Editorial: Baruch Ready for President

Last week, the search for Baruch's new president was opened to the student body as the candidates address the school and made themselves available to answer questions in open forums. With the final forum on Monday, Feb. 8, everyone will have had a chance to get a glimpse of their possible new president and hear from each of them on what their priorities would be if they take over from Interim President Stan Altman.

At the end of last August, President Kathleen Waldron abruptly ended her five-year career at Baruch when she resigned and Altman, a tenured professor of the School of Public Affairs and chair of the Faculty Senate, replaced her immediately. No clear reason as to why Waldron stepped down was ever given.

While we make no complaints about Altman's leadership of Baruch, the college is definitely ready for a permanent leader to take over in the fall. Altman is a well-respected part of the faculty and will remain prominent in the Baruch community.. After he assumed leadership in August, The Ticker spoke with Altman at the Board of Trustees meeting in which his new title was announced.

"I won't run for president next year," the interim president told The Ticker. "I'm not looking to make this a lifelong dream; I want to get back to the faculty."


With the three final candidates: Baruch Provost James McCarthy, Gerald Rosenfeld, deputy chairman of Rothschild North America, and Mitchel Wallerstein, dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, the three choices all seem fitting for Baruch. Open forums were already held for Rosenfeld and Wallerstein last Monday and Wednesday. McCarthy will conclude them on Monday.

The candidates were chosen by the Presidential Search Committee, which was comprised of CUNY faculty, Baruch professors and two Baruch student representatives.


The Ticker awaits the final forum to give its take on which candidate will best suit Baruch.