Survey: students seek accessible president

Asking 156 students to voice their opinions, the survey focused on issues concerning presidential qualifications and personal characteristics.

"The most important thing that jumps out at me is that students would like to have greater interaction with a president," said Student Regent Jonathan Schmitt, a member of the presidential search committee.

Schmitt and committee members Rhonda Wilson, Associated Students president, and Wendelyn Nichols-Julien, a political science and regional development senior, organized the survey.

Schmitt, Wilson and Nichols-Julien are the three students on a 22-member committee that has been weeding through applications in search of President Manuel Pacheco's successor. Pacheco resigned in January and will begin his new duties as the president of the University of Missouri School System Aug. 1.

"I think the students want a president more visible to the student body," said Wilson, an accounting and finance senior. "Students have a much better understanding of the role of the president than people may think."

In the survey, students said the ability to be outgoing, honest and intelligent are the most important characteristics a president should have. Experience with student activities and administration were the top professional qualifications.

Schmitt, an agriculture and resource economics senior, said many applicants will list students as references on their r‚sum‚s.

"I take special note on applications that list former students," he said. "Those things definitely triggered my interest."

Wilson said she agreed with Schmitt, saying student references are a good way to show how the applicant has associated with students in the past.

"When the pool narrows, I plan on talking with the student body presidents of their (the applicants') schools to see how they felt about the candidate's student interaction," she said.

Schmitt said students will be able to interact one-on-one with the candidates in mid-June when they agree to be interviewed by the committee and their names are released.

"Many students may wait to voice their opinions when the candidates come to campus," he said. "Open forums will be set up where students can come by and ask (the candidates) questions."

Because the candidates will interview after the spring semester is over, Wilson said it will be harder for students to actively participate.

"It is very disappointing that we weren't able to get the candidates here while most of the campus was still around," she said.

Schmitt said the timing is unfortunate, but many students will still be in Tucson for summer school.

To involve students who leave campus this summer, Wilson said she plans to send survey participants copies of the candidate's biographies via e-mail.

Schmitt said he hopes students will take the opportunity to send their suggestions via e-mail to uapressearch@listserv.arizona.edu.

"If students want to give their input on what type of president they want for this university, this is their time," he said. "It doesn't make sense to me to complain if you do not speak up."

Wilson said the committee members will receive a copy of the student search results.

Students are also welcome to send letters to any member of the committee, she said. A copy of each letter would be sent to the members.

Anyone can nominate a person for the president's job, Wilson said. She said about half of the applicants so far have been nominated, and the other half nominated themselves.

"If we receive a nomination, Regent (John) Munger and the board of regents asks them to apply and send their r‚sum‚," Wilson said.

She said she is confident that the three student committee representatives will be a good representation of the student body.

"We're a minority, but I think that in the committee everyone is treated with respect," Wilson said. "We will definitely be able to represent the student body."