After eight months of a thorough Presidential Search, Lynne Thompson, the Chair of the Board of Trustees, announced in an email today that the search has been completed. The Board of Trustees has appointed Dr. Suzanne Keen as the 10th president of Scripps College, effective July 1, 2022. Dr. Keen was “unanimously selected from a highly competitive pool of 64 applicants and 14 semifinalists.” She will hold the title of the W.M. Keck Foundation Presidential Chair, established in 1980.
Dr. Keen was previously the vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty at Hamilton College in New York. In addition, according to the same email sent by Lynne Thompson, “Dr. Keen brings a decade of experience as a dean; her current role followed a term as dean of the college at Washington and Lee, where she had also served as chair of the English Department. As a chief academic officer, Dr. Keen has enhanced experiential learning opportunities for students by expanding undergraduate research, improving access to student research, study abroad, and internship programs, and establishing a robust advising initiative.”
The presidential search began after President Laura Tiedens announced her resignation from Scripps College on November 10, 2020. Board Chair Lynne Thompson ‘72 sent a transition message in December. The effort progressed further in March 2021, as “the search committee and our search consultant focused on engaging the Scripps community by way of numerous virtual meetings, conversations, and online survey.” Further, Scripps College focused on selecting a president “who appreciates its academic excellence, embraces our community and culture, and advances our highest aspirations for the College’s future.”
Inspired by the Scripps College Shared Governance Model, the search committee was composed of trustee, faculty, student, alumnae, and staff representatives. Trustees Ellen Clark Brown and Deborah David ‘72 served as search committee co-chairs.
Amy Marcus-Newhall has served as Interim President since March. The email also stated that “Scripps College Interim President Amy Marcus-Newhall will return to her previous position as vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, a position she has held since 2010, effective July 1, 2022.” The Trustees expressed their gratitude for Marcus-Newhall and “her invaluable leadership as interim president over the past seven months.”
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