Arriving at Clark, in full stride HEN DAVID FITHIAN AND HIS HUSBAND, MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ, made the decision to come to
Clark, they sensed it would be a perfect fit. They already knew, based on Fithian's personal experience as a student and alum, that Clark was an important institution with a long heritage of changing lives for David Fithian and Michael Rodriguez greet students following the January 13, 2020, program where he was introduced as Clark's new president.
the better. And, they felt confident that the Clark
“ WE’RE A PLACE THAT BELIEVES WE
being developed by his leadership team, with substantial input from the campus community. The five areas — academic and research programs, campus environment, culture and identity, outward engagement, and institutional capacity — are being addressed in tandem to purposefully map out Clark’s future (see sidebar). Clark, he says, has reached an inflection point that requires strong and deliberate action to build upon its strengths and respond to the evolving challenges within the higher education marketplace. He points to Clark falling out of the top 100 in the U.S. News & World Report college rankings, whose influence can be debated but not ignored, particularly at a time when competition for a dwindling pool of students has never been fiercer. “We ignore the rankings at our own peril,” Fithian says. “Higher ed is increasingly being viewed through the lens of consumerism, and students and their families are looking for value associated with their investment. There is no time to spare to address the elements within those ranking systems where we perform poorly.” He believes addressing these issues not only
22
clarku.edu
CHALLENGE CONVENTION IN ORDER TO
community was hungry for the kind of change that would help to propel the university forward, deepen awareness and appreciation for all that is so special about it, and broaden the impact of its important mission. That combination created a strong tug that neither David nor Michael could resist. As Fithian has been settling into his role, Rodriguez too has been settling into his new routine. Since making the move east, Rodriguez has focused on setting up operations at Sylvan Farm in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, where he and Fithian are
CHANGE THE
raising seven Friesian horses. “Michael is an
WORLD, AND
to him,” Fithian says. “But he also has a magical
THAT MUST BE REFLECTED IN
incredibly warm human being, and people gravitate relationship with animals. He’s the kind of person who has dragonflies landing on his hand.” A Long Island native, Rodriguez studied biology and animal science at Cornell University, with the
LIVED VALUES
goal of becoming a veterinarian. But his love for
AND THE LIVED
his junior year, then to pursue a career in the theater,
EXPERIENCES OF OUR
performance led him to transfer to Ithaca College in acting and singing in Off Broadway and summer stock productions throughout the 1980s. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaged both the gay community and the arts communities, he considered
STUDENTS AND
alternative professional paths that might prove more
COMMUNITY
science I’ve studied and loved with the creative and
MEMBERS.”
meaningful. “I thought, ‘What combines the math and emotional aspects of the things I’ve done in my life?’ Psychology wrapped all of it into one.” He finished his undergraduate studies at Hunter College, then earned his master’s and doctoral