How FFSA Will Cover Furman's Presidential Search

Furman's alumni deserve a seat at the table throughout this process. We will give them one.

Elizabeth Davis announced on May 18^th that she would retire from her position as president of Furman University at the end of the 2026-27 academic year. She has been president since 2014.

Now, the university’s future depends on selecting the right person to replace President Davis and confront the many challenges that bedevil the school. This is an opportunity to set a successful course for Furman for the next 10-plus years. This decision must be made wisely, and it is crystal clear who has the most responsibility for that decision.

According to the Association of Governing Boards, “[t]he most important job of a board of trustees is selecting a president”, a view echoed by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, which also add this: “when a presidential vacancy occurs, boards are rarely prepared to undertake a search.” Furman’s future then depends on its Board of Trustees getting this right.

The Furman Free Speech Alliance will cover all aspects of selection process: the procedures adopted by the trustees to recruit and vet President Davis’s successor, the selection criteria for a new president, the search committee composition and processes, the timeline for selection and much more.

We will keep our readers informed of official announcements from the university so they will not need to rely solely on the administration for news.

But we will do more than that. Relying on subject matter experts and those familiar with Furman’s particular circumstances, the FFSA will offer insights, investigations and, where appropriate, criticisms of the process as it moves forward to selection. When announced officially, we will examine the search committee as a whole and its processes from the perspective of best practices. Moreover, we will highlight the challenges, financial, cultural and academic a new president will confront.

You can also expect to see webinars, interviews, and analysis concerning the selection process.

This is coverage that no one else will provide. If you have not done so already, we encourage you to subscribe today. Please also invite your friends and family who love Furman and care about its future to subscribe as well!