The Presidential Campaign Advisory Committee has spent the past several months evaluating and interviewing candidates as Temple prepares to announce a new president this spring. The committee announced in an April 8 message to the community that the candidates had been narrowed down to a “very small group of highly qualified individuals.”
The search committee is based on a profile of the president that uses community input from The Collective Genius, a research and strategy firm that is assisting with the search. This year's profile, also known as the position spec, bears similarities to the 2020 presidential prospectus that led to the election of former president Jason Wingard.
Ken Kaiser, senior vice president and chief operating officer, said in an email to Temple News that the position specification was developed by executive research firm Spencer Stewart after review by a research committee. writing. Spencer Stewart does not comment on ongoing investigations.
The university maintained confidentiality throughout the process. The committee was advised by Spencer Stewart and some candidates that breaches of confidentiality could lead to withdrawals and undermine the process, the committee wrote in an April 8 message. Ta.
Former Temple Student Government President Rohan Khadka is the only student representative on the search advisory committee. He believes the competitive nature of presidential elections requires confidentiality to allow candidates to be open throughout the interview process.
“What they're saying in that room, the ideas and hopes they have for Temple, and even the areas of opportunity here can really provide that intimate connection.” said Khadka, a secondary education social studies major. “Those are things that could be sued by someone or posted anywhere. They give the committee confidence that we're all on the same page when interviewing.” Masu.”
Khadka and the other 16 members of the committee incorporated feedback from the community in meetings and interviews to ensure the study reflected a wide range of opinions. Khadka said he hopes that feedback and the president's profile will help the committee submit its recommendations to the board in May.
Here are some of the key details of the 2023 Presidential Profile and how it compares to Temple's 12th President's 2020 prospectus.
Organization overview and mission statement
The first few pages of the 2020 and 2023 Presidential Job Specifications, starting with the cover, remain relatively unchanged. Much of the wording from the 2020 search has been carried over into this search document.
The organizational overview in both documents is essentially the same, covering Temple's important role in the city of Philadelphia, its diverse experience among its eight campuses, and its nearly $300 million research portfolio. Our mission statement remains the same: to provide access to affordable education, build supportive communities, and foster service and engagement in our cities.
The statistics listed in this section reflect changes in enrollment and employee numbers over the three years since the last search. Temple employs more than 8,600 faculty and staff, an increase from her 8,000 in the previous profile. The total number of enrolled students is more than 30,000, down from 37,000 in 2020.
Temple has been dealing with declining enrollment for the past four years, with enrollment down 21.8% since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The language in the position specification section on finance is similar, emphasizing the percentage of the budget that comes from the operating budget and tuition and fees. We also focus on donations and student support.
job description
Temple's job description for the 15th president has evolved since the search for the 12th president in 2020, but there are still similarities. We've introduced a “Leadership Opportunities” section in our updated profile to highlight deans who lead their organizations with a passion for their founding mission.
“Temple University's next president will advance the university's reputation and quality in a rapidly evolving higher education environment,” the report said. “This will require experienced, talented, and dedicated leaders who will empower and motivate all members of Temple’s diverse community.”
That description is largely the same as in the 2020 report, although there is more emphasis on having a “deep knowledge of and respect for higher education.”
According to its 2020 prospectus, the university plans in 2020 to empower and motivate all members of Temple's community to continually reflect, improve, and grow, and to “advance Temple's place in the rapidly evolving higher education landscape.” They were looking for a “visionary leader'' who would take the company forward.
Key priorities in the job description of the 15th president also include expanding Temple's reach nationally and internationally, prioritizing deeper connections with the North Philadelphia community, expanding the university's network, and endowments. There are similarities to the previous discussion, including expanding the , and connecting with Temple alumni internationally. .
The current search also has some additional priorities. The 2020 report includes “leveraging diversity of backgrounds and perspectives,” but the latest report includes “ensuring all campus stakeholders are involved and heard.” We are developing it.
The new job description also includes “a leadership style characterized by authenticity, collegiality, empathy, transparency, integrity, and collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Experience and leadership skills required
The top qualification section of the 2020 prospectus lists “significant fundraising experience and business acumen” and the ability to find resources to accomplish Temple's mission.
As a result of that selection process, Mr. Wingard held management positions at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University, as well as positions at industrial companies such as Goldman Sachs.
Mitchell Morgan, chairman of the board, believes the university needs to find someone with experience in academic leadership to avoid a “revolving door” in the provost position.
“There's no way this could be someone who needs on-the-job training to learn how to be president,” Morgan said in a Jan. 17 interview with the Temple News. “This must be someone who has done it before. We are in the business of education, so it doesn't matter whether it's a small university or a big position as a dean or president of another university. We are not in the real estate or communications business.We are in the education business.
The “ideal experience” in today's search begins with demonstrated academic ability and intellectual curiosity. It also requires proven success in building and sustaining a diverse and inclusive environment. In addition, the new description calls for “experience navigating difficult public conversations with civility across a variety of cultural and political issues.”
Wingard faced mounting pressure from the university over safety concerns on and near the main campus and a 42-day graduate student union strike that prompted pushback from state and federal lawmakers. As a result, he resigned in March 2023.
The new job description also includes “key leadership competencies,” including strategic leadership based on establishing priorities that focus on short-term needs and the long-term health of the organization. We also cover community building, inclusivity, visibility, and fundraising efforts.
The updated job description is part of the results of the “University Voices” report produced by The Collective Genius and published in November 2023. TCG gathered material from more than 30 hours of listening sessions and his 2,144 survey responses from university officials.
According to the TCG report, participants highlighted a commitment to diversity, safety, community engagement, and balance in the financial future as some of the most important priorities and qualities of the next president.
“I don't expect the next president to know every side of the issues we have,” Morgan said. “But I am hopeful that the next president understands these issues and can empower those around him to address them.”
Fallon Roth contributed reporting.
