Appointment of a president is the statutory duty that the Board of Visitors. Following the announcement by President Richard V. Hurley of his expected retirement in 2016, Rector Holly Cuellar appointed the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, a special committee of the Board, to assist with the search for UMW’s tenth president. The Committee has substantial Board of Visitors engagement and also includes individuals from throughout key areas of the University—faculty, staff, alumni, foundation, and student body. The role of the Committee is to conduct initial screening, vetting, and interviewing of candidates; then recommend to the full Board of Visitors a select group of finalists for the Board’s consideration. The committee will work through the process with the assistance of an experienced executive search firm. The presidential search will be national in scope and every effort will be made to cultivate a rich pool of exceptionally well-qualified candidates for consideration. In the final stage, the president will be selected by the full Board of Visitors and it is expected that the new president will receive the full support of the Board, UMW faculty, staff, alumni, donors, students, and the wider community. The naming of a president is an awesome responsibility, yet this is also a time of great excitement and an opportunity to boldly envision the future for the University of Mary Washington.
While many aspects of the search process must remain confidential, the Committee will utilize this website to provide periodic updates of its progress. There will be opportunities for stakeholders to provide input regarding the characteristics and experience desired in the next president. The Board of Visitors appreciates the interest of the UMW community in this endeavor.