Selection Process
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After the Board of Trustees named Dr. Mary
Jane Saunders the sixth president of Florida Atlantic
University, Board of Trustees Chair Nancy Blosser made these
remarks:
"I’d like to begin by saying that this whole process has been extremely interesting and very rewarding to all of us who’ve participated in it. The search for the sixth president of Florida Atlantic University attracted the attention of a large, diversified field of candidates. We’re grateful that so many people of high accomplishment expressed interest in becoming the president of FAU, and we wish them all the best as they move forward in their careers. "The three finalists who emerged from the original field of 43 candidates had backgrounds that made them especially well suited to FAU, and we’ve enjoyed every moment of getting to know them and their spouses. We have the highest admiration for all of them, and I’d like to thank each of them personally for the time and energy that they’ve put into getting to know us over the past few days. As we all are well aware, the search process reached a successful conclusion a few moments ago as Dr. Mary Jane Saunders was selected to become the sixth president of Florida Atlantic University. We’re excited at the prospect of moving FAU forward under the leadership of this experienced and accomplished professional, and we’re eagerly looking forward to the day when she arrives on campus to begin her presidency. "On behalf of the entire FAU community, I’d like to be the first to say, 'Welcome, President Saunders.' We’re very glad that you sought the challenge of leading a great university through the next phase of its development. You’ll have our support every step of the way. "And I’d like to extend an equally warm welcome to Dr. Saunders’ husband, Dr. George Newkome,who also is becoming part of the FAU family. Please know that we’re eager to get to know you and help you settle into what we hope and trust will be one of the best experiences of your life. "It’s obvious that the Board of Trustees has tremendous confidence in the ability of Dr. Saunders to lead Florida Atlantic University to the next level of excellence in teaching, research and community engagement. Anyone who has met Dr. Saunders or read her resume can easily see that this confidence is very well placed. She is a true higher education professional, with great depth and breadth of experience in academic leadership and institutional development. She comes to our University at a time when it’s poised to take another giant leap forward, and we’re sure that Dr. Saunders is exactly the right person to lead that charge. "I’d like to end my remarks by thanking all the members of the Presidential Search Committee for their hard work and dedication. They put in many very long days and nights to get us to this moment, and we sincerely thank them for all they’ve done for FAU. "I’d also like to thank Bill Funk of R. William Funk & Associates, the executive search firm that cast a wide net to help us find a pool of qualified presidential candidates. Bill and his colleagues have tremendous expertise in this endeavor and rendered services that were absolutely invaluable to us throughout the search process. "And finally, I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the search process in any way, whether by submitting commentary on the website, attending an open forum or discussing the candidates with members of the Search Committee and others in the University community. Interest in this search has been consistently high, and the energy that it generated has carried us to this great moment of decision." |
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