Florida State University will interview nine finalists for the presidency this weekend. Among them are state education commissioner Richard Corcoran, lawyer/ lobbyist Sean Pittman and Athletics Director David Coburn.
The decision to include nontraditional candidates is concerning to several current and former faculty members who spoke out at Tuesday’s meeting.
“FSU isn’t someone’s ideological plaything or a golden parachute for the politically connected,” said retired FSU Administrator Joseph Clark. “The students, the faculty, the staff and their families, and our public expect more than that from you, as I am sure you are aware.”
Corcoran’s candidacy is raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest. The Commissioner serves on the Florida Board of Governors which oversees Florida’s public universities and must sign off on the person chosen as president. Corcoran’s credentials, both professional and academic, and his backing of charter schools and sometimes confrontational leadership style are also raising concerns. FSU Law student Samantha Kunin says being politically connected is not necessarily a bad thing.
“Especially being here in the Florida capitol we need someone who has a connection to the political environment,” said Kunin, who also served on the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion task force. “Someone with experience with the ‘ins and outs’ of the Florida legislature but can put away those party politics and work on both sides of the aisle…that was something President Thrasher has been able to do.”
FSU has a history of hiring former politicians, most recently outgoing President John Thrasher who was a former House Speaker and state senator.
Also in the running are University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Provost Robert Blouin, Harvard Vice Provost Robert McCullough, Tulane University’s Vice President of Research Giovanni Piedimonte, University of Maryland Provost Mary Ann Rankin and Texas A&M University President Emeritus Michael Young. The presidential search committee will interview candidates Friday and Saturday and will meet again on May 24 to forward a list of finalists to the full board of trustees.
The school expects a final decision on a president in early June.
