Officials at Rutgers University are expected to announce the school’s next president today at a joint meeting of the school’s Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, culminating a national search that has been both comprehensive and confidential.
After hiring nationally renowned WittKieffer last fall to assist in the process, the search committee undertook an extensive listening tour involving those inside and outside of the Rutgers community before reviewing dozens of candidates for the position.
A number of finalists were brought to the area last week — but not necessarily to the campus, maintaining the desire to keep the end of the search out of public view. It worked.
As the school prepares to announce its next president this morning — the news is expected to come out around 11 a.m. — there have been no news leaks regarding the identity, an incredible accomplishment in the current media landscape.
A person familiar with the search but not authorized to speak publicly on it, said the pick is extraordinarily well qualified — but not among that names that have been speculated about since the school announced Saturday morning that the announcement would come today.
The school is believed to be seeking someone who has had previous experience running a major state university and a university system, making the need for confidentiality even greater as those currently in such positions certainly would not want their names to be known.
This is what is known.
The Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees are scheduled to meet this morning at 10 a.m. at Winants Hall, before almost immediately going into closed session to take the necessary vote on the finalist. At approximately 11 a.m., they are expected to reconvene and announce the choice.
Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to be there and to offer remarks.