Buzz building: Mac's close to naming new president
October 14, 2009
Wade Hemsworth
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/653010
McMaster University could name its next president as early as tomorrow.
The university's 10-member committee to recommend a president could present a candidate for nomination by the university senate this afternoon and final approval by the university's board of governors the following morning.
It's a decision that will have far-reaching implications both on and off campus, especially as the university continues to turn outward, taking a broader role in Hamilton's economic redevelopment.
The selection process is so tightly guarded, though, that even the timing of an announcement may not be revealed in advance.
"It is a very, very closed process," said university spokesperson Andrea Farquhar, who said notice of an announcement is unlikely to be given, even internally, before it becomes public.
"This is more airtight than anything I've ever heard of," said one senior university administrator.
Still, buzz is building on campus in anticipation of the decision on who will lead the university for at least the next five years, likely longer.
The naming of the university's seventh president comes after a nine-month search by a committee composed of five McMaster senators and five governors.
They have been working -- together with an executive search firm -- to pare down a long list of suggestions and applications, to interview what is believed to be a short list of three to six candidates.
The committee has been working toward presenting a candidate by the end of the year.
If there is no announcement this week, the next apparent opportunity would be in December, when the senate and governors meet again.
While there has been no leak of who the new president could be, there has been no shortage of speculation on- and off-campus about who could be under consideration.
The job description alone is nine pages long.
The new president is expected to work extremely long weeks, to be an experienced leader, an expert in government relations, a skilled fundraiser, an academic (preferably with a PhD), and a polished public speaker.
Of the six presidents to have served since McMaster adopted the title, all but one have been internal appointments, the exception being one-term president Geraldine Kenney-Wallace.
Whoever takes the job will follow the university's longest serving president, Peter George (George Gilmour served a combined 20 years as chancellor, then president).
By the time George's third term ends on June 30, he will have served 15 years in the office, and 45 years at McMaster.
George has overseen a period of rapid growth both in size and stature. The university's student population has grown 60 per cent in the last decade alone, and McMaster has undergone a building boom both on campus and off, including a new stadium and athletic centre, a new student centre, a major new engineering building, and a new medical research and education centre.
A new research park and satellite business campus are under construction.
The university is also in the late stages of its most ambitious fundraising campaign, closing in on its goal of $400 million.
Its reputation for research quality and intensity is on the rise, and McMaster continues to punch above its weight in national and international rankings.
Still, the new president will take office as McMaster faces considerable financial pressure from a complex blend of factors. The most recent report from the president's advisory committee on the impact of the economic situation warns that if current trends continue, McMaster faces potential annual deficits ranging from $37 million and $86 million between 2010 and 2013.
The new president will also inherit the considerable weight of the deferred maintenance to existing structures, issues of campus crowding, tension over whether new public transit routes should run through campus, and strained relations with neighbours over the growth in off-campus student rentals.
What makes the guessing game harder is not knowing how the committee is prioritizing the qualities it wants. Is fundraising ability more important than academic credibility? Is gender an issue? Does youthful energy trump experience and wisdom? Would it be better to go outside for a fresh perspective, or hire internally for stability? Could the committee try to strike a balance by choosing from the impressive list of former McMaster administrators who have gone on to leadership positions at other institutions?
It's still anybody's guess, but for now, here's a look at least some of the names being talked about, based on off-the-record conversations with numerous insiders and informed observers.
It is important to note that there is no official confirmation of who among them may or may not actually be in the running.
Michael Atkinson
The former McMaster political science professor, department chair and associate vice-president (academic) spent 22 years there before leaving for the University of Saskatchewan in 1997, where he served a decade as provost and vice-president (academic) before being named executive director of the university's graduate school of public policy. Atkinson's administrative experience and McMaster roots have landed him on several observers' lists of possible presidents.
Ilene Busch-Vishniac
As McMaster's provost and vice-president responsible for academic affairs, Busch-Vishniac's position is one notch below president on the university organizational chart, making her a natural contender for the president's job. Busch-Vishniac is an engineer whose impressive resume includes a PhD from MIT and five years' experience as dean of engineering at Johns Hopkins University. She is considered an effective negotiator and a quick study, but after just two years at McMaster, it's not clear if the committee would feel she has the local experience she needs.
