(Liberty University photo)
Liberty University’s Board of Trustees has announced a two-pronged approach for replacing the ousted Jerry Falwell Jr. The Board unanimously voted to hire a Chancellor to be the University’s spiritual leader and a separate President to administrate the academics, operations, and employees of the University. Falwell Jr had held both positions. A committee that includes input from students, alumni and faculty will conduct those searches. The process could take a year or more.
(Liberty release) Liberty University’s Board of Trustees met for two days of meetings, from Oct. 29-30, on the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. The Board unanimously voted to re-create the leadership model with both a Chancellor hired to be the University’s spiritual leader to ensure it is faithful to its Christian mission, and also a separate President hired to administrate the academics, operations, and employees of the University. The Board named 10 trustees to a President and Chancellor Search Committee and charged them with beginning the planning process for presenting the candidates for the two senior leadership positions. The Search Committee will also assemble an advisory committee that will consist of representation from students, faculty, and alumni, to receive valuable input. The process for filling these positions is expected to take over a year and will not begin in earnest until the Board approves processes and job descriptions in a future meeting.
The Trustees also endorsed all the remaining speakers scheduled for Liberty University’s Convocation program for the Fall Semester and, at the request of President Jerry Prevo, the Board committed that its Spiritual Mission Committee would partner with David Nasser, Senior Vice President of the Office of Spiritual Development, to give advice and approval to all Convocation speakers for the Spring Semester. The Committee and University will ensure that religious speakers are in sync with its Doctrinal Statement and communicate that the University does not endorse viewpoints that are inconsistent with that Statement, even though these views might be provided a platform for academic purposes. Convocation, a twice-a-week live program, features speakers from all walks of life, such as business, sports, politics, missions, and entertainment. The program has been offered solely online thus far this academic year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
