April 06, 2005

Cobham-Sander not bound for Hampshire

We noted in February that Professor of English and Black Studies and Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Rhonda Cobham-Sander, was a finalist for the presidency of Hampshire College, a quick PVTA ride down route 116. Yesterday Hampshire welcomed their next president, and it’s not Cobham-Sander. Hampshire chose Ralph J. Hexter, a dean from Cal Berkeley, instead.

The key quotes from the Springfield Daily Republican explaining the small college’s selection of Hexter came from the chair of their board of trustees:

“He is a perfect fit,” said Jerry Nunnally … “It is a major coup for the college to have attracted him. He has been where we want the college to be.”

Nunnally said Hexter is a recognized scholar, an experienced administrator and a consummate fund raiser. Those fund-raising skills will come in handy. The college is in the midst of a $125 million capital campaign.

One wonders if he found those quotes in press releases from the selection of Tom Gerety as Amherst’s president in 1994, as Gerety was described in much the same way.

Parker Morse '96 | April 6, 2005 03:38 PM | Faculty