Presidential visits are over; recommendation to come
By: Christian Losciale
Issue date: 1/15/09 Section: News
Webster University's presidential search is almost done.
With the two finalists' visits search finished, all that's left is for the search committee to make a recommendation to the board of trustee and for the trustees to select the president, possibly as soon as Jan. 22.
Elizabeth Stroble, senior vice president and provost and chief operating officers, and WU interim President Neil George met with students Jan. 14 and 15, respectively, in open forums.
Elizabeth Stroble
Economic worries played a heavy hand in the latest step of the presidential selection process, as students quizzed the newcomer candidate Stroble on issues from tuition to financial aid.
Addressing students' concerns over the diminishing availability of scholarships and student loans, Stroble said WU can fight these problems on two fronts: fundraising to increase the money available for scholarships, and lobbying to increase federal funds for Pell grants and tuition tax credits.
Stroble is competing with for the job. As an executive at Akron University in Ohio, Stroble has searched for a position as university president since at least February 2008, when the Akron student newspaper reported she had applied for the position at Elmhurst College in Illinois.
More than 40 students showed up in the Emerson Library Conference Room to participate in this round of the presidential selection process, asking the candidate questions on topics ranging from campus environmental efforts to the athletic program.
In her answers, Stroble emphasized her background as Akron's public face and image-maker, saying WU needs to clarify its message if it wants to become a competitive, brand name school.
"The main thing is to be clear about what we're good at - what makes us distinct - and get out into the marketplace with a very clear message about that," Stroble said.
Presently, WU's message is "a bit fuzzy," causing the university to stay "a little bit of a secret" in the academic world, she said.
With the two finalists' visits search finished, all that's left is for the search committee to make a recommendation to the board of trustee and for the trustees to select the president, possibly as soon as Jan. 22.
Elizabeth Stroble, senior vice president and provost and chief operating officers, and WU interim President Neil George met with students Jan. 14 and 15, respectively, in open forums.
Elizabeth Stroble
Economic worries played a heavy hand in the latest step of the presidential selection process, as students quizzed the newcomer candidate Stroble on issues from tuition to financial aid.
Addressing students' concerns over the diminishing availability of scholarships and student loans, Stroble said WU can fight these problems on two fronts: fundraising to increase the money available for scholarships, and lobbying to increase federal funds for Pell grants and tuition tax credits.
Stroble is competing with for the job. As an executive at Akron University in Ohio, Stroble has searched for a position as university president since at least February 2008, when the Akron student newspaper reported she had applied for the position at Elmhurst College in Illinois.
More than 40 students showed up in the Emerson Library Conference Room to participate in this round of the presidential selection process, asking the candidate questions on topics ranging from campus environmental efforts to the athletic program.
In her answers, Stroble emphasized her background as Akron's public face and image-maker, saying WU needs to clarify its message if it wants to become a competitive, brand name school.
"The main thing is to be clear about what we're good at - what makes us distinct - and get out into the marketplace with a very clear message about that," Stroble said.
Presently, WU's message is "a bit fuzzy," causing the university to stay "a little bit of a secret" in the academic world, she said.
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