Finalists to become the next executive director of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art will be on campus in June to meet with campus stakeholders.  

Faculty members, staff and students will be invited to meet with each of the finalists during the weeks of June 2 and 9. Three candidates will be visiting campus, and each finalist will engage in a public talk, conducted in hybrid mode. 

Details about the candidates will be released in advance of their visits on the Office of the Provost website, along with an online survey where community members can share their observations. 

The art museum is a campus and community treasure, said Christopher P. Long, provost and senior vice president. That’s why it’s so important to hire an authentic and collaborative leader, someone who can establish connections with faculty, students, staff and members of the community and continue the mission of an academic museum, he said. 

“Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art serves as a beacon to our students, faculty and staff — a place to deepen our understanding of the human experience,” Long said. “It plays a critical role in extending the impact of arts and arts education throughout our community and across the state.”

Reporting to the incoming Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Kate Morris, the executive director of the museum is responsible for strategic leadership in all areas of museum development and operations and fosters campus, community, statewide and regional support for the museum and its mission. 

The executive director will work with university administration, faculty, staff, alumni, and other internal and external leaders to promote the national and international visibility of the museum and to ensure that resources align with its strategic objectives and potential.  

The search committee includes art museum staff, faculty in the arts and art history, representatives from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Leadership Council, and is chaired by Laura Vandenburgh, director of the School of Art + Design. The university has hired the firm Management Consultants for the Arts to assist with the search.  

The next executive director will succeed John Weber, who will be retiring this summer.