Christopher Newport University: Rector Appoints Presidential Search Committee

Press release from Christopher Newport University:

Jim Hanchett

December 10, 2021

Robert R. Hatten, Rector of Christopher Newport’s Board of Visitors, announced the appointment of the search committee that will recommend a candidate to be Christopher Newport’s sixth president.

President Paul Trible is retiring at the conclusion of the 2021-22 academic year. Adelia Thompson, currently Chief of Staff, will serve one year as Interim President, and then a new president will take office.

Hatten named the search committee at a meeting of the Board of Visitors (BOV); the BOV is the group that will make the final selection of the new president.

“This is an enormous job and it is unrealistic to think the search committee is going to find another Paul Trible,” Hatten said. He added that the committee will be in no rush and that is a luxury many universities filling leadership positions do not have. “Our objective here is to pick the right person and for that person to have enough time for a smooth transition.”

The search committee, chaired by Hatten, includes eight members of the Board of Visitors:

Joining the BOV members will be:

Hatten said he will name a student to the committee. “This is going to be an enormously democratic process. All voices are going to be heard.”

The first meeting of the search committee is tentatively scheduled for January 7, 2022. At that time, the panel will begin the process for hiring a professional search firm to help identify and vet potential candidates.

This press release was produced by Christopher Newport University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.