Syracuse community should seize opportunities to take part in chancellor search

The chancellor’s vision affects each and every aspect of the Syracuse University community. Under the leadership of Chancellor Nancy Cantor, the influence of her office has reached beyond the university and into the city of Syracuse itself.

In an attempt to collect input from both the city and university populations concerning who should replace Cantor when she retires in June 2014, the Chancellor Search Committee will create a website dedicated to the search, and will hold several open forums. A campus-wide survey will also be distributed.

Through at least one of these platforms, students, faculty and members of the local community should take the opportunity to provide personal opinions and ideas on who should be the next person to hold one of the most prominent roles in the community.

For students and staff, the direction in which a chancellor takes the institution will influence how we pursue our academic and professional careers. This is a chance for those who have expressed dissatisfaction with Cantor’s past work to request a deviation from her leadership style. It also allows those who have supported her goals to call for similar thinking.

Cantor has built a strong relationship between the city of Syracuse and the university with projects like the Connective Corridor. Residents of the city should voice their content or discontent with these projects, and express if they want a similar relationship with the university to continue.

This is an opportunity to make a difference in SU’s future and the surrounding region. Cantor has spent years building her vision of Scholarship in Action. It is time to decide whether this is the past or future of SU.