The Search for Salisbury University’s 10th President

• SU Presidential Search Announcement from USM Chancellor Jay Perman - 10/8/2021

The USM is seeking nominations for search committee members. Interested individuals or those wishing to nominate potential search committee members should send an email to SU-president-search@usmd.edu. Please include the individual’s name, email address, affiliation with the University, and a brief explanation as to why this individual would be an asset to the search committee. Once the search committee is approved by the Board and members are appointed, the committee roster will be listed here. The deadline for search committee nominations is Friday, November 12.

The search is currently in the stakeholder engagement phase of the process. This period is a critical time for learning and reflection in order to understand the qualifications the campus and Board would like to have in its new President. Once this phase is completed, the recruitment and application period will begin and information on how to apply will be posted on this webpage and communicated broadly.

Known as “Maryland’s Coastal College Town,” the City of Salisbury long has been the crossroads of the historic Delmarva Peninsula. Located in Wicomico County (population over 102,000), the city is less than an hour away from the Atlantic Ocean, which is dotted with popular vacation destinations such as Ocean City, MD; Assateague Island; and Rehoboth Beach, DE. Situated on the Wicomico River, Salisbury is approximately half an hour away from the beautiful Chesapeake Bay, the nation’s largest estuary and a hub for environmental research.

The Eastern Shore of Maryland is steeped in history. SU’s Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History and Culture is home to some of the nation’s oldest genealogical records.

Home to some 7,500 students, SU has been a partner in reinvigorating downtown Salisbury, just two miles from campus, with facilities including the Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship, SU Art Galleries Downtown and the Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative. All are part of SU Downtown, a satellite campus in the heart of Salisbury. University students, and performing artists also are engaged with the city’s Arts & Entertainment District’s popular monthly 3rd Friday celebrations and the National Folk Festival, which Salisbury has hosted since 2018.

The campus is a cultural center for the region, with exhibits, the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra (a town-gown collaboration), a National Public Radio group (three stations divided between SU and the nearby University of Maryland Eastern Shore), space for Wicomico County’s public access television station (PAC 14), and a robust roster of performing arts and other events.

The University includes five academic schools endowed by Eastern Shore entrepreneurs and supporters, as well as health-based college containing three additional schools and the Center for Healthy Communities. Area businesses (many alumni owned) welcome student interns.

SU graduates have found careers with Perdue Farms, one of the nation’s largest agribusiness companies with corporate headquarters in Salisbury, as well as TidalHealth, an award-winning hospital system locally serving four counties in two states. With SU, they constitute a significant employer base for the Eastern Shore. A 2016 study showed the University contributing nearly a half billion dollars annually to the region’s economy.

Learn more about SU, its success stories and its connections with the local community.

Q: Why is confidentiality so important in a search process?
Many of our candidates will hold key positions at other institutions and will only submit an application if confidentiality is guaranteed. Members of the search committee have signed an agreement that secures confidentiality for all discussions and deliberations related to the search. A copy of the confidentiality statement guiding the work of the search committee will be available.

Q: What is the role of the Search Committee Chair?
The search chair is the official spokesperson for the search committee and is, thus, the only individual authorized to speak on behalf of the search committee and the search process. The chair will provide regular updates to the campus community and can address any questions or concerns from members of the community through the duration of the search.

Q: What is the role of the Search Committee?
The search committee is charged with developing a comprehensive leadership profile that will used in the recruitment of candidates, conducting an intensive and extensive proactive search for qualified candidates, and selecting a shortlist of semifinalists for consideration by the Board of Regents.

Q: What information can Search Committee members share with me?
The information search committee members are able to share with the campus community is limited. The committee members are bound by a code of ethics and confidentiality agreement that require they not share any information discussed during search committee meetings, nor any information related to candidates, even after the search has closed.

Q: Whom do I contact if I want to share specific information or if I have a question about the search?
Please send an email to SU-president-search@usmd.edu with questions or comments regarding the search.

Q: Will there be regular updates on the search?
Yes; the search chair will provide regular updates to the campus community via campus email at critical points in the search. These updates also will be posted under “Communications,” above.

Q: How can I make a nomination?
Nominations for candidates or search committee members may be made submitted to SU-president-search@usmd.edu. We ask that you carefully review the qualifications and experiences as outlined in the search profile before submitting a candidate nomination. Your nomination will go directly to the search consultant(s) who will reach out to the nominee. The search consultant(s) will not provide your name to the nominee, but you are free to do so.

Q: Are internal candidates treated any differently than external candidates?
Internal candidates are vetted in the same way as external candidates. All candidates are assessed based on the criteria laid out in the search profile. The committee very carefully selects the strongest candidates, either internal or external, for further consideration based on the required and desired qualifications.

Q: When will the appointee take office?
SU’s 10th President is expected to assume office on July 1, 2022.