On January 10th, the Norwich University Board of Trustees announced the candidacy of Lieutenant General John Broadmeadow to serve as the twenty-fifth President of Norwich University. This event has led to many questions and inquiries from the student body.
January 11th, The Guidon sat down with Dr. Karen Gaines, Provost, Dean of faculty, and acting president of Norwich University, to discuss the recent changes surrounding the resignation of Dr. Mark Anarumo and the incident that occurred on November 29th.
“We have expectations from everyone, starting with students and all the way up to the president, and they [expectations] don’t change,” Gaines said. “There are policies for students that might be different from the people whom we pay, but those policies are really similar.’’
In a farewell letter Anarumo sent to The Guidon and posted to his LinkedIn account, he said he would not be making further public comments. He also didn’t respond to interview requests from The Guidon. As a result, The Guidon is choosing not to publish Anarumo’s letter because our news organization can’t verify, clarify, and provide important context for the letter.
Amidst Anarumo’s resignation, Gaines, while following university policies, declined to give specific details to The Guidon about Anarumo’s resignation.
Gaines addressed the prevailing misunderstanding, countering Anarumo’s claim of no incident by asserting that the Board of Trustees was truthful, confirming the occurrence of an incident.
Gaines expressed enthusiasm for the new presidential candidate, John Broadmeadow, a retired lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps who served as Director of the Marine Corps Staff (DMCS).
Broadmeadow was commissioned upon graduating from Norwich University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1983. Broadmeadow has been a member of the board of Trustees since February 2022.
The potential conflict of interest arising from Broadmeadow’s prior role as a member of the Board of Trustees was acknowledged, with Gaines assuring that such occurrences are becoming common in higher education.
“There have been many university presidents across the country who were members of the board of trustees,” she said. “This is typical for higher education.”
Broadmeadow’s background was highlighted as a Norwich University alumnus and retired lieutenant, indicating his long-standing connection with the institution.
“John Broadmeadow is an alum, and he has been in your shoes,” said Gaines. “He didn’t have to join the Board of Trustees, but he did because he loves this place. He loves Norwich.”
Gaines said she remains optimistic about the situation and assured that the university remains focused on its mission despite the recent top-office changes.
“We know our job; we’ve never stopped doing it,” she said. “We serve the university, and if the Board of Trustees wants to be here, I will be here. And so is everyone. We have more work to do, but we are fine. Why? Because you all [students] are around campus.”
“While I can’t speak for them, I know that many faculty members feel surprised at the dramatic changes of the last week,” Dr. Carl Martin, Associate Professor of English and Faculty Senate Chair, said in a response to questions from The Guidon. “I will say on behalf of the Senate that we are hopeful that the next president will be more academically focused and informed.”
During her interview with The Guidon, Gaines shared her growing affection for the institution despite the recent stress.
“My love for this institution is growing,” she said. “This is a special place to be.”
