Presidential Search
Pre-Search Survey

This brief survey is intended to elicit input as we begin the search for the next President. The confidential and anonymous survey is administered by our partner at Academic Search, Senior Consultant Scott Flanagan, who is assisting the Search Committee in this process. The Committee values your input, as your ideas will help shape the position profile used to advertise and market this position. That profile will clarify for potential candidates what is distinctive about Gannon University; what the leadership agenda will be for the next President; and what qualifications and attributes will be essential for that President’s success. Your responses will be anonymous, so when you respond to open-ended questions, please do not disclose your name or any other personally identifiable information.

Thank you for completing this survey!

Sincerely,
Leadership Transition Committee

Question Title

* 1. What are the most significant institutional strengths or forward-looking opportunities the next President will inherit?
**(Please select no more than 5)**

Gannon’s strong financial situation

Student success (retention, graduation, job/graduate school placement, etc.)

Committed and talented faculty and staff

Community relationships

Development in downtown Erie

Leadership team

Engaged alumni

Institutional culture

Diversity of academic offerings

Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) initiative

Capital campaign

Global connections

Quality of academic programming

Other (please list):

Question Title

* 2. Do you have any additional thoughts around strengths or opportunities?

Question Title

* 3. What are the most significant challenges the next President will take on?
(Please select no more than 5)

Political and cultural tensions within American society

Attracting and successfully serving a more diverse student body (socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, etc.)

Sustaining mission and identity in context of rapidly changing external environment

Economic challenges (e.g., inflation, recession)

Competition for talented employees

Regulatory environment

Competition for students

Cost of higher education

Uncertainty in global affairs

Decline in college-going population

Declining perceived value of college education (debt, alternatives to college, etc.)

Other (please list):

Question Title

* 4. Do you have any additional thoughts around significant challenges?

Question Title

* 5. What are the most important goals for a new President to achieve during their first 3-5 years?
(Please select no more than 5)

Higher Four-year graduation rate

Enhance diversity of faculty, staff, and student body

Higher enrollment

Strengthen Catholic identity

Increased external funding

Higher student retention

Execute toward existing strategic plan

Maintaining high-demand academic programs

Better employee retention

Develop strategic vision and plan for beyond 2025

Better alumni engagement

Greater employee satisfaction

Strengthen the financial health of the university

Other (please list):

Question Title

* 6. Do you have any additional thoughts around goals for the next President?

Question Title

* 7. Given those goals, what are the most important characteristics, competencies, experiences, skills, etc. of the next president?
(Please select no more than 5)

Flexibility

Humility

Experience in effectively working with a governing board

Financial acumen

Creativity/innovation

Fundraising experience

Open-minded

Understanding of and commitment to Gannon’s Catholic identity

Ability to build trust

Experience in creating welcoming work and learning environments

Ability to/experience in building an effective senior team

Charisma and willingness to build effective relationships within the campus and broader community

Accessibility

Experience in senior leadership

Strategic: visionary, able to articulate and execute plans

Communication skills

Decisiveness

Strong understanding of trends affecting higher education (educational, technology, demographic, etc.)

Confidence

Other (please list):

Question Title

* 8. Do you have any additional thoughts about characteristics, competencies, experiences, skills, etc.?

Question Title

* 9. Do you have any additional comments or thoughts you would like to share?

Question Title

* 10. Please select your primary role at/relationship with Gannon (i.e. a staff member taking classes would identify as staff, a Board member who is an alum would identify as a Board member, et al)

Alum

Board member

Faculty member

Staff member/administrator

Student

Presidential SearchPre-Search Survey

Question Title

* 1. What are the most significant institutional strengths or forward-looking opportunities the next President will inherit? (Please select no more than 5)

Question Title

* 2. Do you have any additional thoughts around strengths or opportunities?

Question Title

* 3. What are the most significant challenges the next President will take on?(Please select no more than 5)

Question Title

* 4. Do you have any additional thoughts around significant challenges?

Question Title

* 5. What are the most important goals for a new President to achieve during their first 3-5 years? (Please select no more than 5)

Question Title

* 6. Do you have any additional thoughts around goals for the next President?

Question Title

* 7. Given those goals, what are the most important characteristics, competencies, experiences, skills, etc. of the next president? (Please select no more than 5)

Question Title

* 8. Do you have any additional thoughts about characteristics, competencies, experiences, skills, etc.?

Question Title

* 9. Do you have any additional comments or thoughts you would like to share?

Question Title

* 10. Please select your primary role at/relationship with Gannon (i.e. a staff member taking classes would identify as staff, a Board member who is an alum would identify as a Board member, et al)

Presidential Search
Pre-Search Survey

* 1. What are the most significant institutional strengths or forward-looking opportunities the next President will inherit?
**(Please select no more than 5)**

* 3. What are the most significant challenges the next President will take on?
(Please select no more than 5)

* 5. What are the most important goals for a new President to achieve during their first 3-5 years?
(Please select no more than 5)

* 7. Given those goals, what are the most important characteristics, competencies, experiences, skills, etc. of the next president?
(Please select no more than 5)