Stephen Joel Trachtenberg has been president of the George Washington University for 19 years, raising the school’s profile tremendously and turning into it the city’s largest private employer. The city even named December 4th “Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Day.” Holidays aside, SJT’s tenure has not come without some controversy, generally stemming from Foggy Bottom residents, who complain that the university is too large and unresponsive. But come August 1, Trachtenberg won’t be president anymore.
Trachtenberg announced his retirement last spring to be effective July 31, and this week the University selected Johns Hopkins University provost Steven Knapp to replace him. Knapp is said to be a quiet listener, something neighbors will surely appreciate. And like Trachtenberg, he’s known as a good fundraiser. But unlike at Gallaudet, everybody seems to like Knapp.
It remains to be seen what this means for GW, as picking a new president is a lot like picking a Supreme Court justice — it’s hard to say what the person will do once they’re in office. Land in the Foggy Bottom area is at a premium, and while the neighbors haven’t been able to stop many of GW’s newer projects, the fate of the old hospital site still looms.
The GW Hatchet, GW’s student newspaper, has a lot more on Knapp.
Snowy GWU photo by alex-s
