Trustees outline progress for chancellor search

Chancellor Mark Nordenberg said that he tells students at Freshman Convocation every year that he doesn’t want their years at Pitt to be the best years of their lives. Instead, he wants them to be great years and to serve as a platform for better years to come. 

Nordenberg will not be able to share this message with future incoming freshman classes. In August, he will leave his position as chancellor. Following the announcement of his decision at a Board of Trustees meeting last June, a search began for his successor.

“How can you ever replace Mark Nordenberg?” asked Dawne Hickton, a member of the Chancellor Search Committee. 

Hickton reported on the committee’s efforts to find a new chancellor at a more recent Board of Trustees meeting, which took place 10:30 a.m. Friday morning in the Assembly Room of the William Pitt Union.

She said that the committee’s first major step was establishing a website for the chancellor search. This website allows prospective applicants to learn more about not only the search, but also about the University.

The site also includes instructions and links to nominate candidates for the position. 

In addition to the website, 14 different public forums have been conducted in which faculty, students and alumni discussed the qualities they are looking for in their next chancellor. These forums were held on Pitt’s main campus, branch campuses and in major cities all over the country.

Hickton said that as a result of these forums, three common themes have emerged. 

The first is that there is an agreement that the chancellor must retain Pitt’s commitment to excellence in research. Second, the leader must make efforts to keep tuition down despite the recent inadequacies in state funding. Lastly, the new leader should possess characteristics such as honesty and integrity. 

Participants at the forums also expressed hope for a chancellor who would value Pitt’s culture but would also be willing to experiment and try new ideas.  

Hickton subsequently presented a report to the trustees which she said outlines the challenges and opportunities that the next chancellor may face. The Board approved the report.

In addition to Hickton’s remarks, Nordenberg presented a report that highlighted Pitt’s recent successes in regard to student achievement and satisfaction. Following his presentation, the Nominating Committee and the Property and Facilities Committee reported.

Clyde Jones, UPMC’s chief development officer, and Al Novak, Pitt’s vice chancellor for institutional advancement, received recognition for the Building Our Future Together campaign.

The campaign raised more than $2.13 billion from 188,000 donors, surpassing the initial $2 billion goal that was set in 2006. As a result of the campaign, the University has been able to offer scholarships and fellowships and undertake construction and renovation projects. 

The campaign also attracted 315 donors who contributed more than $1 million, 28 percent of whom had never made a gift to the school previously. Two donations were so remarkable that they spurred the naming of the School of Engineering and School of Arts and Sciences in honor of their benefactors, John A. Swanson and Kenneth P. Dietrich.