Justice Vue

Since President Fayneese Miller announced her resignation in Apr. of 2023, the Hamline University Acting/Interim Presidential Search committee has been hard at work to find the next interim president of Hamline University. The committee began sharing information with the community at the end of June, and the new president is expected to begin work Jan. 1, 2024. With January approaching in a matter of months, the community – faculty and staff in particular – is eager to know more about the candidates, the search and the outcome of the election.
Beth Gunderson, the Dean of the School of Business, is one such faculty member who is patiently waiting for the announcement. Since she was hired in 1980, Gunderson has seen the campus evolve and change in many ways.
“I think the faculty are very interested in seeing the outcome of the presidential search committee.” Gunderson said. Gunderson also expressed the trust the faculty feel in the ability of the committee.
“I’ve only heard faculty express confidence in the work that the faculty on that committee are doing.” Gunderson said.
Likewise, Marcela Kostihova, the Dean of the School of Education and Leadership, noted the committee’s quick work.
“I think that the committee is doing whatever they can to make sure that they do a good job in a limited amount of time.” Kostihova said. Although the search process has been kept largely under wraps – likely so candidates’ current jobs or positions are not jeopardized – the committee has shared bi-weekly updates with members of the Hamline community.
“It’s very important that, especially in the event that we do not choose them at the end of the day, that their position is not jeopardized on their own campus,” Kostihova said.
One of the things that faculty, staff and students alike are curious about is what the search committee is looking for in a candidate. What values do the candidates hold and how are they involved in the community?
Cindy Gregorson, the chair for the Acting/Interim President Search Committee, wanted candidates to hold a number of values that align with Hamline’s.
“We need somebody who brings considerable expertise in organizational, administrative and financial leadership because higher education is a complicated organization.” Gregorson said. “We’re also looking for someone who has excellent collaboration — emotional intelligence — kind of skills, because the university is rooted in shared governance and so needs to bring all the stakeholders and the people to the table to do that.”
Members of the community are anxiously awaiting the decision of the committee to be announced. However, Patti Kersten, the Dean of Students, recognizes that such an intense hiring process can not be linear and predictable.
“As organized and committed everyone is to making sure the right candidate is in the position and everything else, there’s never the ultimate of it being this day, when this announcement happens,” Kersten said.
And so, Hamline University staff, students, faculty and community members must wait patiently as the search committee continues their work. To learn more about the search process and those involved, visit hamline.edu/presidentialsearch.