Dear Rhodes Community,
We are engaged in an important time of transition as we thank President Marjorie Hass for her remarkable service and begin the search to find the 21st President of Rhodes College. I’m writing today to announce the formal launch of the search process and outline the multiple ways in which the community can give input into the process.
Beginning the Search Process
While the hiring of the president is ultimately the responsibility of the Board of Trustees, we cannot do our job well without fully understanding the needs, priorities, and aspirations of the entire Rhodes community. Therefore, we encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to share your input at the start of the search so it may be incorporated into the Search Committee’s understanding and into the position profile as it is developed in the coming weeks.
We have named a search committee composed of a cross section of our community. The committee members include trustees, faculty members, staff, students, alumni, and Memphians.
We have hired consultants from Storbeck Search to assist us in this transition. Sue May, Shelly Storbeck, Matt Marsallo, and Alyssa Perez of Storbeck Search will work closely with us to generate an excellent, diverse pool of candidates.
Our search consultants are planning a remote listening tour on March 29th-31st. These sessions will provide the campus community the opportunity to share their thoughts directly with our search consultants. The co-chairs of the search committee we will join some sessions as well in order to hear your input directly.
We have also opened a community survey. All members of the Rhodes community are encouraged to share their input into the presidential search by completing a brief survey. The results of the survey will be shared solely with the members of the presidential search committee and will be used to help shape the position profile.
Nominations for potential candidates can be emailed directly to our search consultants.
Announcing an Interim President
A thorough and thoughtful presidential search takes time. The Board of Trustees has determined that we will need to appoint an interim president to take office this summer after President Hass’s departure. The interim president will not be a candidate for the permanent role and will serve only until Rhodes’ 21st President is formally named.
Our search for an interim president has led us to appoint Carroll Stevens J.D. to the post as of July 1, 2021. Carroll currently serves as a member of the Rhodes College Board of Trustees and was previously Vice President for Advancement at Claremont McKenna College, one the nation’s foremost liberal arts colleges. From 1987-2005, he was Associate Dean of the Yale University School of Law, and prior to that Associate Dean of the College of Law at the University of Kentucky. You can learn more about Carroll in the news story announcing his appointment. We are confident that his appointment will add a generous, positive, and creative spirit to the already strong leadership team at Rhodes.
The Board of Trustees recognizes that we have no more important responsibility than to choose a President under whose leadership all members of the Rhodes community will thrive and be able to carry out its highest mission. Thank you, in advance, for your thoughts and support as we work to find our next President.
Best,
Cary Fowler '71
Chair, Rhodes College Board of Trustees