Big Names

Though Tufts is understandably reluctant to release the names of its presidential candidates, the Daily took a first step towards unraveling the mysteries of the presidential search with Tuesday's article on Bill Richardson. For anyone interested in seeing Tufts get the best talent available, it was heartening to see Richardson's name as part of the search, and exciting to hear the advice of someone of his prominence.

Even if Richardson is not seriously considering the Tufts' post, the University must continue to concentrate its efforts on this type of candidate, "somebody who is a public person [who] brings a national prominence, which is good for the school," as Richardson explained when he spoke with the Daily. Tufts should wait until it finds this kind of candidate before replacing its outgoing president, John DiBiaggio, but it instead seems fixated on finishing the search at all costs by May.

On Tuesday the Daily broke the news that Richardson had interviewed with the presidential search committee last month at the offices of a Tufts trustee, Irwin Heller. But in advocating for other candidates, giving general advice on the search, being ambiguous about his own status, and talking to the national media about an all but certain run for New Mexico governor, Richardson clearly does not consider Tufts his next employer.

If we can't have Richardson, it should at least be people of his caliber that are the focus of the search. Richardson holds several academic degrees to satisfy the gripes of people who say the president should understand academia, but he, and people of his stature, also bring Tufts much more than natural intelligence. Richardson, for example, served as the secretary of energy and UN ambassador under the Clinton Administration. His name recognition made him well-suited to continue Tufts' fundraising successes and attempts to gain widespread publicity. It's the "Richardson Balance" that this search should strive for.

In Tuesday's Daily, Provost Sol Gittleman was right to say that academic credentials and national visibility are vital qualities for a potential president. The list of internal candidates is seemingly exhausted - Gittleman denies any interest in the position and the Daily reports today that Vice President Mel Bernstein, amongst other internal candidates, is no longer part of the process - the focus must now be on prominent national figures, not presidents of lower-tier universities and senior administrators at Ivy League schools.

With the hiring of the former secretary of the treasury, Larry Summers, by our neighbor in Cambridge, Harvard sent the message that nationally-recognized leaders are the most effective presidents. Summers has academic credentials, but also brings to Harvard real-world experience and national recognition. Harvard could have chosen any of a number of academically outstanding candidates, but it decided on a big name as its next leader. Tufts would be wise to follow Harvard's lead.

The one thing that could impede Tufts' attracting a prominent figure is the fact that many at the University want to finish the search by the end of the year. This expediency may ultimately prohibit Tufts from resolving the complicated issues necessary to get the best candidates. Time should not be a factor in this process; some national figures, for example, might object to living on campus, something that has been a hallmark of Tufts presidents over the past few decades. Salary issues and other benefits might also deter the first-rate candidates, and Tufts might need time to tweak its offer in light of the reluctant interest of a standout candidate.

Some additional recruitment of high quality candidates, like Richardson or former senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, might also be necessary if Tufts is to increase its chances at getting that big name person. The University should not hesitate to use its prominent trustees to recruit candidates, especially since many members of the Tufts community are active in the political and business world. Members of the search committee do say they are open to last-minute entries, but it seems unlikely a superstar will appear before June.

Unless Tufts is sitting on a goldmine, the search committee and executive committee of the Board of Trustees should seriously consider having President DiBiaggio return for another year, as he as agreed to do. No harm would come to Tufts for keeping DiBiaggio, who has done a stellar job in his ten-year tenure.

As it continues to narrow the field, the search committee should resist the temptation to pick someone with strictly academic credentials but little name recognition. That Bill Richardson even interviewed shows that Tufts has the ability to get a big name to replace President DiBiaggio, who presided over unprecedented fundraising and growth. In its efforts, Tufts should heed Richardson's advice, capitalizing on its current success to find someone who brings national recognition - someone who will be able to attract the best students and faculty. To do that, however, the committee may need more time, and no one would fault them for that.