| AU board holds open forum BY MATT GETTY 
Photo by Jeff Watts
Students, faculty, and staff met with AU’s Board of Trustees during an open forum last Thursday to discuss issues ranging from the university’s presidential search to the library’s reputation. The first of two open forums this year, the discussion gave Chairman Gary Abramson, Vice Chairman Thomas Gottschalk, and more than a dozen other board trustees an opportunity to hear concerns directly from the campus constituency. The presidential search is progressing, said Abramson, noting that the search committee held its third meeting the night before the forum and has contracted with the executive search firm Edward W. Kelley and Partners to assist in the process. A representative of the firm, Shelly Weiss Storbeck, was on hand to discuss the search process. Currently in the initial stages of what’s expected to be at least a 10-month process, the search committee, he stressed, remains focused on taking suggestions on the criteria that will define AU’s next president. In response to a student’s question on whether the board wants a president who will raise money for the university, respond to student concerns, or increase AU’s reputation, Abramson said, “Yes, yes, and yes,” with a laugh. Then he turned the question back on the audience, reminding them that they have as much control over the future president’s focus as the board does. “We welcome any suggestions or input the campus community would like to make,” he said, urging students, faculty, and staff to provide their input through the presidential search Web site (www.american.edu/trustees/pres_search.html). Other issues on audience members’ minds included the progress of the AnewAU campaign, the drop-off in international students since 2001, the reputation of the library, and AU’s efforts toward a “greener campus.” At its current level of $125 million, said Gottschalk, AnewAU is “still on schedule” to meet its goal of $200 million. “Last year,” Abramson added, “the university collected more cash than it had in any previous year.” To answer concerns about the library and international enrollment, the board turned to Interim Provost Ivy Broder. She stressed that the library’s reputation is more “urban myth” than reality and noted that she expects the library to keep its “preferred position” in the university’s two-year budget so that it can continue to bolster resources. Additionally, she said, the university has increased funding for the international admissions office to “dramatically increase the number of students we attract from abroad.” Keeping the campus environmentally friendly, board members said, continues to be a focus. Plans for the new energy-efficient School of International Service building, Abramson noted, “should really be an example to the community.” Nevertheless, explained Gottschalk, programs to increase sustainability at AU or improve the library still need to come from the bottom up. “The real initiatives come from the campus,” he said. The town-hall style discussion was the first of the open forums initiated under the new rules the board enacted this summer to ensure more transparency in AU’s governance. The next open forum has not yet been scheduled but will be held some time in the spring. 
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