Candidates for the president’s job at Texas A&M have less than two weeks to be given what’s described as “optimal consideration” for the position.
The A&M system has documents on its website that you can find here that share the general characteristics that are being sought.
Quoting a ten page search profile, “The next President will respect and embrace the traditions and unique culture of the university, while continuing to encourage robust cutting-edge research, innovation and academic excellence. The President will be an exemplary communicator who will be able to not only articulate the university’s vision, but also work with all of its constituents to leverage the powerful resources of the university to lead it to even greater heights. The President will have unquestioned integrity, unending dedication to student success, and an unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The search profile also brings up an upcoming historical landmark, quoting, “Within the next decade, the university will celebrate its sesquicentennial milestone to move into the next 150 years of our story. Critical to this will be enhanced research, noted impact, and a continued pursuit of excellence in our educational mission and our reputation. We look forward to finding the candidate who is best poised to lead our university at this exciting time.”
The profile also serves as a 4-1-1 about the flagship. For instance, A&M has centers in a 500 year old former convent in Italy, in the rain forests of Costa Rica, and a former plantation in Mexico. And despite the pandemic, A&M’s $4 billion dollar fundraising campaign will soon come to an end and is on track to announce positive results.
There is also a summary of A&M’s research activity, faculty accomplishments, student body, traditions and values, fundraising, and an overview of College Station and Bryan.