On behalf of the presidential search committee, I am delighted to report that the search is progressing well and on schedule, and that we have a pool of outstanding candidates who are interested in leading New Hampshire’s flagship public university.
After a nationwide recruitment effort, the committee met on Jan. 18 to review potential candidates along with Isaacson, Miller, the firm hired to assist with our search. The committee narrowed the pool to a group of candidates for in-person interviews in February. Following those interviews, the committee will select a group of finalists and present them to the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees for interviews and a final selection. As I have told my fellow trustees and our search committee, this presidential selection process, and finding the right person to lead UNH’s future success, is the most important goal the trustees and our university community have this year.
After careful consideration and research, the Board and Search Committee concluded that a confidential search would ensure the deepest and most diverse candidate pool for the search committee’s consideration. Therefore, the identities of candidates will be kept confidential throughout the entire search process. As fewer candidates are willing to jeopardize their standings in their current institutions by participating in a competitive public search process, confidential searches are now the standard for most high profile private and public universities. By respecting the confidentiality of the candidates throughout this process, we have been able to attract candidates who would not otherwise participate.
I want to thank everyone in the UNH community — including faculty, staff, students, parents, UNH Foundation Board members and alumni — who took part in our listening sessions in Durham, Manchester and Concord in September. Your thoughtful input provided great guidance to the committee in this vital effort.
We all look forward to a successful outcome that will ensure a strong future for UNH. If you have any questions about the search, please contact board liaison Tia Miller.
—John Small
Chairman, USNH Board of Trustees
Chairman, UNH Presidential Search Committee
