CU announces sole finalist for CU Boulder chancellor

Olivia Doak, Daily Times-Call, Longmont, Colo.
·4 min read

Apr. 2—The University of Colorado announced Tuesday that Justin Schwartz, the executive vice president and provost at Pennsylvania State University, is the sole finalist for chancellor at the University of Colorado Boulder.

"I believe Dr. Schwartz is the right person to build on the strong foundation already in place and to elevate CU Boulder to even greater heights," CU President Todd Saliman said in a release. "He has the skills, experience and spirit to help us continue to serve our students and state as Colorado's flagship university. He is a leader who deeply understands the power and promise of the education, research and service that are at the heart of CU Boulder. He has a proven commitment to diversity and to supporting a community that embodies different cultures and perspectives."

Schwartz is the executive vice president and provost at Pennsylvania State University. Previously, he was the Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering at Penn State. Before Penn State, Schwartz was a faculty member at Florida State University and department head at North Carolina State University. He earned a doctorate in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor of science in nuclear engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has more than 30 years of experience in higher education as a faculty member, dean and administrator.

Saliman said Schwartz is a "bold leader" committed to student success, well-being and belonging and appreciates the value of a liberal arts education.

"He is deeply committed to diversity and to ensuring a place where people from underrepresented communities belong and thrive," Saliman said. "Dr. Schwartz is currently a leader at a large, complex university and understands the importance of diversifying our funding and expanding upon our already successful fundraising efforts. He has a fundamental commitment to shared governance, academic freedom and freedom of expression. And, critically important, he is someone who will lead with humility, curiosity and a collaborative spirit."

Sole finalist

The CU Boulder Chancellor Search Committee selected seven candidates for Saliman to review. It's up to Saliman to choose a finalist or multiple finalists.

"I had hoped to forward more than one finalist, depending on the willingness of candidates to be part of a multi-candidate finalist pool," Saliman said. "After discussions with candidates, it became clear a multi-candidate pool was not an option. Therefore, I am advancing Dr. Schwartz, an outstanding finalist who can effectively and enthusiastically lead CU Boulder into the future."

The CU Boulder Chancellor Search Committee, made up of students, staff, faculty and community members, released a statement in support of the selection of Schwartz as the sole finalist.

"We are grateful for the thoughtful due diligence of President Saliman during this process, and we are confident the community will believe, as we do, that they are being presented with an outstanding finalist from a large pool of highly qualified applicants," the statement said. "The committee is incredibly proud of the work we've done, and we strongly support the finalist. We believe the process was fair, transparent and inclusive. President Saliman carefully considered our feedback, and he wants to hear from you as well. We strongly encourage you to attend the campus forums and to fill out your survey."

Schwartz will visit campus on Thursday and Friday to meet with various groups, including open forums for staff, faculty and students. Anonymous feedback will be collected through surveys from the forums.

Anyone can submit questions or comments regarding the CU Boulder chancellor search at cu.edu/boulder-chancellor-search/forms/questions-or-comments . More information about Schwartz can be found on the CU Boulder Chancellor Search website at cu.edu/boulder-chancellor-search.

Chancellor search

Chancellor searches are conducted through the CU System office in Denver. The CU System offices include the office of the president, the board of regents, budget and finance, the treasurer and legal counsel. The CU System, through the board of regents, hires a third-party firm to conduct every chancellor search at any campus and selected AGB Search for CU Boulder.

"AGB Search was delighted to assist the University of Colorado System with its search for the next chancellor of CU Boulder," AGB Search Managing Principal and CEO Dr. Rod McDavis said in a statement. "The large number of candidates who applied for the chancellor's position were highly qualified, very diverse and represented many renowned international and American colleges and universities. The world class reputation of CU Boulder played a major role in attracting top notch candidates for thechancellor's position."

Based on the Colorado Open Meetings Law, any finalist for a chief executive officer position must be shared publicly at least 14 days prior to making an appointment.

CU Boulder will have a new chancellor this year for the first time since 2009 after Chancellor Phil DiStefano announced his retirement in September. DiStefano is the 11th chancellor. Appointed in 2009, he's the longest-serving chancellor with 15 years in the position.

"CU Boulder's unique story has been unfolding for nearly 150 years, and I am excited by our opportunity to write our next chapters as we prepare to welcome new leadership," Saliman said.