SU Presidential Search Announcement from USM Chancellor Jay Perman
To the SU Community:
Salisbury University President Chuck Wight announced yesterday his intention to step down from his position on June 30. I know it was a difficult decision for Dr. Wight – one he wouldn’t have made if his health didn’t require more attention.
Just one sign of Dr. Wight’s dedication to SU is his decision to remain active as a member of the Chemistry Department faculty, and I’m glad he’ll keep this connection to a university he so obviously cherishes. All of us within the University System of Maryland will miss his strong leadership and wise counsel.
Dr. Wight has led Salisbury for a little over three years, but his impact on the university is more expansive than his tenure suggests. Salisbury’s national prominence rose under Dr. Wight’s leadership, as the school consistently won recognition on high-profile lists of best – and best value – American universities. These accolades coincided with significant growth in Salisbury’s academic programs and enrichment opportunities. Salisbury’s students, too, have earned national and international acclaim. In fact, for the entire span of Dr. Wight’s presidency, SU has distinguished itself as a top U.S. producer of students winning the prestigious Fulbright award.
Dr. Wight is committed to continually improving Salisbury’s campus climate – opening dialogue and encouraging action on issues of race and racial justice. The Center for Equity, Justice and Inclusion, the reinstated Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and the new position of Chief Diversity Officer are three of his legacies in this regard.
Of course, I’ve gotten to know Dr. Wight’s steady leadership best during the COVID pandemic. His commitment to securing the safety of his SU community and surrounding neighborhoods while minimizing disruption to the university’s academic and administrative enterprises required an enormous amount of planning – and an enormous amount of work. That Dr. Wight has pulled it off is a credit to him and to the incredibly talented team he’s assembled.
The USM Board of Regents will soon launch a national search for Salisbury’s next president. Regent Robert Rauch will chair the SU President Search and Screening Committee, and the committee itself will reflect the Salisbury University community, with representation among students, faculty, staff, alumni, and stakeholders. Academic Search, a national executive search firm dedicated to higher education, will facilitate the work of the committee, whose members will screen and interview candidates for president and submit for the Board of Regents’ consideration a short list of those best-suited for the job.
To honor Salisbury’s commitment to collaborative leadership, I’ll host a town hall on campus, open to everyone, on Thursday, November 11, so that I can hear the kind of background and experience – the character, qualities, and perspectives – that you want in your next leader. More information on the town hall will come soon. In addition to the town hall gathering, I’ll meet with Salisbury’s shared governance groups and leadership teams.
You may also nominate individuals to serve on the search committee by emailing SU-president-search@usmd.edu. Please include the name, university affiliation, and email address of suggested search committee members; the nomination deadline is Friday, November 12. You may use this same email address to recommend presidential candidates for the committee’s consideration. For periodic updates on the search process, visit the President Search page.
I look forward to working with the entire SU community to identify the next leader of Salisbury University – one as dedicated as President Wight to the institution, its people, and its vision of excellence, and one capable of leading SU to even greater distinction.
Sincerely,
Jay A. Perman
Chancellor