Wanted: RIT’s 9th President

The search is on.

RIT is seeking a leader with vision, integrity, high energy and exceptional communication skills. The next president should also have a strong appreciation for technology, a commitment to diversity, the ability to fundraise, and the ability to lead a complex organization. And if that is not all, they need to be able to work with the Rochester community and to operate on the global stage.

Sounds like a lot, but RIT is on a strong trajectory and wants the right person to take the baton from , who is retiring at the end of the 2006-07 academic year after serving 15 years.

The RIT is now accepting resumes. A large national ad recently ran in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

To learn more about the search, visit the for the latest information. A nomination form is also available on the site.

Resumes will be accepted through November. With the help of a Boston-based consulting firm — Isaacson, Miller — the pool of candidates will be narrowed down. Finalists will visit the RIT campus in the spring. The will select the new president in the spring after receiving feedback from the RIT community.

The RIT community isn’t alone in hoping the university finds a great leader. The stakes are also high for the Rochester community, where RIT plays a key role in  economic development for Upstate NY. Reporter Matt Daneman breaks this down in a recent story in the Democrat and Chronicle, titled “RIT looking for the right fit at the top.”

Simone has set the bar high and has vowed to be a super salesman and honest broker with the finalists. He wants to see the next president take RIT to greatness. May the best candidates come forward…