Forty-three years of experience in the University administration will not be easily replaced, but a 16-person search committee must accomplish that formidable task during the coming months as it looks for someone to replace Leonard Sandridge, executive vice president and chief operations officer. The committee has much to consider as it determines who should be second-in-command, a position from which Sandridge will retire this June. After all, the University already has a new president and will see the resignation of Provost Arthur Garson at the end of this academic year. Because of these changes, the committee must take special care to appoint an individual with the perspective and experience to guide the University through higher education's changing landscape and its considerable financial challenges.
As the president's right-hand man (or woman), the next executive vice president must possess a comprehensive understanding of the internal operations of the University. With two other new faces within the highest ranks of the administration, the appointee must ensure the University's core values are incorporated into administrative goals and decisions going forward. Because the breadth and depth of Sandridge's understanding of the University will be nearly impossible to replicate, President Teresa A. Sullivan is outlining some changes to the responsibilities and supervisory functions of the executive vice president. For example, University Athletic Director Craig Littlepage will now report directly to the president rather than to the executive vice president, as he did previously.
Specifically, Sullivan looks to find an individual with a firm financial background in higher education, University Spokesperson Carol Wood said. This approach makes sense - even if Sullivan adopts a more hands-on management style as president than her predecessor, the executive vice president must be capable of overseeing the day-to-day operations while keeping the University's long-term vision in mind. As president, Sullivan will need to spend a significant portion of her time courting donors and building relationships with the state's political leaders. Whereas the president must have a clear sense of what direction to take the University in, an executive vice president must have the know-how to execute such plans. When it comes to overseeing a system as complex as a major research university along with a prominent medical center, that task is certainly easier said than done.
Although much of his work has been behind the scenes, Sandridge is a prominent decision-maker on Grounds and is responsible for a considerable part of the University, including student affairs and the health system. Given that we have a new president who comes from outside the University community, it would be beneficial to appoint an individual to replace Sandridge who is familiar with this institution's history and distinctive culture. That said, the ideal candidate would be a detail-oriented individual willing to put in the long hours necessary to help the University claim a spot among the nation's top-tier universities, both public and private. The executive vice president's job is not particularly glamorous, but it is among the most critical positions at the University.
Most important, Sandridge's successor must share a vision with top administrators for the University's future, yet also be willing to break from the party line when necessary. Finding someone with both the perspective necessary to understand the University's goals as well as the administrative acumen to meet these challenges will be difficult. For a position as critical as the executive vice president's, the search committee ought to take its time and approach the selection process with an open mind.
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