Northwestern has taken the next step toward appointing its 17th president: releasing the position profile for the role, the University announced in a Thursday news release.

After University President Morton Schapiro announced his plans to end his tenure in August 2022 this past March, NU put together a presidential search committee, which identified characteristics and community needs to inform the hiring process. 

Priorities for candidates’ attributes include a genuine commitment to equity and an understanding of the need for a clear vision for the University, several members of the committee said in the release. 

The committee will now look at the approximately 230 nominations it has received so far, keeping in mind the recently announced Diverse Candidate Slates Policy, which outlines ways search committees can ensure an equitable and diverse candidate selection process.

There is no planned timeline for the search. Executive search firm Isaacson, Miller will assist the committee throughout the process, including in narrowing the potential candidate pool until a finalist is presented to the Board of Trustees for consideration.

“We are in an ever-changing global landscape, and that evolution extends to higher education,” Alicia Boler Davis, a member of the Board of Trustees and vice chair of the Presidential Search Committee, said in the release. “Our committee is conscious of this as we identify the next president who is prepared to advance Northwestern’s impact and global reach.”

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