DePaul president Robert Manuel’s contract was extended for three years in a unanimous decision by the Board of Trustees announced on Tuesday, Jan. 27. His contract was originally set to expire in 2028 and is now pushed to June 30, 2031.
According to Michael Scudder, the chair of DePaul’s Board of Trustees, the board has confidence in Manuel’s leadership and “the university’s strategic trajectory” in today’s higher education atmosphere.
Manuel became the university’s chief executive in August 2022 following the departure of DePaul’s 12th president, A. Gabriel Esteban, who served five years as the university’s first lay president.
“Our confidence in President Manuel is grounded on his strategic vision, ability to lead through complexity, fundraising accomplishments, exceptional skills in connecting DePaul to leaders across the city, state and country, and his deep commitment to DePaul’s Catholic, Vincentian values,” Scudder said in a university-wide email.
Scudder pointed to the public launch of Manuel’s board-endorsed Mission: Forward campaign, which will invest $650 million in the educational, technological, health and other sectors.
Scudder also cited DePaul’s “rapidly changing environment.” Since the beginning of Manuel’s term in 2022, he has had to navigate the tail end of Covid-19, several instances of budget tightening, large-scale campus protests, concerns over antisemitism and most recently fiscal strain due to declining international enrollment and federal funding freezes.
“The Board considers continuity of leadership to be integral to the university’s success at this pivotal moment,” Scudder said.
The steering committee of DePaul’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors — whose national chapter is one of the largest organizations focused on academic freedom — released a statement objecting to the Board of Trustees’ decision. The decision was approved “without a formal review process in which substantive input on his performance was solicited from campus stakeholders,” according to steering committee member and English professor Marcy Dinius.
Referencing the reappointment process for the dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, which involved annual reviews, reports and confidential surveys, Dinius said no similar procedures were followed in Manuel’s extension.
“A no less robust process must be followed to reappoint the chief executive of the university,” Dinius said. “If DePaul has not done so historically, these times and pressures surely demand a change in course to match how deans are reviewed and reappointed.”
Faculty Council president Sonia Soltero said contract extensions for DePaul presidents have always fallen under the authority of the Board of Trustees.
“At DePaul, all past presidential extensions and reappointments, including those of Dr. Esteban, Fr. Holtschneider, Fr. Minogue, Fr. Richardson, and Fr. Cortelyou, have followed the same process and have not involved formal faculty input. In this regard, there has been no deviation from established historical practice,” Soltero said. “This approach is also consistent with procedures at the vast majority of universities, where presidential reappointments are handled directly by university boards.”
Soltero added that she thinks it would be beneficial to incorporate an anonymous feedback mechanism to provide constructive input to the president and the Board.
“As DePaul moves forward, his contract extension offers an opportunity to maintain institutional and leadership stability and support the ongoing work aligned with the university’s mission and long‑term strategic goals, especially in light of a new provost joining DePaul this summer,” Soltero said.
Staff Council president Scott Ozaroski also acknowledged Manuel’s leadership as a guiding post for DePaul during higher education uncertainty.
“Colleges across the nation are all currently facing challenges we’ve never before seen, and having steady leadership through this uncertainty is vital. I look forward to President Rob continuing to help guide DePaul’s vision as we navigate these challenges and set the university up for a successful future,” Ozaroski said in an email to The DePaulia.
Isabella Russomanno contributed to this report.
