Presidential Search

Welcome to Charger Nation

The University of New Haven is a private, top-tier, residential, comprehensive institution recognized as a national leader in experiential education. The University is composed of five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Pompea College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, and the School of Health Sciences.

The University awards baccalaureate and associate degrees in 105 undergraduate majors; master’s degrees in 92 areas of graduate study; and doctoral degrees in criminal justice, applied engineering, health sciences, and occupational therapy. In 2022-23, the University awarded 1,134 undergraduate and 1,674 graduate degrees.

Estimated Timeline

• September, 2023 – Listening Sessions and development of the Leadership Profile
• October-December, 2023 – Candidate recruitment and review
• January, 2024 - Semifinalist and finalist interviews begin
• Spring, 2024 – Candidate selected
• Summer, 2024 – Chosen individual officially starts as University President

Campus Community

Faculty and staff who come to the University of New Haven from other institutions uniformly remark upon the University's remarkable culture. They speak to the ability to experiment and innovate, be creative and nimble, and make things happen without undue delay. One hears expressions of significant admiration for fellow faculty and staff: There is a personal and professional generosity that infuses campus life and that helps make best work more likely. People also note the consistent centrality of care for the University's students: their education, holistic growth and overall experience, and preparation for and success in pursuing lives of impact and meaning.

Small Footprint. Big Ambition.

Nestled in the heart of Connecticut, New Haven is a city steeped in history and tradition, and also a vibrant hub of innovation, culture, and prosperity.

Situated on approximately 20 square miles along the picturesque Long Island Sound, it is home to nearly 130,000 residents. Conveniently located between Boston and New York City, New Haven is large enough to be interesting, yet small enough to be friendly. Known as the Elm City, thanks to a mention by author Charles Dickens and the large number of trees, New Haven combines urban sophistication with the charm of traditional New England.

Virtual Tour of Campus

Saluti dalla Toscana!

The University of New Haven opened its first international satellite campus in Prato, Italy in the fall of 2012. The historic city of Prato offers University of New Haven students an authentic Italian cultural experience. Prato, the second largest city in the Tuscany region, is just 25 minutes from Florence and less than two hours from Rome by train.

Tuscany Campus

Our Next President

Among the many opportunities awaiting the new president, the following inter-related imperatives are of particular note.

• Define an Innovative Future for UNewHaven

  The seventh president of the University of New Haven will step into a creative space: with talented faculty and staff, a generous alumni base, and an engaged board, the next president is expected to lead the mapping of a distinctive and sustainable future for the University that draws upon a spirit of entrepreneurialism and strategic risk-taking. While the University has an ongoing 2026 strategic plan, A Bold Path Forward, it is the new president who will take up the baton, listening and learning, studying, assessing realities and opportunities, and sharpening vision and focus.

• Generate Shared Purpose

  Even as the next strategic plan is being developed, the new president will begin the effort to inspire the extended UNewHaven community in support of the vision. Like many campus communities, the University of New Haven faculty, students, and staff have experienced substantial change throughout the pandemic years and into Fall of 2023. The new president will draw upon their own fresh perspective and introduction into the campus and extended UNewHaven community to raise faculty and staff morale, engage with the University's exceptional students and be present and visible at campus events, come to know UNewHaven alumni and friends, and inspire the campus and its extended community to move forward as one university to greet what will surely be an exciting future.

• Develop and Empower an Exceptional Leadership Team

  The University of New Haven’s seventh president will develop their leadership team, aligning both the organizational structure and team in service of the University’s mission, vision, values, and direction. Immediate priorities include the above-mentioned evaluation of the student mix and a sharpening of the enrollment strategy, a continued focus on nurturing an inclusive campus community characterized by high morale, where all belong and are supported in their educational and professional goals, and an aggressive fundraising effort in service to campus priorities.

• Expand the University’s Resources

  The University of New Haven has a loyal alumni base of more than 68,000 living alumni. The president has an opportunity to generate significant benefits for the University by developing stronger ties with this community as well as with parents, benefactors, and friends. The president should develop and nurture meaningful relationships with key alumni and benefactors, engaging in fundraising efforts and connecting benefactors to the mission, programs, and people of UNewHaven, optimizing a powerful resource of support for the financial and overall well-being of the University. The new president should also work to broaden and diversify the pipeline of active donors, alumni, and friends.

• Elevate the University Brand

  With a strong and highly collaborative leadership team on campus and a branding initiative that is underway that has already generated considerable excitement, Power On, the president will be expected to represent the University externally: with the national press, at national organizations like NAICU and other higher education associations, within the regional and extended business community, civic leaders, and especially with alumni and donors. As the face and voice of the University, the next president will embody the institution’s mission, vision, and values, raising both friends and funds in service to such. In so doing, they will raise awareness of the University, burnish its brand, and advance its objectives.

Procedure for Candidacy

WittKieffer is assisting the University of New Haven in this search. Additional information may be found in the presidential profile (PDF).

Applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as two separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the presidential profile (PDF). Professional references are not requested at this time.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal. Review of materials has begun and will continue until an appointment is made. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by December 11.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Robin Mamlet, Melody Rose, Ph.D., and Sandra Chu at NewHavenPresident@wittkieffer.com