The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
With numerous presidential searches currently underway in the nation for various reasons, suitable, i.e., competent and visionary, presidential candidates are in high demand. Renowned universities are often led by Nobel Laureates, National Academy Members or Fellows, and other nationally and globally recognized academic leaders.
To help guide the ongoing search for the next University of Arizona President, I submitted to the Chair of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), the Executive Search Firm (ESF), and the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) the following “Minimum Academic Requirements for Presidential Candidates”:
“(...) must be at least a nationally recognized academic scholar and technology innovator (ideally in a science field) with no less than a stellar academic pedigree and accomplishments, comprising a minimum of a half-dozen or so National Society Fellowships, including at least one National Academy Member — or Fellowship, plus several national and international awards and prizes, plus dozens of issued patents. (...) While the above criteria could possibly appear overbearing or excessive to some, please be advised that they are considered insufficient to warrant promotion to Full Professor at least in some University of Arizona Colleges.”
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We now learn in Ellie Wolfe’s article “Search committee homes in on qualities sought in next U of A president” that the Presidential Search Advisory Committee watered down the above requirements to merely “the bar for candidates is holding a professorship,” which is utterly insufficient and a slap in the face to the institution and its faculty.
As an R1 (Research I) institution, defined as “Doctoral Universities — Very High Research Activity,” the University of Arizona prides itself as a scientific powerhouse. R1 universities are called to be led by a highly accomplished academic leader as defined above, and not by a non-visionary bean counter, CEO-type corporate manager, or politician, just as one would never put any of these types in charge of a carrier battle group. To be more clear, a presidential candidate has to be cut from the same cloth as the people of the institution they lead, i.e., the academic fabric in this case.
If ABOR, the ESF, and the PSAC feel that the above is reaching for the stars, i.e., unattainable for the University of Arizona, or if they shy away from raising the bar for fear of not being able to attract any candidates because of it, the university needs to undergo a frank reality check to find out where it truly ranks nationally and globally in the eyes of its peer institutions, rather than US News & World Report or similar commercial ranking services.
One more thing: I, for one, as an Associate Professor in Engineering at this institution, actually happen to fulfill all the above listed minimum requirements, and so should the next President of the University of Arizona.
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Dr. Wolfgang Fink is an Associate Professor and the inaugural Edward & Maria Keonjian Endowed Chair at the University of Arizona. He is a Faculty Senator and Chair of the Committee of Eleven, established in 1947.
