UMRA sent the following letter to the University of Minnesota Board of Regents on January 9. An abbreviated version of the letter was published on the letters-to-the-editor page of the Star Tribune on January 25.

Dear Regents,
These days, university presidents are in the dangerous and controversial position of being the favorite subjects of critics, Congress, and donors. This troublesome clash of politics and academics is an ugly brew. It now falls in your lap.

That’s why, as you finish your search for our University’s new president, we, the University of Minnesota Retirees Association (UMRA), urge you to be keenly aware of the overwhelming challenges our new leader will face and the immense range of skills they’ll require.

On behalf of the more than 800 members of UMRA, we believe that character is the most critical attribute of a new president. Experience in higher education also profoundly matters. There is no room for on-the-job training in a responsible, visible, and influential position like this.

We applaud your thoughtful search process. You established a representative Presidential Search Advisory Committee and created a well-crafted set of criteria and aspirations for the position. You clearly understand the broad scope and vast range of the University, from hospitals to athletics, from free speech to financial aid.

We respect your responsibilities. With our decades of experience and commitment to the ‘U’—and with concern for its future—the UMRA offers these suggestions as you focus on hiring our next great University president.

Who should it be? The criteria call for someone who walks on water or slightly above. (Scholars that we are, we know that person is probably not in the available pool of candidates.) However, we believe previously demonstrated leadership, personal charisma, and years of experience at a major global university like ours are essential. 

Let’s choose someone who knows intimately the complex workings of a large research university, who will gain respect from the faculty, students, and staff, and who relates well to the people of Minnesota and our legislators and governor. 

A complaint from legislators about the ‘U’ has been that we are too aloof, arrogant, and elitist. While this is not the only cause, there has been a steep decline in funding for the University which calls out for change.  We need a leader with the experience, temperament, and work ethic to engage closely with the state’s lawmakers and our governor.

But, to be clear, we have a strong preference for candidates who have been part of the academy and have extensive experience in higher education. A President who acknowledges and supports the land grant status of our University.

Why is the choice important? The United States remains the world leader in higher education, and the University of Minnesota is among the nation’s best. We are a unique and precious asset that educates our state’s and the world’s young people, advances knowledge, and provides the intellectual vibrancy and human capital for Minnesota’s businesses, industries, governments, and non-profits.

We all stand on the shoulders of the farsighted leaders who created and nurtured and, for the past 173 years, have valued the impact of the ‘U.’ It’s your turn to take the visionary baton from them and secure a strong future for our 60,000 students, world-class faculty, devoted staff, and the citizens of Minnesota who benefit from the doctors, nurses, artists, lawyers, engineers, businesspeople, scientists, and teachers, among others, the ‘U’ produces yearly on our five campuses. 

What is our bottom line? Our previous presidents came from some of the nation’s and the world’s best academic institutions. They held doctorates, were long-time professors in large research universities, and knew first-hand the multi-faceted workings of these mammoth institutions.

We urge you to find another dynamic leader with a sophisticated and comprehensive higher education background. 

Respectfully submitted, 
Eric Hockert, President
Julie Sweitzer, President-elect
University of Minnesota Retirees Association