McDaniel’s search for a new president is well underway, following President Roger Casey’s retirement announcement. Students, faculty, and staff are asking to be involved in this decision-making process in a more transparent manner. We want the Search Committee to listen to the voices of all community members, especially in regards to selecting a president that fulfills the anti-racism demands that were initiated by alumni of color who serve on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion advisory board. These demands have been incorporated into this petition.

The climate crisis represents a clear and pressing threat to the McDaniel community, prospective students, alumni, and our greater local, national, and global communities. The McDaniel community insists that the Search Committee recognize the severity of the climate crisis as it searches for a new president. We must act together to prepare our community to be resilient in the face of the consequences coming our way.

We request that the Search Committee answer our concerns through a written response to our letter, which was endorsed by 26 student organizations, and to this petition, in a format accessible to the entire community, that comprehensively addresses all of the concerns we raise.

It is critical that community interests be reflected in the prospective candidates and, eventually, in the tenth president of the college. To ensure that the selection process for McDaniel’s next president is as transparent, inclusive, and representative as possible, we ask the following of the Search Committee:

• A commitment to selecting a president who will take action to create a more sustainable campus.
• A commitment to selecting a president who will create an environment where our BIPOC community feels safe to learn, teach, and serve by addressing prejudice and discrimination and by prioritizing restorative justice and healing.
• A commitment to selecting a president who will pursue an anti-racist culture by confronting issues of privilege and marginalization and by ensuring equal access and opportunity for underrepresented groups. 
• A commitment to selecting a president who reflects the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, demonstrates anti-racist accomplishments, and exemplifies inclusivity through action. 
• A detailed explanation of the search process, in regards to student involvement and to how the final decision will be made.
• Open forums with the presidential candidates that the entire McDaniel community has access to.
• A commitment to ensuring that the chosen candidate is supported by the entire community, not just the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee.