Webster Appoints New Chancellor
Webster University has appointed Tim Keane, PhD, to serve as its next Chancellor, effective Aug. 1. A search committee, comprised of Webster trustees, faculty, staff, alumni and students, selected Keane after a nationwide search.
A St. Louis native, Keane has decades of experience in the private sector and academia. He is currently serving as the dean of the Knauss School of Business at the University of San Diego.
Announcements have been sent to students, faculty, staff, alumni and other Webster community members.
Webster University Chancellor Search Committee
- Gay Burns, MBA ’94 – Co-Vice Chair, Board of Trustees; Search Committee Lead
- Mike Claiborne – Board Trustee
- Nathan Coleman, BA ’17, BM ’17, MM ’20 – Webster Staff Alliance Chair; Coordinator, Office of the Dean, Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts; Adjunct Faculty
- Alicia Elsner – Board Trustee
- Rayna Friedman, BA ’23, MBA ’26 – President, Student Government Association
- Laura Herring, BA ’70 – Former Board Trustee
- Stuart Chapman Hill, PhD – Associate Professor of Music; Director of Music Education, Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts; Vice President, Faculty Senate
- Michael R. Hulsizer, PhD – Dean, College of Science and Health
- Daniel Lisella, BS ’04 – President, Alumni Board of Directors
- Greg Malone, MA ’19 – Chief Information Officer; Adjunct Faculty
- Lisa Melandri – Board Trustee
- John Nickel BA, ’75 – Board Trustee
- Julie “J.P.” Palmer, PhD – Professor of Management, George Herbert Walker School of Business & Technology; President, Faculty Senate
- Atul Sharma – Board Trustee
- Charles Stucke – Board Trustee
Webster University Chancellor Search Updates
The following message was posted in the Webster Today newsletter and sent to faculty and staff on Feb. 10 on behalf of Gay Burns, who is leading the search committee:
Thank you to the 800-plus individuals who participated in the needs survey regarding the Chancellor responsibilities and capabilities. The search committee has finalized the job profile, identifying the highest priority needs, and it is posted on the University's website. The search is currently underway, and the committee looks forward to providing an update on the progress in a few weeks. If you would like to nominate someone for this opportunity, please send submissions to webster@russellreynolds.com.
The following message from the search committee leader, Gay Burns, has been shared with Webster University faculty, staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders:
Thank you to the over 800 people who participated in the January survey that asked about the needs and expectations for the next Webster University Chancellor. The findings from the survey were combined with in-person feedback from faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees from domestic and international campuses.
The feedback was used to develop the job description and will be used to assess candidates. The search committee is pleased with the interest shown in the opportunity by talented candidates from a variety of backgrounds. The committee will begin the interviewing phase of the search in the spring with the goal of announcing the Chancellor by this summer.
I am also pleased to share with you that the top 5-7 responses to the survey questions were quite consistent among our stakeholder groups when asked the following three questions:
- What do you see as the top priorities for the next Chancellor?
- Articulate a vision and strategy for the University’s future.
- Secure the University’s financial strength and future.
- Recruit, develop and retain talented faculty and staff.
- Improve the University’s reputation and rankings – regionally, nationally and internationally.
- Enhance the student experience and enrollment.
- What do you see as the most important experience candidates must have?
- Ability to successfully collaborate with faculty and staff.
- Managing a complex organization with some experience turning around organizations.
- Higher education leadership. (The source of this leadership was not deemed as critical if other capabilities exist and the candidates have a strong understanding of higher education.)
- Financial acumen.
- International experience and global mindset.
- What are the most important qualities for the next Chancellor to demonstrate?
- Transparent, approachable, collaborative, consultative and thoughtful leader. Humble servant-leader. High emotional intelligence.
- Highest integrity and strong moral compass.
- Visionary and strategic leadership.
- Stellar communication skills, including writing, public speaking, critical feedback and active listening.
- Financial management acumen.
Again, thank you to everyone who met to provide feedback or participated in our stakeholder survey. Your input will make a difference in our pursuit to select the best candidate to lead Webster University.
Gay Burns
Webster Board Trustee Co-Vice Chair and Search Committee Leader
The following message was sent to Webster faculty and staff via email:
Dear Webster Community Members,
The Search Committee has continued to narrow candidates for the Chancellor position
at Webster University. The committee has been impressed with the capabilities of the
candidates we have interviewed. Our plan is still proceeding to be able to gain acceptance
by the most qualified candidate, positioning us to have a new Chancellor in place
for the start of the Fall semester.
The committee gathered input from students, staff, faculty and community members through
a survey that was sent in January. Those responses were helpful as the committee determined
the top qualifications, which are detailed on the University website.
Sincerely,
Gay Burns
Co-Vice Chair, Board of Trustees and Search Committee Lead
The following email was sent to faculty, staff and students on July 2:
To the Webster community,
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, it is my pleasure to announce that we have hired Dr. Timothy Keane, the current dean of the Knauss School of Business at the University of San Diego (USD), as the next chancellor. Tim is a St. Louis native with decades of experience in both private enterprise and academia and holds a long list of impressive accomplishments in both realms. He will assume his new role on Aug. 1.
During Tim’s accomplished academic career, he has raised millions in donations for several universities, established numerous academic projects that are still creating amazing results, and attracted significant support from the community. In private enterprise, his accomplishments are equally significant. He founded several business units that improved the way companies worked, revolutionized how businesses market to niche markets, and founded his own company that attracted the attention of Fortune 500 clientele.
And he once was a professional soccer player, which demonstrates the sense of teamwork and camaraderie in him that is clear the moment you meet him. He is the right person to lead Webster into the future.
Look for this afternoon’s Webster Today and Webster’s online newsroom (news.webster.edu) to read a more comprehensive story about Tim. In the weeks after he takes the office, we anticipate he will work to hold meetings with students, faculty and staff so that they can get to know him personally and also share their thoughts and opinions about the University. In his interactions with Webster’s faculty and staff during the search process, Tim has expressed how impressed he is with the Webster community and the amazing accomplishments achieved over the years. He is eager to work closely with everyone to deliver a timely and thoughtful financial turnaround, building upon Webster’s foundation, successes and recent enrollment momentum.
In the interim between Dr. Beth Stroble’s last day as chancellor on June 30 and Tim coming on board on Aug. 1, I will act as interim chancellor on an unpaid basis.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank Trustee Gay Burns for overseeing the search process, as well as the students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community who sacrificed a great deal of their personal time to help review all of the applicants for the position and for pointing the board to Tim. The entire Board is grateful that President Julian Schuster has been here to lead the teams in growing our enrollment and addressing financial strategies that put us in a much better financial position today. We look forward to his continued leadership.
Additionally, we would like to thank Beth for her many years of service and accomplishments at Webster, and we wish her the best in her retirement.
Sincerely,
Sumit Verma
Chair
Webster University Board of Trustees