What is your ideal next president?

“I hope our next president has a proven track record in dealing with some of the crucial problems facing higher education today, including student debt and the growing cost of a university education, the limited access to higher education on the part of poor people and minorities, the growing use of contract faculty as opposed to tenure-track faculty, et cetera. I hope the faculty on the search committee feel the same. I would not want to see the trustees choose someone from outside higher education simply because he or she is a good fund raiser. That’s important, but it shouldn’t be the main thing with which university presidents are concerned.” — Jeff Goodwin, CAS professor

“I would love to see the next president of NYU continue to improve technology on campus and support students/organizations/offices that are actively working on initiatives or projects that would improve current systems that need to be changed. I would also like to see the next president make an effort to get to know key student organizations such as Commuter Student Council, Transfer Student Association, and the Class Activities Board, as they each serve a significant part of the campus.” — Carolynn Choi, Steinhardt junior

“My ideal president is someone who effectively balances the needs of all sectors of NYU. Someone who understands the importance of undergraduates alongside graduates, and that research across the board is essential for the university’s movement forward. The ideal president has a desire to make this school more technologically-savvy, and one who fosters the creative integrity of each individual student.” — Kate Avino, Steinhardt freshman

“The next president should be drawn from the ranks of NYU’s faculty and should not be paid millions. She should take immediate steps to reverse the trend of the universities increasing reliance on adjuncts for teaching, reverse the trend of per capita increases in tuition significantly outpacing per capita increases in financial aid every year, and she should negotiate a contract with Graduate Student Organizing Committee in good faith.”
— Ryan McNamara, CAS senior

What is your opinion on the last presidential selection? What is your opinion on the strengths and shortfalls of our current president?

“There basically was no search when Sexton was appointed. The trustees more or less anointed him. That was a bad beginning to Sexton’s term. And his presidency has been marked by a series of unilateral decisions with little or no faculty consultation, not to mention the financial scandals. And that led to a series of ‘no confidence’ votes in Sexton on the part of several faculties — CAS, Steinhardt, Tisch, et cetera. And the money Sexton makes and will make upon his retirement truly disgusts me. But I guess this is how America works these days. Truth be told, I don’t have great confidence that the next president will be radically different.” -— Jeff Goodwin, CAS professor

“We go to such a big institution that it’s nearly impossible to please everyone. What I loved about John Sexton is that he had a vision and he stuck with it, and made real and visible efforts to see it through. I’d like someone who has the same drive and determination — someone who presents a goal or a vision that will benefit the students, faculty, staff and community, and and uses their term to see that goal flourish.” — Kemi Akinbileje, Tisch sophomore

A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, Nov. 13 print edition. Email Amanda at [email protected].