Although Chancellor Kenneth A. Shaw is already hard at work preparing for his retirement and the arrival of a new chancellor, the university community must wait a while longer to find out what specifically he’s working on.

At the second meeting of Syracuse University’s Chancellor’s Search Committee on Aug. 1, Shaw revealed his 12 ‘full throttle’ items, or the tasks that should be completed before a new chancellor takes over. Shaw will formally announce those key projects in his address to the university community Oct. 8, but could not reveal his plans until two weeks prior to the address, said Gretchen Goldstein, secretary to the chancellor. Shaw also identified long-term goals for the new chancellor, including continued progress in the academic and space plans and improvements in student quality and retention.

The search committee was put in place last semester after Shaw announced he would retire in the fall of 2004. It is led by Joe Lampe, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and comprised of seven board members, seven faculty, two undergraduate students, one graduate student, one staff member, one dean, one member of the chancellor’s cabinet and one executive secretary.

Although Shaw is not part of the search committee, he has recommend some candidates for his replacement. University spokesman Kevin Morrow said that it is likely the committee will give Shaw’s candidates serious consideration.

The committee also reviewed preliminary results of a study to gather feedback from students and faculty. So far, the survey has received more than 300 responses.

During the meeting, R. William Funk, consultant in the search and national managing director of Korn/Ferry International’s Education Practice, updated the committee on the recruitment process, Morrow said. Korn/Ferry has placed advertisements in higher education magazines and sent letters to 600 leaders at other universities and colleges. Funk hopes to have finished the recruitment and begin the interview process by mid- to late October.

Student Association President Andrew Thomson, who holds one of the two student seats on the committee, said he believes the process for interviewing candidates has yet to be determined. Thomson, a senior information management and political science major, said his personal choice for chancellor would be a candidate who has strong records in fundraising and academic progress. He also hopes to find a candidate who is willing to work with students.

‘I’m not expecting to find somebody who agrees with students on every issue, but somebody who is open to working with them,’ Thomson said.

The committee will meet again Sept. 12, Thomson said.

Published on August 26, 2003 at 12:00 pm