In preparation for Augusta University’s President upcoming retiring, the Presidential Search Committee invited the community on Wednesday evening, Dec. 6, to give advice and feedback for new candidates.
As President Brooks Keel looks forward to his fast-approaching retirement at the conclusion of the spring semester in 2024, members of the University System of Georgia and AU will soon vet applicants during the winter break to fill the crucial leadership role next year.
To help select ideal final candidates, students, staff, faculty and members of the CSRA are being encouraged to attend listening sessions on Dec. 6 and 7 to communicate their preferred qualities in a new university leader.
With several listening sessions scheduled for Dec. 6 and 7, various locals appeared at the first meeting on the Summerville campus – located at 2500 Walton Way – and spoke on the importance of continual growth and a firm hand at helm.
Featuring eight of the 19 members on the Presidential Search Committee, the evening’s intimate session allowed several in-person and online attendees to speak their mind on their outlook of AU’s future following Keel’s retirement.
Similar to many in attendance, Meryl Alalof, a retired high school principal and experienced educator from Columbia County, said she appreciated the public invitation to the listening session, as this could lead to a better future for the entire CSRA.
“I think input from everybody is important, because Augusta University affects a whole community, and we don’t need to just hear from one little group,” said Alalof.
Recently celebrating reaching over 10,000 students, Augusta University has been one of the few colleges in the state of Georgia that has accomplished continual enrollment growth, and Alalof said such expansion needs to continue – but can only do so with an experienced leader.
“I think it’s important that the president is someone who has had some practical experience,” she said. “This has grown to be a dynamic university and we must continue that growth.”
Alalof said she believes it would be wise for the committee to avoid those who lack administrative experience, but think they can successfully act as AU’s president.
Other highlighted qualities attendees said they would like to see within the next president included a strong personality, a sense of humor and someone who truly networked with students.
“Personally, I’ve never seen the president since I’ve been here, and I would like to see a president who is more involved in student life,” said participating student Harjot Pandher, an AU freshman.
Fellow freshman Bell Scdoris said she has also not met the president and believes this hurts the university’s student and community engagement, and can prevent them from further growth and outreach.
As multiple guests emphasized their hope in further community partnerships to accommodate and promote AU’s projected student enrollment increase, some attendees highlighted their wish for the institution’s Athletics Department to be further developed and advertised to gain more community traction and state recognition.
“I was one of the first Blacks to integrate to this school in 1966, and I turned down football scholarships to come here because I wanted to stay home,” said participant Eugene Hunt. “My desire, before I graduated, was to have a football team.”
Almost 60 years later, Hunt said the university has still failed to implement a team or a well-promoted Athletics Department.
“I would like to see a president that would be interested in a club or football program, something,” he said. “If we’re going to grow the school, one of the best ways to grow it is through athletics.”
After a handful of speakers communicated their desire for a president who had a working knowledge of medical education and the importance of understanding the impact of healthcare decisions, Augusta University’s Associate Vice President of Research and Chair of the Department of Art Scott Thorp chimed in with his own input for qualities the next president should present.
“Since I’ve been here nine years, the university has really changed and it’s at a totally different level than we were at before,” said Thorp. “… I think sometimes it’s easy to boil down the university as a one-dimensional health science center or primarily workforce development, but we are a very large and complex institution with a lot of specialties.”
Following over an hour of community input, the panel said they were grateful for the community’s online and physical presence in sharing ideas about their hopes for the next president.
“The new president has to be a miracle worker. He has to understand the medical college piece, he’s got to understand the liberal arts piece, and not just focus on one or the other,” said attendee Jeff Simless.
Although the candidates and the selecting process will largely remain private, panel member and Search Committee Chair Regent Jim Hull said he was extremely confident the university would receive many competitive and competent applicants as a result of AU’s impressive accomplishments and expansion in the last decade.
“We’re going to get a tremendous amount of interest. This is a position that has a very competitive salary … and so the candidate pool is going to be very prominent, because we have a lot to offer,” said Hull.
The next listening session will take place on Thursday, Dec. 7, from 9-9:50 a.m. at the university’s Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre – located at 2500 Walton Way.
Those interested in attending online, can join the Zoom meeting at https://augusta-edu.zoom.us/j/93859248186.
Liz Wright is a staff writer covering education, lifestyle and general assignments for The Augusta Press. Reach her at liz@theaugustapress.com
