TO: The PLU Community
FR: PLU Presidential Search Committee
Subject: Presidential Search Update
Dear PLU Community:
The Presidential Search Committee has now handed off responsibility for the final decision to the Board of Regents. We wish to thank the campus community for its warm welcome to our 3 finalists. They each remarked to our search consultants that they enjoyed their visits to our campus and were impressed by our community.
The Regents have received the extensive feedback provided by campus constituencies, including all the ratings and written comments from the online surveys and additional reference information and background checks from our search consultants. They will be carefully deliberating over the next few weeks. Once they have reached a decision and completed negotiations, an announcement will be made to campus.
Just as democracy is messy, so too is this process of shared governance. No candidate will ever be perfect or make everyone happy. Regardless of whether the decision is the one that you personally hoped for, it is important that we all remember that – as a community – we are all invested in the success of Pacific Lutheran University and therefore the next PLU President. Our next leader will be coming into a vibrant and strong community that is made up of imperfect people who support and rely on each other. We each have a responsibility for doing all that we can to offer our support and help our new leader to be successful. Our new president will need to rely on each of us to help them learn more about who we are.
As we are all anxiously awaiting the announcement regarding our next president, we invite you to begin to think about how you can support this transition. What will you do to welcome them into our community that truly lives its mission to care for others? What will you do to show the world that we are ready to move forward into the future?
It has been our honor to represent you in the process. We have been humbled by the careful work of the members of the Search Committee. They have completed their service with care for the university and for each other. They have represented the interests of their varied constituencies with thoughtfulness and integrity. Please thank them when you have the opportunity.
Sincerely,
Michelle Ceynar & Susan Caulkins, Co-Chairs Presidential Search Committee
Presidential Search Committee
pressrch@plu.edu