Duke's newly-appointed president Vincent Price addressed the Duke community at a reception Friday afternoon.
Earlier Friday, Price—currently provost at the University of Pennsylvania—was announced as Duke’s 10th president, set to succeed President Richard Brodhead after he steps down at the end of the academic year.
Price and Brodhead—along with David Rubenstein, Trinity '70 and chair of the Board of Trustees, and Jack Bovender, Trinity '67 and search committee chair—delivered speeches at a reception in Penn Pavilion, which Rubenstein joked was selected in honor of Price’s previous role as provost at Penn.
“My confidence in the future is buoyed by my recognition that this is an extraordinary University,” Price said. “The opportunities for this University in the region are tremendous, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead Duke in the next phase of its ascent.”
Price’s public address and remarks focused largely on research, diversity and globalization. Price addressed research funding specifically, noting that the traditional model is "starting to break down."
He also lauded Duke Kunshan University as "one of the most significant global enterprises launched by an American university” and committed to its success. Two weeks ago, Academic Council approved an undergraduate degree program for the Kunshan campus, pending final approval by the Board of Trustees in December.
After the reception, Price, Bovender, Rubenstein and Michael Schoenfeld, vice president for public affairs and government relations, led a press conference. Those in attendance had less than 10 minutes to ask questions.
Senior Lara Haft, one of the nine students who occupied the Allen Building for a week last April in response to allegations of discrimination within the parking and transportation department, asked Price about his thoughts on supporting non-academic employees. She noted that such employees were not present on the search committee that selected him.
“The non-academic employees of this University, are, in my estimation, one of its great strengths,” Price said. “They deserve to not only feel appreciated, but to be appreciated in everything they do. So as president, I want to make myself as available to the staff as I am to students and faculty, and I look forward to working with them going forward.”
Senior Mina Ezikpe, who also occupied the Allen Building, asked about Price's support for the Black Lives Matter movement and what he would do to promote inclusion at Duke. Price said he hoped to extend efforts Duke has already made, agreeing that all students need to feel included. At Penn, Price and president Amy Gutmann sent a letter to the black community saying that "black lives matter," according to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
The event also yielded more details on the selection process itself, which Bovender called “the most thorough search in Duke University’s history.” It began by soliciting feedback from students, faculty and staff about possible candidates.
“We got a lot of nominations," he explained. "Some of them very good, some of them not so good, and some of them really silly, if you want to get down to it."
The search included trips across the country to meet with 25 eventual nominees, 13 of whom were later invited in secret to meet with the selection committee in New York. The committee eventually narrowed it to three final candidates, Bovender said, before unanimously supporting Price.
Price emphasized that he is looking forward to getting to know the Duke community better. He does not plan to bring any staff from the University of Pennsylvania with him to Duke, he said.
"I also love to walk, and you know, the job of a president can be a somewhat sedentary job," he said. "For my own health, I’ve gotta get out and about. I hope I am the kind of the president who pops up around campus—with the two dogs! Scout and Cricket. They are the loveliest dogs. And you will see them.”
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