Source: Saint Xavier University
At the beginning of the fall 2023 semester, Saint Xavier University welcomed Rebecca Sherrick, Ph. D., as the university’s interim president. Interim presidents serve as people who hold the position for a limited time while a large search is happening to find the university’s next full-time president.
While the Xavierite editorial board is excited to see how this year will go under Sherrick’s leadership, we have already been discussing what we hope to see in the future as the presidential search kicks off.
When asked for some specific qualities the editorial board is looking for, the two that came up the most were engagement and transparency. One member of the board specifically stated “I’m looking for a president that has the best interests of the students and faculty at the top of their priorities. It is imperative for a university president to understand the type of institution they are running, and the study and faculty bodies.”
The board asks for such qualities after expressing some of their frustrations from the previous administration, led by President Laurie M. Joyner, Ph.d.. One member of the editorial board mentioned: “One of the frustrations I had from the previous administration was the lack of enthusiasm. It was clear that they did not enjoy their jobs, let alone being on campus because students rarely saw many of them.”
Another board member went on to say, “I hope the next administration understands the beauty of SXU being a primarily minority institution as well as being a majority commuter population. Saint Xavier’s uniqueness and strengths as a higher education institution are largely driven by those two factors, and, based on what I saw from the previous administration, they did not understand how to communicate with, understand, or work for the needs of the majority of their student population.”
It is no secret that some administrative decisions made in the previous academic school year have been controversial. One of the most controversial ones was the cut of a number of majors, which all happened to fall under the liberal arts. In light of this, Sherrick has shared in an interview with the Xavierite that there could potentially be interdisciplinary courses created in the future that would bring back aspects of many of these majors, while combining them with others.
A member of the editorial board shared their thoughts on this by stating, “I think this would make for a great general ed requirement course. Most students come into college with their major undecided, so this would be a great way to introduce them to some of the majors the school offers.”
Another editorial board member shared, “I think that for far too long, different disciplines have felt in competition with each other, rather than subjects that should work in tandem. These courses sound beneficial in that they may help bridge the gap between STEM and the Humanities.”
A current issue on campus that has been creating some conversation among students relates to the large number of adjunct professors we have working in the university at the moment. Sherrick shared with the Xavierite that she does not see the amount of adjunct professors on campus as an issue of concern, as they are all very knowledgeable in their field.
A member of the editorial board shared their thoughts on the statement, “I think the amount of interim positions could be looked at in two ways. On one hand, it means that changes are being made at the university, which is something that students and faculty alike have been asking for since long before we started attending the university. On the other hand, it means there is a lack of consistency.”
Another editorial board member expressed their emotions about the number of interims, “…We want someone who is willing to commit to SXU. We don’t want someone to just vanish. Currently, there’s too many faculty leaving, and it hurts to see it.”
Overall, the feelings about interims tend to fall on the side of caution with other members sharing the lack of full-time faculty and staff that they have encountered throughout their various years here. A member concluded their thoughts by stating that they believe this is an issue across higher education, and that it is not exclusive to Saint Xavier.
With each new president, interim or full-time, that comes into Saint Xavier, there will be a variety of changes and differences in beliefs for what is best for the university. As long as the student voice is being heard, it should be easy for the future president to meet the needs of the students, and create a welcoming environment for everyone on campus.
The Xavierite staff wishes the best of luck to Sherrick and everyone participating in the presidential search.
About Post Author
