The hunt for UConn’s 16th presiden began in July 2018 after Susan Herbst announced her resignation in May and her subsequent return to teaching at the Stamford campus. (File/The Daily Campus)
The University of Connecticut Board of Trustees will vote on and announce UConn’s 16th president on Tuesday morning at the Wilbur Cross building. The announcement comes after a seven-month search for Susan Herbst’s replacement. Sources say the final candidate for selection is University of Virginia provost Thomas C. Katsouleas, which UConn has neither confirmed nor denied.
The hunt began in July 2018, after Susan Herbst announced her resignation in May and her subsequent return to teaching at the Stamford campus. The 44-person search committee included two students, while an additional motion from student trustees Christine Savino and Samuel Surowitz to add additional students was rejected by the board.
Interviews with the prospective candidates, who were not named by the Board, began in the fall while the university held forums with faculty and students about desired attributes in the future president. Faculty and staff called for a president with a more academic background, while students voiced their desire for a more transparent president who could relate better to the student body and take student needs and issues into account. Environmental organizations at UConn also called for a president committed to sustainability.
The search committee narrowed its candidates in November, and the finalists met in late January with the committee and Gov. Ned Lamont.
Provost Craig Kennedy also announced his resignation after a less than 10-month tenure, citing a desire to allow the new president to choose the next provost to work with.
Marlese Lessing is the news editor for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at marlese.lessing@uconn.edu. She tweets @marlese_lessing.
