Anna Rinaggio, Campus Carrier opinions editor

With President Briggs’s recent announcement of his retirement, Berry is about to start looking for someone new to lead the college. This is an incredibly important process — one that students should have a decent say in. The new president needs to represent Berry and its values, and part of that includes representing students. So, then, what exactly do students want to see in the next president? 

We want someone with initiative: someone who wants to make changes and will follow through with their promises. Berry is great, but it isn’t perfect. We need a president who wants to change Berry for the better and who will be enthusiastic about making those changes. Furthermore, we need someone who doesn’t need to be told time and time again what changes should be made. This next president should be willing to address important issues when they come up the first time, not the fifth. 

We want someone with all our best interests in mind. That includes every academic department, extracurricular group, sports team and LifeWorks position. We all have needs, and it is important that every sector of campus feels represented in Hermann Hall. Our next president needs to be willing to consider all those sectors when making decisions so that any changes can come in the best interest for everyone who calls Berry home. 

We want someone who is flexible. Our lives are constantly changing, and we all face new challenges every day. The leader of our institution needs to be a person who can adapt to challenges quickly and respond with grace. They don’t have to be perfect, but they should be able to switch gears without too much hesitation. 

We want someone who will come out to events to show their support. Showing up to performing arts shows, football games, research presentations and major awards nights are just a few of the ways the president can show that they care about the activities students are involved in on campus. Extracurriculars are an incredibly important part of Berry’s culture, and when the president comes to extracurricular events, they show that they care about students even outside of the classroom. 

We want someone who understands what it’s like to be a student and will support us throughout all four years of our journey at Berry. Academics are important, of course, but the Berry journey includes so much more than that. Our academic, work and social lives all play a huge role in making Berry the wonderful place it is, and our next president should appreciate and embrace that. 

We want someone with a new perspective. It’s time for a new demographic to occupy that space — one that can represent the parts of Berry that have never been represented in that role. We have the chance to make history here, so let’s grasp the opportunity sooner rather than later. 

Above all else, we want someone who will listen to students. As a representative of a body dedicated to educating and preparing young adults for the real world, our next president should listen to what we have to say and take our suggestions in stride. They should be easy to approach and willing to meet with students to understand our needs and opinions. They should seek out student perspectives when navigating changes and challenges. They should want to represent the voice of the students so they can leave Berry more beautiful than they found it.