Fry up for U. Vermont presidency

Executive Vice President John Fry is on a very short list of names being considered for the vacant presidency at the University of Vermont.

In an announcement made by the UVM presidential search committee last week, Fry was named one of four finalists for the school's top administrative post.

"We see John as a very accomplished leader and manager in higher education," said John Evans, search committee vice chairman. "He has accomplished a number of things at Penn that we think very highly of."

Along with Fry, the other candidates are Daniel Fogel, the executive vice chancellor and provost at Louisiana State University; Ralph Muller, the former president of the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System; and Steven Poskanzer, the interim president of the State University of New York at New Paltz.

Fry said that he was looking into the position at UVM "very seriously."

"The University of Vermont is a wonderful academic institution based around terrific things in terms of their programs dealing with the environment and medicine," Fry said. "I'm thrilled to be considered for their presidency."

The loss of Fry to the presidency at UVM would be widely felt among the Penn administration and Penn community.

Fry worked as a management consultant for the consulting firm Coopers and Lybrand before he was hired by the University in 1995. His responsibilities have included overseeing all matters related to finance, facilities and real estate, corporate relations and public safety.

Since his arrival, Fry has spent much of his time working to revitalize the University City District. He organized a task force to clean up the 40th Street area between Spruce and Walnut streets and brought in new student-friendly retailers, such as the Freshgrocer and Philly Diner.

In addition, he has served as chief executive officer for P2B, Penn's subsidiary that helps fund and incubate faculty and student business ventures.

Fry's assistance in the development and implementation of the Agenda for Excellence, the University's five-year strategic plan, has led to success in improving the University's financial status, physical state and national ranking.

"Vermont's interest in [Fry] speaks to the caliber of people we have here at Penn and the opportunities for advancement," University President Judith Rodin said in an e-mail statement. "I've worked very closely with John for the past seven years, and I'm very proud that his accomplishments are being recognized in this way."

Fry also said that his nomination in UVM's presidential search was partly a reflection of the institutional quality of Penn.

"A lot of what I've learned is because of my work with the board and Rodin," Fry said. "It speaks well of the University that we've developed quite a tawdry of people who are asked to step up to higher positions at other institutions."

Rodin said that she was understanding about Fry's consideration of a position elsewhere.

"The University of Vermont is a highly regarded institution with a reputation for excellence," Rodin said. "As much as I'd hate to lose John, I can certainly understand him being interested in pursuing such a wonderful opportunity."

Over the past twelve years, UVM has had six different presidents, three of them on an interim basis. Judith Ramaley, UVM's most recent president, resigned last February under the pressure of a dissatisfied board of trustees. In her five years in office, Ramaley was criticized for being sluggish in producing a strategic plan and for failing to make decisions about condensing programs at the university.

Beginning in May, a 20-member committee of UVM trustees, faculty and students began its search for a new president. Over the past eight months, they have narrowed down an original list of 150 candidates to four serious prospects.

"I am confident that our next president is among these exceptionally qualified, experienced leaders in higher education," UVM Presidential Search Committee Chairman Bruce Lisman said in a press release.

Fry's implementation of Penn's nationally recognized neighborhood revitalization initiative for West Philadelphia is among the achievements that were noted by UVM's search committee.

Fry's "engagement in the community and his accomplishments in building a strong and better neighborhood has been an important outcome for [Penn]," Evans said.

All four candidates will make day-long trips to the Burlington, Vt., campus during the week of Jan. 21. At the conclusion of these visits, UVM's Board of Trustees hopes to begin final deliberations in choosing a president.

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