Students voice concerns about presidency

Board of Trustees Secretary Lynn McKee, '83, answered a call from the Saint Joseph's University community to include more student and faculty input in the presidential search process.

McKee met with students at an open forum to discuss the ongoing presidential search in the Forum Theater on April 7. Executive Committee member Dennis Suplee, '64, met with faculty at 4 p.m. on the same day.   

At the earlier event, McKee asked a group of approximately 70 St. Joe's students to share opinions concerning the incoming interim and permanent presidents of Saint Joseph's University. The group in attendance was largely comprised of student leaders from the Orientation Team who were asked by Director of Student Leadership Beth Hagovsky, Ed.D, to attend the event after their weekly meeting in the same room.

Members of the University Student Senate were also in attendance.

Casey Doblin, '12, asked questions regarding Joseph DiAngelo, Ed.D., dean of the Haub School of business, who was a candidate in the former search process that elicited Joseph M. O'Keefe, S.J. While the search for the next permanent university president will only seek Jesuit candidates, McKee said that DiAngelo is still eligible for the interim position.

 "When I was a freshman I was in the co-op program in the business school and I just remember Dean DiAngelo reminded me a lot of Father Lannon; he was always present, always around, I always saw him and I think he's great," said Doblin. "I totally understand and I would love to have a Jesuit president so you know—if they aren't going to pick DiAngelo then I personally would love to have him as an interim president. For me, I'm going to be a senior next year and I don't necessarily want to graduate with an interim president but I would feel a lot better if it was DiAngelo."

Other students in attendance echoed Doblin's concern for having a president who was present on campus, and presented additional topics for consideration, including the possibility of selecting an internal versus external candidate. McKee said that Board conversations have considered both possibilities.

"I think we would have to feel comfortable that any candidate, internal or external, would be a facilitator who could bring the university together," McKee said. "We certainly would endorse that candidate. If we thought there was going to be a fragmentation in the university, we would have to take that into consideration too. That would be something that we would not want to have happen."

McKee later added, "It is a priority that any candidate coming in here would be a candidate that could continue to bring harmony to the university and that's critically important to us."

Students at the event also expressed that they were unaware of the responsibilities of the university's president. McKee answered student questions and identified the president's primary duties as overseeing "academic excellence, the financial stewardship of the organization, the health and well being of the[…]student community, the well-being of the faculty [and] the profile of the university in the external community."

The conversation also discussed the benefits of electing a Jesuit candidate, which most students present at the meeting considered a necessity.

"It is a Jesuit academic institution so I think having someone who is a Jesuit would understand the mission, the principles of the organization and would be able to instill them because that individual lives that life and brings that passion and skill," said McKee.

Tom DeJianne, '12, an orientation leader who attended the event, was among students advocating for a Jesuit interim and permanent candidate.

"I was concerned with the idea of a non-Jesuit for either [an interim or permanent candidate]," DeJianne  said. "I just think the Jesuit values are important at this university and I think a Jesuit needs to be in the running."

Students also expressed the need for a proactive interim candidate who was not primarily concerned with maintaining the university's current economic and academic standing.  Doblin said that a Jesuit candidate would be ideal, but that she would favor a candidate who is able to drive the university forward for the interim role.

"I understand that we are looking for a Jesuit and I would love to have a Jesuit president but you know I only have a year here, I don't have a lot of time," she said. "I'm just saying that if they are going to consider DiAngelo for the presidency, he should seriously be looked at for an interim president because I think that somebody who is already here and knows the campus is someone people would love to have as an interim president."

McKee said that student input from different classes provided useful information for the search committee.

"I value and appreciate that so many students came, that so many students had a voice," she said. "A lot of students did participate and I think the questions were all very good and insightful. If you're a senior you're in one place and if you're a freshman you have maybe a little bit of a different point of view because you're here for the long term and you're not interested in a stop and start kind of leadership, you'd like to see some leadership continuity.

Sarah Quinn, '89, assistant vice president of the Office of the President , who also attended the meeting, sent feedback to Paul Hondros, '70, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Presidential Search Committee Bob Falese, '67, on April 11. McKee said that her feedback relates the opinions expressed by students in attendance.

"We're going to go back to the Board and say that we would prefer to finish the search as quick as possible, that there was, I think, more of a strong point of view that the interim should be someone within the university and that that person should posses the ability to drive the organization forward, not a maintenance mode, we're not looking for somebody who just keep the status quo, but propels us forward," she said. "I also heard the students acknowledge clearly that they want a President who engages them, who is accessible and an active participant in campus life."

McKee said that no deadline was currently set to select a candidate. However, the search committee intends to have an interim president in place when current University President Timothy Lannon, S.J., leaves office in May.