The search committee tasked with finding Syracuse University’s next chancellor will meet for the first time Wednesday, providing an opportunity for the committee to set its course and introduce members.

The on-campus meeting is expected to last from 9 a.m. to noon, committee chair Joanne Alper said. A dinner Tuesday night welcomed members onto the committee.

“We’re basically soaking in everything right now, listening to the trustees, listening to the members of the committee. We’re going to be listening to deans, to faculty, to students, to staff, to alumni,” said Alper, also a 1972 alumna and vice chair of the Board of Trustees, as well as a retired judge.

Chancellor Nancy Cantor announced Oct. 12 she plans to leave the university when her contract expires in 2014. The committee is expected to end its search by November or December, Alper said.

Twenty-one members serve on the search committee: seven members from the Board of Trustees, eight faculty representatives, three student representatives, one staff representative, one dean representative and one cabinet representative.

At Wednesday’s meeting, each member will discuss what he or she considers the challenges facing SU, and what kind of chancellor the committee should look for, Alper said.

The committee will discuss issues specific to SU and those affecting higher education as a whole, such as tuition cost and students finding post-graduation employment, Alper said. She declined to say what her concerns were, saying she would like to hear from other members of the committee first.

Most recently, the university’s budget has become a point of concern as the university copes with factors like pressure to limit tuition costs.

At the February University Senate meeting, senate members discussed alternative ways to diversify and expand the school’s revenue sources to ensure financial security. The transition to a new chancellor provides an opportunity to put changes in place, senators said.

Unlike past chancellor searches, SU community members will have the opportunity to speak their concerns and suggestions via the Internet, Alper said. SU community members are invited to contribute via email at chansrch@syr.edu with input on what they would like to see in the next chancellor, as well as candidate suggestions.

The committee also plans to create a survey and hold public forums to gather community input. No dates for the forums have been set yet.

Since membership to the committee was announced, some have questioned whether the committee will properly serve SU. At the December USen meeting, senate members noted not every SU school or college had representation, and that faculty members may also be in administrative positions.

Search committee consultants suggested keeping the committee to about 20 members, Alper said. Each faculty member was selected as someone who concentrates on the interests of the entire university, not of a specific group, Alper said. Alumni are also sufficiently represented, as each trustee and some faculty members are alumni, she said.

“It’s not who’s going to be the best chancellor for VPA or Arts and Sciences,” Alpersaid, “It’s who’s going to be the best chancellor for Syracuse University.”

Published on February 19, 2013 at 10:22 pm

Contact Dara: dkmcbrid@syr.edu | @daramcbride