The Corporation — the University’s highest governing body — will employ leadership search firm Spencer Stuart for guidance in finding a replacement for President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20, according to a Wednesday announcement by Chancellor Brian Moynihan ’81 P’14 P’19 and Vice Chancellor Pamela Ress Reeves ’87.
Paxson announced her decision to step down from her role as University president on Aug. 3. Her term will end at the end of 2026–27 academic year.
The Spencer Stuart consulting team, co-led by Michele Haertel P’08 and Ponneh Varho, was also hired for the presidential search that resulted in Paxson’s hiring in 2012. The team is seeking nominations for the next University president from Brown community members, Moynihan and Reeves wrote.
The primary decision-making body in electing the new University president will be the Presidential Selection Committee of the Corporation, co-chaired by Moynihan and Reeves. The committee will be aided by the Campus Advisory Committee to the Presidential Search, which will include undergraduate and graduate students, faculty members and one staff representative, the message states.
The Corporation is seeking nominations for members of the campus advisory committee from “the leadership of the respective governance bodies for each constituency,” Moynihan and Reeves wrote.
“As the search gets underway this fall, an early and critical stage of the process will be actively seeking the opinions and perspectives of Brown faculty, staff, students and alumni to guide us in our work,” Moynihan and Reeves wrote. “Members of the committees and the Spencer Stuart team will be eager to hear and understand the qualities and characteristics of leadership the Brown community is seeking in our 20th president.”
Emily Feil is a university news and metro editor covering staff & student labor and RISD. She is from Long Beach, NY and plans to concentrate in English and international & public affairs. In her free time, she can be found watching bad TV and reading good books.
