A committee of PSU trustees has recommended that the full board name Acting President Stephen Percy to the interim position.
Members of the Executive & Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to make the recommendation at their Thursday meeting. The full board will decide whether to adopt the recommendation at its June 20 meeting.
Percy, dean of the College of Urban & Public Affairs, began serving as acting president following former president Rahmat Shoureshi’s May 10 resignation. In the three weeks since, the board considered interim president nominations and feedback from more than 350 students, faculty, staff and community members.
“Stephen Percy received overwhelming support from across campus and from the board to continue as interim president,” said Board Chair Gale Castillo. “We are grateful for his service to PSU.”
Should the full board vote to appoint Percy, he will serve as interim until a permanent president is appointed. Castillo said the board will wait until the fall to begin the selection process for a permanent president.
“We want that process to be inclusive, and we will engage the full community in the discussions,” Castillo said.
During the interim selection process, faculty, staff, students and community members identified several top qualities they wanted to see in an interim president.
The campus recommended choosing an interim candidate who showed a deep familiarity with PSU, a collaborative spirit, and personal characteristics such as integrity, honesty and humility. They also asked that the interim president be financially and politically savvy and committed to diversity, equity and inclusiveness. The committee measured candidates by whether they demonstrated those characteristics.
“I am gratified by the campus community’s confidence in me and thank the committee for their recommendation,” Percy said. “I look forward to the full board’s final decision. It’s an honor to serve PSU.”