UW is continuing its search for its new and eighth president after Vivek Goel announced he would not seek reappointment at the end of his tenure on June 30, 2026.

Advertising for the role began in June 2025 through “national and global venues,” said UW spokesperson Ryon Jones in an email.

The search is being conducted by Laverne Smith & Associates, who have worked with the university in the past, including for the hiring of university secretary Genevieve Gauthier-Chalifour, science faculty dean Chris Houser, mathematics faculty dean Jochen Koenemann, and more.

When asked what qualities the ideal candidate would possess, Jones said, “The presidential nominating committee is seeking an individual with a continuous proven record of leadership and administrative management and current experience in a complex large-scale university position, with the ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and inspire others.

“The successful candidate will be skilled at building trust across a diverse community, deeply committed to equity, anti-racism, inclusion, and reconciliation, and dedicated to the highest standards of teaching, research, and scholarship.”

While the advertisement has been up since June, the process to fill this role has been ongoing since Goel announced he would step down last October. After this, the secretariat began accepting nominations to the presidential nominating committee in November 2024, and then elections for some committee seats took place in December. The full committee was approved by the board this February.

In March and April, UW invited the university community to give feedback on what qualities and experience the next president should possess. This questionnaire is still open through a survey link on the UW website.

When asked what the hiring process would look like, Jones said, “While specific details about candidate assessments remain confidential, the process typically includes the submission of candidate applications, a careful review by the search committee, multiple rounds of interviews, and background and reference checks before a final recommendation is presented to the board of governors for approval.”

The search will continue until the position is filled, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026.