Search for new president over

By Winston Yu

Michael Engh, S.J., will put an end to Locatelli's 20-year tenure as president when he moves into the president's office in Walsh Hall in January.

The search for a new president took a little over five months, and more than 70 candidates were considered. The process was expedited by the creation of guidelines for search committees to replace the president. The Board of Trustees outlined these guidelines for several administrative positions some years earlier, said Jeanne Rosenberger, vice provost for student life and dean of students.

Locatelli announced his resignation from the presidency last March, and the Board of Trustees quickly assembled a search committee to evaluate potential candidates. The preliminary list included a variety of individuals, some nominated by faculty, alumni and students as well as individuals that had applied for the position, Rosenberger said.

The committee began with a framework of what they were looking for in a president. In addition to the requirement that the president be a Jesuit, they were searching for an individual who possessed teaching and administrative experience, an ability to fundraise well and strategic planning experience.

Several groups on campus -- including graduate students, undergraduate students, the athletics department and Associated Students -- met with the committee to help members understand what people wanted from the new president.

Through interviews and campus visits, the search committee narrowed it down to three candidates, one of which was Engh. He was declared the search committee's recommended candidate by Aug. 11 and visited Santa Clara for interviews with various groups on campus.

The Board of Trustees formally voted to name him Santa Clara's newest president at a special meeting held on Sept. 17. During interviews with his various constituencies, Engh was consistently given positive reviews, Rosenberger said.

She said she noticed Engh's ability to quickly engage students in conversation and to make them feel at ease while talking to him.

"That's the primary reason I came to a university," Engh said. "To engage among the students."

Engh's communication skills and experience as a leader, manager and professor compelled the search committee to name him as the recommended candidate for the position, Rosenberger said.

"He's a very intelligent, thoughtful articulate listener," she said. "He's a very good communicator, but he also, I think, is thoughtful in how he processes information and understands it."

Contact Winston Yu at (408) 554-4546 or wyu1@scu.edu.