Updated April 15, 2024, 8:09 p.m.
Vivian Y. Hunt '89 will become the next chair of the University's Board of Supervisors, the university's second-highest governing body, according to people familiar with the decision.
The decision came after the comptroller and Harvard University, the university's highest governing body, met on campus for a regularly scheduled meeting in April.
Mr. Hunt did not respond to requests for comment. In response to a request for comment, the university confirmed Hunt's appointment in a press release Monday night.
Mr. Hunt will lead the Superintendent's Office for the 2024-2025 school year. Historically, three superintendents serve on the university's presidential search committee, along with all 12 of her fellows in the corporation. In the past five raids, the president of the oversight group was one of them.
Hunt's appointment moves Harvard closer to announcing a committee to name a permanent successor to former president Claudine Gay, but the university is in no hurry to announce a search committee.
Hopi E. Hoekstra, dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences, said in an interview with The Crimson last week that the search for a president wasn't even discussed at recent supervisory meetings.
Hunt will be taking on the role in a year where the position could be very important. The board has faced intense scrutiny over its election process in recent months after a series of outside candidates all failed to meet voting eligibility criteria, and continues amid Harvard's leadership crisis. It seems like it will attract a lot of attention.
Tyler Jacks '83, a cancer researcher and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will serve as vice chairman of the board. He served on the presidential search committee that selected Gay as the university's 30th president in December 2022.
Hunt said in a press release that he understands “the challenges and opportunities facing the university.”
“Tyler Jacks and I look forward to working closely with Interim President Gerber and all stakeholders to support excellence, inclusion, and world-class leadership in everything we do,” she said. added.
Mr. Hunt serves as Chief Innovation Officer of UnitedHealth Group and has served on the board since 2019. He previously worked as a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, where he oversaw the firm's operations in the UK and Ireland. In 2018, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her contribution to the economy and women in business.
The superintendents select a new president each spring, and Mr. Hunt will replace current president Meredith L. “Max” Hodges ’03, whose term ends at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
Mr. Jacks has also served on the Board of Supervisors since 2019. Previously, he served as director of the MIT Cancer Research Center, where he served for 20 years, and as president of the American Association for Cancer Research. He succeeds Geraldine Acuña Sunshine '92, who served as vice president during the 2023-2024 academic year.
The board is also awaiting the results of its annual election, as Harvard graduates have until May 14 to vote on which candidates will win the board's five open seats. Board members typically serve six-year terms.
Last month, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Gerber answered questions from alumni and donors during a spring break visit to the Harvard Club in England. At multiple meetings during the trip, Garber expressed serious concerns about the university's fundraising efforts, telling alumni there had been a significant drop in donations since Oct. 7.
Hunt graduated from Harvard University, where he majored in sociology and lived at Kirkland House. She has a degree from Harvard Business School and she currently lives in London.
“Vivian Hunt and Tyler Jacks are both exceptional alumni and leaders,” Gerber said in a press release.
“Their complementary talents and experience will certainly serve the university well over the coming year,” he added.
—Staff writer Emma H. Haidar can be reached at emma.haidar@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @HaidarEmma.
—Staff writer Cam E. Kettles can be reached at cam.kettles@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @cam_kettles Or in the thread @camkettles.
