Northwestern announces search for Buffett Institute's next leader

Following is a message delivered Dec. 5, 2017, to the Northwestern community.

Bruce Carruthers, Director of the Buffett Institute for Global Studies for the past four years, recently shared with me that he will be stepping away from this role next summer to take a well-deserved sabbatical. Bruce has provided outstanding leadership, particularly in enhancing the Buffett Institute’s critical role in leading Northwestern’s global ambitions in international research and education. I write to announce that I am launching an international search for an Executive Director to lead the Institute and build on Bruce’s exceptional work. 

The Executive Director will be tenurable as a faculty member at the University; will be responsible for developing, articulating, and implementing the intellectual vision and goals of the Buffett Institute; and will report directly to me. The search committee will be comprised primarily of faculty and will be chaired by David N. Figlio, Dean of Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy. I have already brought this issue to the attention of the Faculty Senate leadership and will be working in collaboration with them to form the search committee. I expect to have the committee in place by the conclusion of the fall quarter. The committee will begin its work in January and will actively engage with a wide range of stakeholders across our community, updating you regularly on its progress. This search will be coordinated by Andrea Bueschel from my office.

I thank Bruce for his many contributions while leading the Institute, including attracting the world’s brightest scholars from a diverse set of disciplines to collaborate and examine global challenges.

As always, please feel free to contact me if there is anything you would like to discuss. I am committed to a successful search that will ensure Northwestern’s continued leadership in global issues.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Holloway
Provost and Professor