Gov. Andy Beshear says UofL should have conducted search for new president

Gov. Andy Beshear believes the University of Louisville should have conducted a search before naming its next president, he said during a news conference Thursday.

“Let me say I think the former provost who’s going into that job is a really good candidate and would likely rise to the top of any search. But I always believe that you should do a search. You may think you have the very best person, but you do need to compare them to options,” he said.

The remarks came a day after the UofL Board of Trustees named Gerard “Gerry” Bradley, formerly the university’s executive vice president and provost, as the institution’s 20th president. The board voted to accept former President Kim Schatzel‘s resignation just minutes before voting to approve Bradley for the job.

Board Chair Diane Medley acknowledged that national searches are commonly used to fill presidential openings during a news conference following Bradley’s appointment, but she also noted it is within the board’s purview to name a permanent president without a search.

She said the board is confident that Bradley, who has been at UofL since 2016 and worked along Schatzel during years of record-breaking enrollment and retention rates, will continue the university’s momentum.

“In this case, we were very fortunate to already have someone in place, Dr. Bradley, who was so well suited for what we needed for the next stage that we felt like it was in the best interest of everyone to go ahead and name him as president so he can hit the ground running,” Medley said. “It was more of a logical decision rather than a departure from precedent.”

Beshear said he understands that the university’s decision may be rooted in a desire to maintain stability but would still prefer the decision come after a search.

“I think the board would tell you they were worried about stability, and I’m not suggesting that’s not a worry, but I always favor doing a search,” he said.

UofL’s previous two permanent presidents, Neeli Bendapudi and Schatzel, were both appointed following searches that were largely closed off from public view. Bendapudi served as president from 2018-2021 before leaving to become president at Penn State University.

Two people filled in as interim presidents between Bendapudi’s appointment and the departure of former President James Ramsey, who has been the only person to lead UofL for longer than three years since 2002.

Why did Kim Schatzel resign? UofL board provides few details

University officials have been silent about the specifics of what led to Schatzel’s resignation, with Medley only citing a divergence in goals between Schatzel and the board.

Beshear said he’s not privy to the circumstances leading to Schatzel’s resignation. He received word that Schatzel would resign roughly 24 hours before it became official, he said, but has not been able to verify any of the details he’s heard about the decision.

“As governor, I don’t get involved in the workings of the boards of our universities. When the last governor did that, Louisville’s accreditation was put on probation,” Beshear said. “Certainly, Dr. Schatzel was always positive and professional with me, and I wish her the best whatever her next location is.”

Contact reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Beshear: University of Louisville should have searched for president