Cherilyn Murer, JD, president and CEO of CGM Advisory Group, Chicago, is an active voice in the advancement of higher education, health care, and the arts. She was president and CEO of a nationally recognized health care consulting firm for over 30 years until she sold it in January 2017. Murer is on the boards the School of the Art Institute and Northern Illinois University Foundation. She held a gubernatorial appointment to the Illinois Board of Higher Education and served two consecutive six-year terms on the board at NIU, where she was twice elected chairman. She is also vice chair of the 24-member Board of Trustees of the Lebanese American University (LAU) with campuses in Beirut, Byblos, and New York City.
With experience in four national university presidential searches, Murer was appointed to the international search committee for a new LAU president, with a decision anticipated by spring 2020. Here, she shares insights into its complexities.
How is a search for a university president with campuses outside of the U.S. similar to a single-country search?
An executive recruiting firm plays an important role in the search for a new president. Usually, at U.S. public universities, a board must select a firm from an approved list, while private schools are not typically bound by this restriction. In the LAU situation, a primary requirement was that the search firm had a strong international recruitment experience.
The LAU search committee and recruiters met in person at our New York campus several times and also conducted periodic telephonic meetings. At this stage, the search committee members from Europe, the Middle East, and the United States, are making every effort to attend meetings in person as the list of candidates narrows. In the final stages, interviews will be held in Beirut with faculty, administrators, and the community.
LAU board members determined the qualifications of a new president, then worked with the firm on the job description, a university position paper, and the search itself. To meet enrollment and financial goals, the search committee determined the critical skills, including marketing, fundraising, and financial acumen, as well as proven leadership skills to optimize the talents of the provost, deans, and faculty.
In today’s environment, the board is looking for a president with a strong moral com-pass who can inspire through example. This type of true north leadership can be quiet and subtle or bold and invigorating. Different circumstances call for various styles in leadership, but a board must be unwavering in finding a strong, ethical leader.
As in any search, attention is given to the status of the departing president. If the president was dismissed, the new leader must be skilled in crisis management to bring stability to the university. If the outgoing president has a long, respected tenure, consideration must be given to the preservation of his or her legacy.
In what ways is an international search more challenging?
A successful candidate must have a keen understanding of the politics, economics, and culture of the nations involved. Verbal and written language proficiency in multiple languages is critical.
Candidates who make the final cut are uniformly articulate, knowledgeable, and experienced. They have completed the process of in-depth due diligence and up to five personal interviews. Compensation is usually set based on precedence as well as competitive market factors and is usually not the most difficult point of negotiation.
A key element of search is the ability of the candidate to articulate why they are the best fit for the position. In-depth discussions over lengthy lunches or dinners with two individuals representing the search committee can be especially insightful.
If a country is in political and economic upheaval, how does the search committee address these issues?
Worldwide, many countries are, or will become, so volatile with political and economic upheaval that any normalcy of inter-national presidential searches dissipates. Protests in cities such as Hong Kong, Barcelona, and Beirut have become the new normal. Boards must demonstrate a level of sensitivity and skill in maneuvering in these environments. A candidate who commits through good as well as difficult times shows a willingness to take on and succeed in the position.
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