff going on. Also, if possible, please put Crumb Cafe and Essie’s right back where it was before. It doesn’t make sense to have it right next to the dining hall. Everyone used to hang out there but moving them killed the vibes.
Katie Wu ’27: I want the next president to focus more on housing. I think the residence halls lack a lot of attention — I know we’re moving very slowly toward A/C across campus which would be helpful for accommodations. Also, many buildings struggle with pests and mold which are definitely not good for student health. So I think focusing some more funding on and having a president who advocates for housing and living situations would be great.
Numer Ahmed ’27: Also, I hope the next president finishes the construction as soon as possible. We need Parrish to be clear, especially as the weather is getting nicer.
Maxwell Chosed ’28: I want less construction. I want Parrish Beach back.
Numer Ahmed ’27: What I would like from the next president is for them to facilitate more athletic clubs. I love wrestling in particular, so let’s get a wrestling club.
Kaylie Milton ’28: I’d want better accountability from the staff — they are mostly great but there are a few whose treatment of the students is unacceptable despite reports. A little more accountability regarding those reports would be nice.
