As the George Washington University searches for the next person to hold its top academic role, President Ellen M. Granberg and the search committee have emphasized community involvement, which included six listening sessions held Sept. 9 and 10 in the University Student Center Amphitheater.
Two of the sessions were open to a combined audience of faculty, students and staff while two of the sessions were faculty only and one each for just staff and just students.
Members of the GW community attending these sessions were encouraged to ask questions about the position and bring forth ideas of qualifications and characteristics they would seek in the person who will be charged with being the chief academic officer responsible for overseeing academic and research programs, managing faculty affairs, and advancing the mission and strategic goals of the university. Rotating groups of GW’s 23-member internal search committee, as well as John Simon of Education Executives, took notes on what was said and occasionally engaged in conversation with the GW community members.
There were several main themes of input, chief among them visibility, communication and embracing institutional culture and interdisciplinary academics. There was expressed desire for a balance of experience and adaptability as many emphasized the need for someone who understands research universities, especially Association of American Universities (AAU) institutions such as GW but can also bring fresh ideas during a time of uncertainty.
There were also calls for long-term vision, commitment to faculty and staff support and a defense of academic values.
Community members were also interested in the process and timeline of the hiring, which Simon, the former president of Lehigh University who has conducted many provost searches as a consultant, explained.
Simon said that the role of the search committee is to tee up a list of people from all kinds of different academic backgrounds and histories—some that may have been mixed with industry, government and/or nonprofit—that enables someone to be qualified for the position. He views the job of the committee as talent scouts, he said.
Feedback from community members, combined with the committee’s understanding of GW, will help the committee develop a provost profile, which is forthcoming, detailing the qualities and experiences sought in the next chief academic officer. Simon noted that the search committee covers wide representation from many offices, careers and schools so that all sectors of GW can determine whether someone is not only qualified but also can succeed in the university’s environment.
Simon said the committee will begin with a wide pool, potentially 20 to 30 candidates, and narrow it down through interviews and assessments of leadership style, adaptability, values and the requirements outlined in the profile. That committee will then present three to five names, unranked, to Granberg, who will make the final decision in consultation with trustees and other leaders. The provost-president relationship, Simon noted, is like a partnership requiring shared goals and values, even when internal debates occur.
In an ideal world, Simon said, the new provost will start in the summer of 2026, but the committee is still building its pool of candidates. In the meantime, GW community members are also encouraged to submit nominations and feedback through the university’s search portal, where comments will be reviewed to help shape the search.
Additionally, there will be two online forums on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26. Registration is required in advance.
