Search-Related Announcements

KU Presidential Search Update from Council of Trustees Chair Giorno

Sept. 5, 2024

Dear Kutztown University Community:

As you know, President Hawkinson has announced his intention to retire in the summer of 2025.  I am writing to inform you of the process for selecting the next president of our university.

While the PASSHE Board of Governors—in consultation with the Chancellor—ultimately appoints the president, the search process is primarily driven at the university level.  This is rightly so, because it is our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends who will work most closely with whomever is chosen to fill the role.

I am pleased to report that the Chancellor has granted the KU Council of Trustees authorization to initiate the search process. According to commonwealth law, the Council has responsibility to “make recommendations to the Chancellor for the appointment of the president following input by students, faculty, staff and alumni who reflect the diversity of the institution,” and we take that duty seriously.

We will begin by appointing a search committee that is representative of the university community and its diverse range of stakeholders. The search committee will gather input from students, faculty, staff, alumni and other stakeholders and will make its recommendation to the Council of Trustees, which in turn will consider the options and transmit its recommendation to the Chancellor and Board of Governors. It is the Board of Governors that is responsible for appointing the university’s next president from the “name or names of individuals submitted by the Council of Trustees.”

We will now begin the work of constituting the Presidential Search Committee by identifying members according to PASSHE procedure and standards. The search committee will consist of a mix of students, faculty, staff, alumni and others, and I will be reaching out to the appropriate representative groups that are tasked with identifying some of those members.

To assist in guiding the operations of this search, I have appointed Matt Santos, KU’s vice president for University Relations & Athletics, as the staff liaison to the Council of Trustees and the Search Committee. Matt will serve as the point of contact for any questions and will be assisted by other university staff to support as needed. He may be contacted at santos@kutztown.edu.

We look forward to getting this process underway and working together to craft the next chapter in the life of this great University.

Sincerely,

Dennis A. Giorno
Chair
KU Council of Trustees