Dear fellow Whitman Students,
Our names are Jack Percival and Gladys Gitau, and we served on the Presidential Search Committee that selected Kathy Murray to serve as Whitman’s 14th president. Because this was a confidential search, we wanted to address some concerns that were brought to us during the process.
The most common questions that we both received were if we felt that we actually had a voice on the committee and if our input was taken seriously. We were involved throughout every stage of the process, including reviewing application materials, conducting reference checks, and interviewing candidates. We also participated as equal members of the committee with faculty, staff, trustees, and overseers.
Kathy Murray was our first choice mainly because we both felt that she was very familiar with pertinent issues affecting higher education in general and Whitman specifically, including Title IX, diversity and inclusion, and college access and affordability. We also believe that she will bring a very transparent leadership style to the College and will involve students in decision-making processes.
We are confident that Kathy, taking input from campus constituencies, can execute a bold and strategic vision for the College, uniting our community behind something tangible, powerful, and distinctive.
We are incredibly enthusiastic about Kathy’s appointment and feel very fortunate to have her as our next president.
Please feel free to get in touch with either of us if you have any further questions or concerns about the process.
All the best,
Jack Percival ’16 and Gladys Gitau ’16