What is your role on the presidential search committee?
I am the undergraduate student representative. My main objective on the committee is to encourage the search committee to listen to the concerns that the students have in the search for WPI's new President. Also, to keep the students updated on the search process.
As a student representative, what issues are at stake for the students in this Presidential search?
The next elected president has to take into account the students when making decisions. He or she must keep a good relationship with the students. The next President has to be approachable and able to consider input from the student body. Also, he or she should not make decisions entirely alone unless strictly necessary.
Of the two candidates presented at the open meetings, who do you think is better fit to handle those issues previously mentioned?
In the open meetings with the students, both candidates demonstrated they have those qualities.
How many candidates is the committee considering right now?
Currently, we have invited 3 candidates. 2 have already been presented at open meetings, and the third candidate has not yet confirmed when he or she will visit campus yet.
You are saying that three visited or will visit campus, but are there any more candidates?
(He hesitates as if reserving information.) There are 3 people that were invited within the past three weeks. That is all for now.
Does that mean that one of those three candidates will be the president of WPI next year?
Depending on the feedback we get from the rest of the campus we will make a recommendation to appoint either one of them or no one at all.
If none of the candidates are selected what will happen?
Most likely Interim President John Brown will have to stay one more year, and we would have to conduct another search.
How many candidates did the search committee look at during the screening proccess?
I can't say an exact number. However we looked at quite a few; probably about 80 candidates.
What kind of skills did you look for when screening candidates?
We looked for many qualities. We looked at leadership skills, good interpersonal skills, personality, good scholarship records, and fundraising capability among others. We looked for an overall well-rounded individual who would be able to lead this institution into the next century.
Have any of the three final candidates had a direct relation with WPI.
No. None of them have had experience with WPI before, directly. Indirectly some of them have seen or visited campus for conferences or other events, but none of them hold a direct relation with WPI.
You have narrowed down to three people. Now what?
We want the community to take a look at the candidates and to give us their impression of these people. This would further help us in making our decision.
How will the student body be affected with this transition into a new President?
There is going to be change because each candidate has his or her own style, but all have expressed a concern for the students' needs. There is no way to tell exactly how smooth the transition will be. The transition from President Strauss to President Brown was smooth. Also, it [the transition] gave the students more participation than before...
Has your input been taken into account?
Yes, the committee has been fair about that. They have considered everybody's opinion. Everybody has been heard, and we have heard everybody.
Manuel looked at his watch, and saw that he had another forty minutes worth of MQP in front of him before the meeting started and began typing away on his computer.
A list of the Presidential Search Committee members is located on the SGA office.