Jolyne Caruso-Fitzgerald hangs out with another president.

This week’s SGA meeting welcomed yet another Barnard administrator to remind SGA just how little they know about how colleges get run. Chair of the Board of Trustees Jolyne Caruso-Fitzgerald sat down with Barnard’s Rep Council to discuss President Spar’s interim replacement, as well as how the search committee will go about finding someone permanent.

Caruso-Fitzgerald, who graduated Barnard with the class of ‘81 before finding success on Wall Street and opening her own investment banking firm, emphasized how much she and the rest of the trustees truly love Barnard and hope only for its success. The Board meets for regular sessions four times a year to discuss and vote on how to best govern the college.

The Board of Trustees picked Barnard’s current Chief Operating Officer Robert Goldberg to stand as interim president of the College once DSpar leaves and until a new president is selected and hired. Caruso-Fitzgerald explained that Goldberg was selected after very serious consideration and a determination that he is the best one for the interim position. The Board unanimously voted in support of his appointment, and pledges to work to ensure a seamless transition. While he is serving as president, the staff that currently serves under Goldberg will take on additional responsibilities.When members of the Rep Council presented student concerns that Goldberg is a man, and therefore not a good choice to represent Barnard, Caruso-Fitzgerald responded that the trustees “really tried to go for the best person, regardless of gender, regardless of anything.” This seems to be a good move, considering that Spar is leaving in the midst of several major projects at Barnard, including the new library building and union negotiations. Barnard just need someone to make sure nothing falls apart.

Caruso-Fitzgerald also discussed the goals and makeup of the search committee. The committee members, as detailed in an email sent out earlier this week, have been chosen from all of the relevant constituencies within Barnard: faculty, staff students, and trustees. The committee is dedicated to making sure all viewpoints are taken into account. To this effect, they will host open forums next semester for students to share their hopes and concerns, and have already opened a suggestion page on the Barnard website. “Barnard is unique,” Caruso-Fitzgerald said, reflecting on the difficulties facing the committee. But she’s hopeful that a new president will be instated by this coming semester. “We’re going to get the next president, period.”