The ESU Foundation is in the market for a house after its executive board approved a proposal to explore creating a University House that would combine public space for official functions with private space in which a new president and family will live.
To that end, the university will ask the local Board of Realtors to submit possible houses that could be leased or purchased as a temporary residence for the new president.
The next step will be to determine the best approach to transform the current president’s residence at 1522 Highland St. into a functioning University House.
Earlier this summer, the foundation board’s executive committee appointed a task force to explore the benefits of establishing a University House as well as what steps would be necessary.
The task force’s report to the committee on Aug. 28 noted that the residence in its current condition “fails to meet both the programming needs of the university and the desired level of functionality, comfort, and design that can prove helpful in retaining a talented president.” The report recommends that the new president not move in to the existing residence.