President Johnson’s resignation: Ohio State announces Presidential Search subcommittees, plans for finding 17th Ohio State president

Jessica Langer, Aubrey Wright
Fri, 24 Feb 2023 19:00:16 +0000
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The Board of Trustees released plans for the search of the next university president Friday. Credit: Becca Duncan | LTV Campus Producer

University President Kristina M. Johnson is set to leave Ohio State after spring commencement, and the Board of Trustees announced leadership in the search for her replacement Friday.?

Chair of the Board of Trustees Hiroyuki Fujita will spearhead the Presidential Search Committee, which includes two subcommittees — the President Selection Subcommittee, which is composed of seven trustees, and the University Advisory Subcommittee, which is made up of 19 faculty, staff and students, according to the release. The subcommittees will work together to identify a candidate that will be presented later to the entire board.?

The Presidential Selection Subcommittee will manage the use of the external search firm Education Executives and share ways in which the Ohio State community can participate in the search process, the release stated.

Education Executives, based in California, specializes in the recruitment of senior leaders in comprehensive research universities, academic medical centers and scientific entities, according to its website.

According to the release, trustees who will serve alongside Fujita on the Presidential Selection Subcommittee are Jeff M.S. Kaplan, Tom B. Mitevski, Elizabeth Kessler, Lewis Von Thaer, Reginald A. Wilkinson and John Zeiger. The University Advisory Subcommittee is co-chaired by Jan Box-Steffensmeier, a Vernal Riffe professor of political science and sociology, and Phillip Popovich, a Ray W. Poppletoon research designated chair in the Department of Neuroscience in the College of Medicine.?

Undergraduate Student Government President Andrew Pierce, said in a statement as a member of the University Advisory Committee, he will work with the committee to ensure transparency, and the needs and interests of students are a priority.?

“As Undergraduate Student Body President representing over 51,000 undergraduate students and the sole undergraduate student on the subcommittee, I do not take my representation lightly,” Pierce said. “I am confident in our ability to choose a President that inspires and creates a Buckeye community for today and tomorrow.”

Johnson resigned Nov. 29, 2022, without an explanation. Reports claimed Johnson’s resignation came after she was told to step down by Ohio State’s Board of Trustees following concerns raised by staff members. The Lantern is still investigating.

University spokesperson Chris Booker said in an email the Board of Trustees met Dec. 19, 2022, to begin the search process.?

The formation of these committees follows a similar tradition to when Johnson was hired.?

In Ohio State’s last presidential search, the Presidential Selection Subcommittee consisted of seven trustees. This committee worked with the University Advisory Subcommittee and — with the help of the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller — made a candidate recommendation to the Board of Trustees.?

For the search for Johnson, the University Advisory Subcommittee consisted of 20 students, faculty, staff and community stakeholders. The subcommittee’s main tasks were to seek input from the broader Ohio State community during the search.?

The University Advisory Subcommittee held six public forums — four of which were held at regional campuses — to solicit feedback from university students, faculty and staff.?

In March 2020, the subcommittee released a profile outlining the traits, skills and qualities the community wanted to see in Ohio State’s 16th president.?

Issacson, Miller identified 428 potential candidates and narrowed the pool down to 61. Of these candidates, seven were interviewed by the selection subcommittee and four finalists were identified before Johnson was selected, according to a June 2020 Lantern article.?

The names of the other three finalists in the search for Ohio State’s 16th president were not released to the public.?

According to release, the President Search Committee will share ways in which the Ohio State community can participate in the search process.?

This story was updated at 6 p.m. to include a statement from Undergraduate Student Government President Andrew Pierce.