27th president
Search process planning underway for UD's next president
4 p.m., March 5, 2015--The University of Delaware Board of Trustees has begun the process to identify the institution's next president.
Current President Patrick T. Harker announced on March 2 that he will step down to become president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, effective July 1.
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"I am aware, as would be expected, that there is significant interest and speculation in the University community concerning the next steps forward in light of President Harker’s recent decision to resign as of June 30," Board Chairman Gil Sparks said.
"Be assured that I have been working and will continue to work diligently, in coordination with various board members, to be in a position to have the trustees act in mid-March both to constitute an inclusive search committee with appropriate representation from various University constituencies, and to select an interim president to serve from July 1 until a deliberate search process has been completed and the next president is seated," he said.
Sparks said that after the trustees’ decision on these matters, a public announcement will be made on the composition of the search committee and the designation of an interim president to serve commencing July 1.
"In the short period necessary to assure that these decisions are thoughtful, I thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation," he added.
"We are operating from a position of strength, and I am very confident that we will have a talented pool of applicants from which to select the University's 27th president," Sparks said.