Mullen starts as SJU Transitional President

On June 1, Dr. Jim Mullen assumed a role as Transitional President of SJU for a one-year term. Mullen previously served as president of three other liberal arts colleges, most recently Allegheny College in Pennsylvania. After 20 years in different presidencies and a brief retirement, Mullen moved to Minnesota to take over after Eugene McAllister’s departure.

“I received a call asking if I would be interested in being part of the process to lead to the joint presidency at St. John’s,” Mullen said. “I wasn’t looking for another presidency, but I knew St. John’s and St. Ben’s by reputations, strong reputations…I found myself first intrigued, and as the process unfolded I realized this is a unique opportunity.”

The Board of Trustees is excited to welcome Mullen to SJU.

“In continuing Gene’s [McAllister’s] successful interim presidency, we’ve brought on Jim and he has a real eye for this transition,” Bennett Morgan, Search Committee Chair and SJU Trustee, said. “His commitment to the liberal arts was a factor in that decision… and we have not been disappointed.”

Mullen thinks highly of his counterpart at CSB, President Laurie Hamen.

“[Hamen] is a wonderful partner,” Mullen said. “Our partnership, as presidents of these two institutions at a very important time, is critical. She has been just a tremendous colleague. She’s open; she listens; she understands these two institutions.”

Mullen and Hamen are working to ensure a smooth transition for the first joint president, and to develop even stronger integration between our two campuses without losing either of their identities. Mullen acknowledged that there is much work to be done, with furthering diversity, equity, inclusivity and justice efforts, building the student experience and maintaining the magic at CSB/SJU.

“I’ve been to a lot of college football games in my life; I haven’t been to a Division III game with 10,000 fans and the tradition you’ve built here,” Mullen said. “Academically, in a co-curricular way, we’ve got to continue building that distinctive experience here at St. John’s and St. Ben’s.”

One aspect of CSB/SJU’s identity Mullen treasures is the Benedictine heritage and values. Experiences with Catholic higher education have shaped his life. “The Benedictine Catholic experience means something very special to me,” Mullen said.

He attended a Jesuit college, and his daughter attended a Benedictine college. “Everything that… [Benedictines] represent is around the inherent dignity of every individual,” he said.

SJU is the fourth liberal arts college Mullen has served as president. He pursued a history major when he was an undergraduate. Liberal arts played an important role in shaping Mullen’s world view.

“I’m a son of the liberal arts. They framed me,” Mullen said. “The ability to engage difference, to really listen and learn through how you engage difference — that’s a skill that the liberal arts inspire. In the liberal arts, there are very few safe assumptions, and I’m particularly impressed by the Catholic Benedictine liberal arts tradition here.”

Speaking of individuals, meeting students in the community is one of Mullen’s main goals at SJU.

“The single most meaningful thing to me, and what I’ve missed, is being part of the student experience,” Mullen said. “One of the things I want to do while I’m here is to know as many students as I can.”

So far, that goal seems to be going well, and Mullen has made a good impression on students he
has met.

“I think from all the opportunities I’ve had to work with him so far, he’s been really great,” Connor Kockler, SJS President, said. “I think he’s really committed to St. John’s.”

“Faculty are supportive of both Laurie [Hamen] and Jim’s efforts of working towards a stronger integration between the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University,” Parker Wheatley, an economics professor, said.

Other professors agreed, and believe that the campus’ presidents have the skills to support a successful transition.

“I was one of the faculty members on the search committee which selected President Mullen, and we were very pleased that he was offered and accepted the position,” Claire Haeg, political science professor, said via email. “President Mullen and President Hamen bring many years of experience to our institutions, and they are working together to ensure we have a successful transition to a joint president.”

Mullen is serving as a transitional president as CSB and SJU work towards a joint presidency, pending approval by the Higher Learning Commission. A search committee was formed, including members from across the community. There are 21 representatives on the community.

“The faculty and faculty leadership are committed to supporting the important work of finding the first joint president,” Wheatley, a member of the search committee, said.

According to Wheatley, faculty input is highly focused on the academic experience for students.

“Faculty perspectives are essential for this critical hire,” Haeg said. “Currently we are in the ‘pre-search phase’ where we are engaged in gathering information from many parts of our community about what skills and other attributes the joint president should have.”

Students are also represented on the search committee.

“We haven’t been in a meeting yet, but I think the committee looks pretty broad, with many perspectives included,” Kockler, a committee member, said.

This broadness aims to ensure that the new president represents the whole community. Members of the community are excited to begin the search.

“I think we’re going to attract really strong candidates, and we’re excited to begin,” Morgan said.

Mullen concurred.

“I think this is going to be one of the most attractive jobs
in higher ed,” Mullen said. “The opportunity to come in as the inaugural joint president of these two institutions, to build on all the good work that’s been done here, to work with really strong board members…the opportunity to build on the traditions here. If I was a little younger, I’d probably be saying this is one I would love to take on. I think what the institution will do is hire a person who will come here for hopefully at least ten years and really build, and I think we’re really well positioned for that.”

Students can offer input on the joint presidency search process. The Senates are hosting a joint open forum on Sept. 19 from 4-6 p.m. at Bro. Willie’s Pub in Sexton Commons. Academic Search Inc. will send consultants to campus on Sept. 20 to meet with the Senates and other campus leaders. Administration is hosting an open forum on Sept. 23. Students are invited to all of these events to voice their opinions on the first joint president.

Mullen, above all, is excited to be here.

“I feel really lucky to be here and I hope students will come and see me,” Mullen said. “I mean that sincerely. If I’m walking across campus, which I do a lot, stop me. Introduce yourselves and let me get to know folks; that’s very meaningful to me.”