On Tuesday, October 30, members of the Retirees Association had the opportunity to meet with Regent Abdul Omari, chair of the University’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee. About 25 members attended the meeting, held in the McNamara Alumni Center, and engaged in a lively conversation with Regent Omari, who was both informative and candid about the University’s efforts.

Omari reported that the search committee expects a new president to be named by the end of December. While the new president will not be in place by then, it is Omari’s expectation that the Board of Regents will have voted, and a contract will have been signed by that time. The new president would join the University community sometime in the new year.

Omari noted the search committee is large, with 23 members, and diverse. It includes seven faculty and members of most University constituent groups. The committee has been active, conducting listening sessions on all the University campuses. And it has met several times to discuss implementation of the search criteria adopted by the Board, which are posted on the search website at president-search.umn.edu/search-committee

The University has engaged a search firm to assist in the search. After initially contracting with another firm, the Board has engaged AGB Search, the search arm of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Omari told us the firm has interacted very well with the search committee and the change in firms has not slowed down the process at all.

Many UMRA members commented extensively on the search, expressing their views and asking questions. The comments ranged from the need for a relationship-based president who interacts aggressively to establish trust and respect with important constituencies, including the Minnesota Legislature, to making sure that the new president is nonpartisan and builds a team of administrators who assist not only in providing expertise but also in building relationships. There was debate about the need for academic credentials, but all agreed that the new president must have the respect and trust of the faculty as well as other constituent groups.

Omari engaged on all topics that the membership raised and was well versed with all aspects of the search. He indicated that he did not believe the search was going too fast as implied in some recent newspaper articles, and he was confident there will be and already is a strong candidate pool. With respect to salary questions raised in a recent article, he thought the final outcome will be a market-based salary.

Omari was warmly received and UMRA members were greatly encouraged by his report and manner in interacting with us. He thanked everyone who attended and received strong applause for a wonderful presentation.

—Bill Donohue, president-elect