Following the first meeting of the newly formed presidential search committee last week, the hunt to find Binghamton University’s eighth president has officially begun.

Finding a replacement is no easy feat, according to Kathryn Grant Madigan, the chair of the BU Council and head of the search committee. Serving in her position on the BU Council, a 10-member body that supervises certain University operations, for about 16 years, Madigan was part of the committee that first selected current University President Harvey Stenger after a 17-month search in 2011.

Designed to represent all stakeholders on campus, the search committee consists of 21 members — students, faculty members, University Council members and the president of SUNY Broome.

The search for a new president is closed, meaning the identities of potential candidates are not disclosed. This contrasts with an open search, in which applications are open, and their identities are publicly available. Madigan said their search would be a hybrid form with some “representational aspects.” They may ask groups of people like faculty, students, staff and community members who commit to being confidential and allow them to provide their input on potential finalists.

Stenger announced his intent to step down at a BU Council meeting in October. Since his appointment, he has overseen initiatives like the Road Map Premier, described as a plan to ensure the University capitalizes on new opportunities and achieves its strategic goals.

Stenger also directed the establishment of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, which saw its first graduating class in 2021. Other accomplishments include the robust student body growth body, the expansion of graduate programs and the University’s designation as a “public Ivy” by Forbes.

To help conduct the search for his replacement, the committee sent requests in December to eight firms. Following an extensive vetting and interview process, the committee unanimously selected WittKieffer, an executive search and leadership advisory firm that has previously conducted searches for BU, most recently in January for David Whitmore, who will become vice president of advancement and executive director of the BU Foundation in March.

The search committee formally met on Thursday, and the team will soon create a presidential profile to center the qualities they hope to attract. This will be followed by the active recruitment stage, projected to last six to eight weeks. From a potential pool of 50 to 100 candidates, it will likely decrease to 10 or 12 semifinalists, Madigan said.

After another extensive interview process, about five will formally be recommended to the University Council. The top three will be selected from this pool, whose candidacies are then forwarded to King with a detailed evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. The chancellor will then meet with the SUNY Board of Trustees, who will interview the candidates one final time before the chancellor makes the final selection.

Stenger has vowed to remain in his post until a replacement is appointed, though Madigan said ideally, a replacement is found before the fall 2025 semester. As part of the search, she said the team plans to organize listening sessions to connect with “various constituencies on campus.” Madigan said she hopes these sessions will be a place where students can provide insight.

“I think everybody wants to feel that their perspective is considered as we develop the profile of the kind of person we want to lead the University into the future,” Madigan said. “And I think the community is definitely going to be interested in weighing in.”

The committee’s website has a feedback form so students can provide input on qualities and characteristics for the University’s next president. The committee hopes to keep the campus community informed through updates on their website.

“I remember talking to the press after he was selected as the new president, and I told the reporter, ‘He’s a star,’ and that’s exactly what he’s been,” Madigan said, thinking back to when Stenger was selected. “And so now we are now a premier institution not only in New York but also in the Northeast. And now with the Forbes and the other rankings we have, we’re going national.”

“Harvey has really set the stage for an amazing opportunity for the right person, the right leader, the vision and someone who could build on all the things that Harvey has done,” Madigan added.

The 21 search committee members are: Kathryn Grant Madigan, Linda Beimer, Dennis McCabe and Maureen Wilson, representing the BU Council; Paul Chiarot, Tina Chronopoulus, Eric Cotts, Komla Dzigbede, Barry Jones, Debi Mishra and Sue O’Brien, representing the faculty; Daksh Mehta, an undergraduate student; Kiana Tanghatar, a graduate student; Dan Black, representing the Alumni Association; Stuart Koenig and Tyrone Muse, the chair and vice chair of the University Foundation; Terry Deak, vice provost and the dean of the Graduate School; Andre Mathis, representing the Professional Staff Senate; Dewan Mantosh and Tony D. Hawkins, representing SUNY; Janet Ranucci, representing administrative support staff; and Zulaika Rodriguez-Awoliyi, a nonvoting member from the SUNY chancellor’s office.