Alumni Participation and Transparency in the Presidential Search
March 3, 2026
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Washington and Lee University launched its Presidential Search Survey last week. We urge all alumni to complete it.
This is a consequential moment in the life of the University. As long-term stewards of W&L’s mission, traditions, and reputation, alumni have a responsibility to articulate the qualities essential in the next leader of our institution.
The survey is broad in scope, reflecting the complexity of the decision before the Committee. But surveys alone are not sufficient for issues that define Washington and Lee’s character. Institutional history, the Single Sanction, academic freedom, and the University’s long-term financial stability require sustained and substantive engagement.
Earlier this year, The Generals Redoubt published Ten Guiding Principles for the Next President of Washington and Lee University. That document — part of a larger research project we have undertaken — outlines a clear executive framework inspired by exemplary leaders in Washington and Lee’s past. The ten principles address personal integrity, fidelity to the Honor System, academic excellence, viewpoint diversity, and responsible stewardship of W&L’s mission.
We encourage members of the Search Committee to adopt this framework and to give full and fair consideration to the perspectives and concerns expressed by alumni — the University’s largest and most diverse constituency.
To that end, the Search Committee has announced that it will host listening sessions and “focus groups with volunteer leaders representing alumni and families.”
That language requires clarification.
How are these volunteer leaders selected? Who determines which alumni represent the broader body? Will they reflect a meaningful range of graduation years and viewpoints? Independent alumni organizations, including ours, should be part of that consideration.
Alumni engagement cannot be symbolic. If alumni voices are to inform the search in a meaningful way, the method of selecting representatives should be clear, open, and balanced.
We raise these questions directly because confidence in the process is as important as the outcome.
We also encourage every TGR supporter to complete the survey thoughtfully and seriously. Avoid inflammatory language. Washington and Lee has long expected its students to conduct themselves as gentlemen. As Lee put it, “We have but one rule, that every student must be a gentleman.” Alumni engagement should reflect that same standard — clear in conviction, firm in principle, and respectful in expression.
In the coming weeks, we will continue to provide updates on the Search Committee’s announcements. We are also exploring additional opportunities for alumni dialogue, including hosting an independent listening session to ensure broad and substantive engagement. If you have ideas on how we can achieve this, please contact us with feedback.
The selection of the next president will shape Washington and Lee for a generation. Alumni should participate fully — and expect a process that is transparent, representative, and worthy of the institution.
Please take the survey here:
https://www.research.net/r/WLPresidentialSearchSurvey
Respectfully,
Kamron M. Spivey, ‘24
Executive Director
The Generals Redoubt