John Capone
The dean of science is considered talented, committed and personable, but would have to leap over an entire layer of vice-presidents and associate vice-presidents to land in the top job. Having been in the dean's chair since 2005 makes Capone, a specialist in cell biology and regulation, a veteran among his peers. Capone oversees a faculty whose size, profile and reputation are growing. Though such a leap is not unheard of, making the jump from dean would be a considerable feat.
Mo Elbestawi
McMaster's vice-president responsible for research, Elbestawi is also former dean of engineering. His predecessor in both positions was Mamdouh Shoukri, who went on to become president of York University, creating a path that makes Elbestawi a natural candidate. The research VP is already responsible for a portfolio worth nearly $400 million. McMaster's emphasis on research and innovation, the early success of McMaster Innovation Park and the ascendancy of engineering within the university help to raise his profile.
Alan Harrison
A former dean of social science at McMaster, Harrison, an economics professor, spent 25 years there before leaving to become provost and vice-president (academic) at Carleton University in 1997, later moving to take the same position at the University of Calgary, where he remains today. If he is interested and the committee wants him, the presidency at McMaster would appear to be a natural next step, though Calgary will soon be looking for a president of its own to replace fellow McMaster veteran Harvey Weingarten, who is retiring.
John Kelton
As McMaster's long-serving vice-president and dean of health sciences, Kelton is probably the most natural successor to Peter George. He is a well-regarded leader and veteran McMaster administrator, but is said not to be interested in the job. The medical school is growing both in size and in reach, with two new satellites open and at least two more to come, while its research profile is also expanding rapidly. McMaster's problem-based learning model, its three-year MD program and advanced education technology are also drawing international attention. Furthermore, the demands of the president's job would almost certainly require Kelton -- a specialist in blood diseases -- to give up practising medicine, something he is said to be very reluctant to do.
Kevin G. Lynch
Until July 1, Lynch served as Clerk of the Privy Council, the highest civil service job in Canada. Lynch, like outgoing president Peter George, is an economist and, having served as a deputy or assistant deputy minister in numerous portfolios, is well connected to political structures that fund most of the university's operations. Lynch earned his PhD at McMaster, lending academic credibility to his impressive list of qualifications. It is unclear whether Lynch would be interested in the job.
Maureen Mancuso
The University of Guelph provost and vice-president (academic) started her university education in political science at McMaster before earning graduate degrees at Carleton and Oxford. A specialist in political ethics and corruption, she has served as a consultant to the House of Commons. Mancuso, a one-time faculty member at McMaster, is also an award-winning teacher.
Gilles Patry
President of the University of Ottawa from 2001 to 2008, Patry holds a PhD in engineering and was a McMaster engineering professor from 1983 to 1993, giving him a possible trifecta of academic, administrative and local experience that could be attractive -- if he is even interested in the job.
Kevin Smith
The president and CEO of St. Joseph's Health System holds a PhD from the University of Sussex in England, giving him both administrative experience and academic credentials that are important ingredients in the job. His hospital work also gives him important government connections and experience. Smith is also a director of the Canada Foundation for Innovation, a major funder of academic research. And Smith's local connections could prove to be helpful in another important element of the job: fundraising. Still, becoming president of McMaster would likely mean a pay cut.
Harvey Weingarten
McMaster's provost and vice-president (academic) from 1996 to 2001, Weingarten has been president of the University of Calgary since 2001. He announced in February -- shortly after McMaster's search began -- that he would retire from Calgary Jan. 1, 2010, six months before the McMaster term begins. Since he announced he was leaving the post in Calgary, Weingarten's multimillion-dollar pension deal has been raising eyebrows. Weingarten certainly has the qualifications, but is he even interested? And if so, would the pension controversy be a concern for McMaster's committee?
The incoming president of McMaster will take office as the university faces considerable financial pressures.
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