Presidential Search 2022-23

Dear York College of Pennsylvania community:

On behalf of the Presidential Search Committee, I write with an update on the presidential search process. 

To summarize progress to date, the Board of Trustees charged a 16-member search committee that has been working collaboratively with staff and WittKieffer, our search firm, since the summer of 2022. We developed a comprehensive leadership profile based on input from numerous listening sessions with faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni, and community members as well as an electronic survey. The leadership profile not only served as a compelling marketing tool for the position, but it has also provided the committee with a framework for the candidate evaluation process.   

In the fall of 2022, our search firm launched a global outreach effort that included advertising and targeted conversations with over 3200 people in higher education and other fields. We received close to 100 applications from an outstanding pool of candidates. We are very pleased with the quality of the pool and the enthusiastic response for the position. Candidates tell us they were attracted to our mission, history of outstanding leadership and success, commitment to students, our talented faculty and innovative programs, and our anchoring role in the greater York community.

The search committee has now begun its critical work of evaluating candidates, narrowing our focus to a small group of high-potential candidates, and designing a process that enables candidates to learn more about us while honoring the confidentiality of the search process. Some members of our community have been asked to participate in small group sessions with candidates and to provide the committee with feedback on those meetings as part of the committee's deliberation process.

We are grateful for the faith you have placed in this committee and for your commitment to and support for York College. 

We expect to provide you with more updates on the search later this winter.

Sincerely,

Steve Tansey
Search Committee Chair
Vice-Chair, YCP Board of Trustees

In early July, President Pamela Gunter-Smith formally announced her decision to retire at the end of the 2022-2023 academic and fiscal year. Dr. Gunter-Smith brought a vision and a strategic imperative to her presidency that helped transform the College from Great to Greater and set the institution on a pathway of success in the transforming environment of 21st-century higher education.

As Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, it is my responsibility to lead the committee tasked with the difficult job of finding a successor to Dr. Gunter-Smith. We are fortunate to be able to undertake this search at a time when the College is in a strong position strategically, academically, and financially. Building upon this foundation, our goal is to conduct a national search, consider a qualified and diverse slate of candidates, and provide a recommendation to the Board of Trustees on the next president of York College.

The Board of Trustees has appointed the executive search firm WittKieffer to assist with the search. In early July, WittKieffer spent time with the Board of Trustees to explain how the firm manages the search process and to understand the opportunities and challenges that exist for York College. Following the kickoff with the Board, a Presidential Search Committee was formulated. This team of diverse individuals represents York College faculty, administration, trustees, trustee emeriti, students, alumni, philanthropic supporters, and community stakeholders. The Committee has been assembled and will begin its work in early September. The timeline for this search has the Board of Trustees naming the next president of York College in early spring 2023.

This is a very exciting time for York College. Dr. Gunter-Smith’s leadership has created unique and inspiring opportunities for the College: from her broader engagement with the local community to the success of the College’s comprehensive campaign; from the vision of Strategic Plan 2.0 to the curricular pivot toward innovation and experiential learning – our future President has big shoes to fill but will be blessed with an institution that is poised for ever greater success. We look forward to welcoming that person to campus as the fifth President of York College.

Stephen W. Tansey
Vice Chair, York College Board of Trustees
Chair, 2022 York College Presidential Search Committee

To the York College Community:

York College of Pennsylvania President, Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith, has shared with the Board of Trustees her intent to retire in June 2023. The College’s fourth president, she came to York in 2013 after leadership roles at Drew University, Spelman College, and the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute.

In her inaugural speech, Dr. Gunter-Smith spoke of “Time and Place,” saying that “to successfully educate the next generation of students and to prepare them for life, great institutions must adapt and change as the landscape changes with time.” Her nine-year tenure has brought transformation and evolution, as she challenged York College to move from “Great to Greater.” During that time, she has:

• Created a stronger connection to York City with the opening of the Center for Community Engagement and Marketview Arts in downtown York. Both provide opportunities for students to engage with the local community through experiential learning and real-world problem-solving.
• Developed a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation through academic programs and outsidethe-classroom experiences, culminating in the creation of the Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation and the soon-to-be-completed York College Knowledge Park, a learning laboratory that will enhance opportunities for students and faculty to interact with local businesses and organizations.
• Enhanced the academic program by creating the current five-school structure and online offerings, as well as infusing the curriculum with high-impact practices such as project- and community-based learning courses.
• Launched the first comprehensive campaign, EVOLVE: A Campaign for York College, to fund strategic initiatives including scholarships that ensure a high-quality education remains accessible. The Campaign is on track to exceed its goal.
• Led York College through the COVID-19 pandemic. The College welcomed students back to campus for Fall 2020 with a continued focus on the student experience and institutional sustainability.
• Served the local community, commonwealth, and higher education nationally through her participation on various boards.

The York College of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees would like to express our sincere gratitude for the leadership, dedication, and vision that Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith has brought to the College and the community during the last nine years. Higher education has been in the midst of a changing environment throughout the country. We are so thankful that Dr. Gunter-Smith has been at the helm to lead us through a series of important changes and challenges that have resulted in a greater, more capable York College for our students, faculty, and community.

The Board of Trustees will begin the search for Gunter-Smith’s successor immediately. Details about the search process will be communicated shortly.

Laura T. Wand
Chair of the York College Board of Trustees