By Michelle Lampariello
News Editor
The College’s Board of Trustees has established an 18-member committee responsible for selecting the College’s 16th president.
Current College President R. Barbara Gitenstein announced on July 11 that her retirement will be effective June 30, 2018.
The committee, chaired by Alumna Susanne Svizeny (’79), is made up of representatives from campus stakeholder groups, according to a campus-wide email from Jorge Caballero, the chair of the Board of Trustees.
“The committee will conduct a national search with the goal of recommending a candidate for the Board of Trustees consideration by early Spring,” Svizeny said. “The search committee’s first meeting will be the middle of September where they will receive a charge from Board Chair Jorge Caballero and will develop a timeline and work plan for the search.”
Caballero will serve as an ex-officio committee member, and Alumna Heather Fehn (’94) will serve as secretary to the board and chief of staff.
Caballero also stated that Julie Tea, a partner at Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, has been hired as a consultant for the presidential search.
“We are pleased to have Julie Tea and the Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates team working with the Board of Trustees and the TCNJ Presidential Search Committee to help identify TCNJ’s next president,” Svizeny explained. “Julie Tea will assist the committee by meeting with members of the campus community to develop a position prospectus to share with potential candidates, and to help build a pool of outstanding candidates for the committee’s review.”
Campus input is highly valued by the committee and is considered an integral component of the selection process.
“Members of the Search Committee and the search firm will be hosting open fora to provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and alumni to share their suggestions and ideas about the search. Those who cannot attend will have the opportunity to provide feedback through a feedback form,” stated the Presidential Search Committee’s page on the College’s website.
The College saw great advancements and improvements during Gitenstein’s tenure, including an increase in four year graduation rates, successful fundraising campaigns, programs to combat sexual assault and construction and renovations of several buildings.
The Presidential Search Committee hopes to find a new “leader with energy, vision and a commitment to the institution’s mission and values,” according to their web page. “(The College’s next President) will join a diverse, inclusive and collaborative community of faculty and staff, who are committed to delivering a student-centered experience and advancing the institution as guided by its strategic plan, TCNJ 2021: Bolder, Better, Brighter.”
