ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

by Danielle H. Dube, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

President Zaki, students, staff, trustees, fellow faculty, and guests: It is an honor to speak here today on behalf of the faculty to welcome President Zaki as our sixteenth president at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ.

During the presidential search committee listening sessions that I attended last year, when faculty were asked to share what qualities we sought in a president, the faculty spoke with animation about recruiting someone who is an advocate for the liberal arts and humanities, who believes in and protects time for scholarly work, and who understands the importance of building meaningful relationships in our community.

We spoke about wanting someone who champions diversity, equity, incl