A presidential search committee was formed shortly after President Tom Gerety announced his resignation last spring. The committee began work in September to find the College's next president. "The committee brought its recommendation to the Board late [Thursday, April 3] and the Board unanimously and enthusiastically endorsed the recommendation," said Hostetter, who also served as the chair of the presidential search committee.
Hostetter introduced 44-year-old Marx to the College, noting his prominence as a scholar and touting his extensive work for secondary-school education. "Tony's interests and the way in which he has engaged them, both intellectually and pragmatically, are remarkably consistent with Amherst's ideals of scholarship and public service," said Hostetter. "As a teacher, scholar and administrator, Tony Marx has demonstrated a commitment to inclusion and access, and a deep belief that at its best, education can be a force of reconciliation and healing in a turbulent world. We are delighted that he will continue his educational leadership at Amherst College."
Hostetter also introduced Marx's wife Karen Barkey, also a professor at Columbia University, where she teaches history and sociology and is the director of undergraduate studies in sociology and historical sociology. According to Marx, Barkey will take a leave of absence from Columbia for the next two years.
Marx followed Hostetter's brief introduction and spoke his first words to the College community. "Hello Amherst College," he said. "I am mindful of the trust that has been place in me to maintain Amherst College's greatness and to build upon it. To do so, I will need all of your help, I will need the advice and wisdom and engagement of the trustees, the faculty, the students, the staff, the alumni, our friends. Together we will face interesting, difficult, great and fun times and pasts."
Marx also remarked upon the role of Amherst during what he characterized as "historic and troubled times."
"In order to understand this world as it unfolds in front of us, we must marshal the humanities, the social sciences, the sciences, the arts, within each discipline and across the disciplines," said Marx. "We must engage in vigorous discussion and debate with each other and with others. Only through that path can we fund new ways to solve the problems that so confront us in these dark days."
He argued that the calling of the College is to produce educated and proactive leaders. "We must go on to engage with the world; primarily, as is Amherst College's responsibility, to send out the most educated leaders into the world that we can and to ensure the quality of that education. But we must also, as individuals and together, and as an institution, work to improve ourselves and our world, locally and globally."
Gerety made short remarks at the meeting to welcome Marx. Jokingly, Gerety promised Marx that with the presidency of the College comes "an unexplained preference for purple." In keeping with this assurance, Gerety presented Marx with a purple and white tie. "Out of my closet this morning, over at South Pleasant, I took a not too well, well there may be a little olive oil on this tie, but a not too well used Amherst purple and white tie to present to my successor in wishing him just the fondest tour of duty," he said. "It is tough duty, but it's good duty, it's proud duty and I of course thank you all for the duty that I have enjoyed here."
Marx accepted the tie from Gerety and promised to "value the stains if there are any."
According to Marx, the committee approached him in early February, asking him to consider applying for the position. Before that point, Marx admitted that he had not seriously considered becoming a college president.
He said that he plans to spend the beginning of his presidency working and talking with people. "A good deal of what I will be engaging in to begin with is participant-observer ethnography,' he said while joking that his jargon is the product of years of study in the social sciences.
All search committee meetings with Marx took place off-campus in Boston and New York, according to Marx. The committee held several meetings with groups this fall on campus to discuss what the community members were looking for in the next College president. All constituencies of the College were represented by members of the search committee, including the faculty, staff, alumni and students.
Commenting on the length of the search process, search committee member and Professor of Classics and Women's and Gender Studies Rick Griffiths said, "We were very careful and very thorough, and our only charge was not to come back until we had someone whom we had complete confidence in."
According to Marx, the committee was "Attracted to someone who had a serious academic background and a reputation as a faculty member rather than a professional administrator." Marx also discussed what issues and actions might characterize his presidency. "The trustees are interested in exploring … the ways in which Amherst can engage with the community and beyond," he said.
He also discussed the ever-controversial core curriculum and the potential for its reinstitution at the College. He emphasized that he would like to engage discussion on the matter. "Curricular issues are always ongoing," he said. "You cannot impose curricular changes upon a faculty that will not be willing to teach it." Marx said that he had a positive experience as an undergraduate with curricular requirements. "My experience as an 18 year-old was that I don't think I fully knew best what I should study."
Marx noted that he has family connections to the Amherst area and is familiar with the community. Marx and his family will move into the South Pleasant Street house reserved for the College president, and his children will attend local schools.
Marx, Barkey and their two children, 8-year-old Joshua and 4-year-old Anna-Claire, will join the Amherst community in early July.