President Search

May 13, 2019

A Message from the Co-Chairs of the President Search Committee of the Board of Trustees

To The New School community,

At the start of the President Search process, we made a commitment to listen. In the past five weeks, the Search Committee and our partners at Spencer Stuart have dedicated more than 25 hours in individual interviews, small-group discussions, and open sessions to hear from a cross-section of faculty, students, staff, and alumni. More than 400 individuals participated in these conversations, and nearly 200 have shared their opinions via our online survey. The survey will be open through May 15.

This insight into community values, priorities, ideas and concerns has been invaluable in thinking about the profile of the next President. From the many different individual views expressed, a number of themes and broad areas of alignment emerged. Prominent among them were:

• There is a strongly held belief that The New School is uniquely positioned to address the challenges of our time and lead educational innovation and transformation. It is essential that the President is committed to this proposition and invested in leveraging our strengths in design, social sciences, humanities, and the performing arts.
• There is a strong desire for a President who embodies the values of The New School and understands and fully appreciates its distinctive history, character, and potential, particularly in terms of advancing social justice. 
• The President must be able to articulate a clear vision and direction for the university and effectively generate buy-in, partnership, support and resources to advance that vision.
• The New School community is alive to issues of economic fragility, both for our students and in terms of the higher education financial model. A President must be committed to confronting those challenges and working to create a more accessible and financially resilient university.
• Our students have growing needs for support, services, and resources to help them succeed. A successful President will prioritize these needs in resource generation and allocation.
• The President will have a commitment to building community and fostering a collaborative, inclusive approach to leadership and management of the university. They will model and expect an organizational culture characterized by communication, transparency, and trust. 
• The President will possess a deep appreciation for scholarship and creative practice and must be fundamentally committed to the core university mission of teaching and learning. However, there is openness to the idea that a successful candidate might have significant leadership experience outside of academia.
• The President will be a thought leader who will be an effective public advocate for the university.
• This search provides a powerful opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to diversity.

These themes will be highlighted in the position profile that will soon be completed, posted online, and actively circulated to potential candidates. After a period of outreach to generate a broad and diverse pool of candidates, the Search Committee will begin reviewing applications and conducting interviews. 

As we prepare to evaluate candidates, the Search Committee has taken two steps to help us fulfill our roles effectively. First, we came together for a session to help all of the members of the committee gain an understanding of the university’s financial model and operating budget. Second, we have all made a commitment to complete unconscious bias training. This process will help us each do the important work to recognize and challenge unconscious assumptions and responses.

One final note: We have one change in the Committee’s membership. Faculty member Teresa Ghilarducci was unable to continue on the Committee and has been replaced by another faculty member recommended by the Faculty Senate, Professor Julia Foulkes.

Thank you for taking the time to stay informed about this important undertaking for the future of The New School. Please visit our President Search website, read the FAQ, and email newschoolpresident@spencerstuart.com if you have questions or would like to nominate a potential candidate.

On behalf of the Search Committee, we send our congratulations on a successful year and best wishes for the summer.