During Joanne Alper’s first meeting as a Syracuse University trustee, she was part of the unanimous vote to select Chancellor Nancy Cantor to her position. On Wednesday, she did the same— but this time, as chairwoman of the search committee for Cantor’s successor.

“To me, it was probably one of the proudest moments of my adult life,” Alper said, besides her kids and their successes, as well as her grandchildren.  “It was a great feeling.”

Syracuse University on Thursday announced through a campus-wide email that Kent Syverud, current dean of Washington University’s School of Law, had been selected as the 12th chancellor in the school’s 143-year history. The announcement came almost a year after Cantor announced that she would leave when her contract expired in June 2014. Cantor later said she would be leaving early to become chancellor of Rutgers University’s Newark, N.J., campus on Jan. 1

Syverud will begin his time as chancellor at SU on Jan. 13.

The decision was reached as a result of a conference call where trustees heard a synopsis of the search, heard from members of the Chancellor Search Committee, asked questions and then voted.

Here’s what happened:

• The call started at about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Board of Trustees chairman Richard Thompson talked about the search, as well as the fact that the recommendation was unanimous. Alper said she and people from Spencer Stuart, the firm SU used to assist in the search, also spoke. Ivan Rosales, an undergraduate member of the Chancellor Search Committee, and Kris Byron, an associate professor of management, gave their impressions before excusing themselves.

• Questions didn’t “take long at all,” Alper said, for having 40-50 people on a call.

• She said Thompson then called for a vote, and the trustees unanimously selected Syverud at about 4:30 p.m.

Published on September 13, 2013 at 10:52 am

Contact Dylan: dmsegelb@syr.edu | @dylan_segelbaum