University of Louisville has hired a new president. Here's how the community has responded

After a nearly yearlong search, the University of Louisville has found a permanent leader to succeed former President Neeli Bendapudi.

On Tuesday morning, the school's board of trustees voted unanimously to hire Towson University President Kim Schatzel as its new president during a closed executive session. The move was met with a mix of optimism and concern among members of the Louisville community who weighed in on social media.

Schatzel, who was appointed to the position at age 66, said she considers the appointment a "lifetime opportunity." She'll be the university's 19th president and the second woman to lead the school, with decades of experience in the private sector as well as in higher education. She spent more than 20 years in working in technology and manufacturing before pivoting to higher education with an assistant professor job at Michigan Dearborn. She eventually served as Eastern Michigan's provost from 2012 to 2016 before accepting the position of president at Towson.

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Still, her credentials didn't impress everyone.

On Tuesday evening, Ricky Jones, a professor at U of L for more than 20 years, called the search a "head fake" on Twitter, anticipating "another white guy" to become the president.

The following morning, Jones told The Courier Journal he was "half right, half wrong" and the university's choice is "uninspiring."

“As a Black professor and scholar who's been there for 26 years and struggled to have the voices of Black people heard and issues of Black people paid attention to, it’s tough,” he said. "... It’s frustrating for me."

The professor, who serves as chair of the school's Pan-African Studies Department, said it wasn't as diverse of a choice as it should have been. It "proves once again they’ll choose anything and anybody over a Black person," he said.

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Others, like Mayor-elect Craig Greenberg, a former university boar member and "lifelong Cards fan," congratulated Schatzel on her new position.

"My team and I are strongly committed to working together to advance the University, its students, staff, faculty, and research initiatives. We look forward to strengthening the relationship between our city and UofL," Greenberg, who will take office in January, said in a statement.

Aaron Thompson, president at the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education also applauded the university's decision and gave thanks to U of L's interim president, Lori Stewart-Gonzalez, who was appointed in 2021. She was a candidate for the position but was not among the finalists considered.

"I look forward to working with someone as talented as @kimschatzel," Thompson wrote Wednesday morning. "Also, I'd like to express my gratitude to Interim President Gonzalez for guiding the university during a time of transition - we appreciate your hard work, Lori!"

Sarah Davasher-Wisdom, CEO at Greater Louisville Inc., said she was excited about Schatzel's tenure. Davasher-Wisdom said she hopes that the partnership will strengthen the U of L's R1 research status to continue driving "results and innovation across industries" and "create a strong workforce."

"With a strong business background, we are optimistic her leadership will usher in more bright days for UofL and Greater Louisville. We also thank Interim President and GLI Board Member, Dr. Lori Gonzalez, for her leadership during a period of transition," Davasher-Wisdom said.

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Other members of the Louisville community expressed hope about the presidential appointment as well.

Twitter user @orlando_larry52, whose biography said he is from the Louisville area and a Cardinals fan. "I truly hope president Schatzel can restore the UOFL and bring back the pride and passion we all used to know," he wrote.

Contact reporter Rae Johnson at RNJohnson@gannett.com. Follow them on Twitter at @RaeJ_33.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Reactions to new University of Louisville president Kim Schatzel