As University President John T. Casteen, III prepares to retire in August of next year, the University has commenced its search for its eighth president.\nAfter Casteen announced his plans to step down, the University formed a Special Committee on the Nomination of a President - chaired by Board of Visitors Rector John O. "Dubby" Wynne - in July.\nNine Board members, six faculty members, two former rectors and two students compose the committee. Eleven of the 19 members are alumni.\nAlthough the committee has yet to meet, Wynne said it is in the process of gathering input from University staff, students, faculty and friends about the type of person needed to fill Casteen's shoes. Higher education experts and "others who care deeply about the University's future" also will offer recommendations about the search for Casteen's replacement.\nDuring Casteen's soon-to-be 20-year tenure, the University saw much of its funding switch from the public to private sector because of numerous commonwealth budget cuts. Casteen also oversaw the creation of AccessUVa - the University's well-regarded financial aid program - as well as an increase in the school's overall class diversity. The next University president, therefore, will have to deal with similar budgetary and diversity issues, not to mention additional issues that may arise in the future.\nWynne, though, stated in an e-mail that he is not ready to comment specifically about potential replacements' desired qualities.\n"The search committee has not met yet, so I cannot, and should not, speak to their thoughts on qualifications [for presidential candidates]," Wynne stated.\nMeanwhile, as a means to acquiring additional input about the subject and benefit from outside opinion, the committee will hold six public forums during the next month, Wynne added.\nStudent Council President John Nelson, who is a member of the committee, said these forums will allow students and other University community members to offer their input to the committee.\n"The public forums will be a great opportunity for everyone in the community to share their opinions about what they would like to see for the next president," Nelson said. "It's a great opportunity for students to be engaged in the process."\nThe forums also will allow participants to voice advice and concerns to the committee about how it might conduct the presidential search, Wynne said.\nFor those who cannot attend the planned sessions, Wynne said the forums will be audio taped and posted online. The committee also will accept suggestions via e-mail and its Web site.\nAlthough the forums have yet to take place, Wynne said the committee already has received hundreds of pages of feedback compiled from e-mail responses, Web site submissions and hard-copy materials.\nOn Monday, the committee also will meet for the first time, Nelson said.\n"There is no specific timeline, but we would like to have our next president in place before President Casteen steps down," Wynne stated in an e-mail.
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