The search for the next dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, a position formerly held by the late James E. McLeod, continued Wednesday afternoon with an open student forum in the Ann W. Olin Women’s Building.

The search committee for the new dean held the forum to learn who students wanted to lead the school.

Nine students attended the forum, which was held during class hours, but nearly all those present participated in the discussion. In particular, students expressed deep appreciation for Dean McLeod and the culture he created on campus.

“Dean McLeod personally touched my life, so I want to make sure we pick someone who has the same values and focus that he did and gives back to the Washington University community in the same way,” junior Jasmine Kwasa said. “He knew everyone individually; it wasn’t like, ‘You are all students’—it was like, ‘You are Jasmine; you are Michelle; you are Tory’.”

Other students hoped that a future dean would continue McLeod’s dedication of knowing students “by name and story.”

Overall, students expressed the importance of the intangibles for a future dean; they envisioned someone “weirdly creative” with “a certain type of vibe.” They emphasized that above all, the new dean should truly put students first, and recommended the search committee look at comments students wrote about candidates on course evaluations.

“Having a person who understands the culture of academics but also of student life is of utmost importance,” junior Marcus Brown said.

The committee received 30 nominations for the next dean after two community events last fall. Twelve ultimately applied.

“We now have a shortlist, and we are looking to interview people,” English professor Wolfram Schmidgen, the chair of the committee, said.

Schmidgen explained that individuals were required to have tenure at Washington University to apply. As of now, the University has only accepted applications from current faculty.

“Only if the internal search fails will we go to an external search,” Schmidgen said.

The committee intends to finish the selection process by February or early March. They will then present a list of two or three recommended candidates to interim dean Sharon Stahl.

Schmidgen also announced that McLeod’s position, which combined the responsibilities of provost chancellor for students with dean of the College, will be separated, with each job going to a different person.

“I had heard he was a wonderful person so I emailed him for no particular reason, just to meet. He graciously accepted, and we ended up spending a couple of hours together,” senior Michael Brodsky said. “[The next dean should be] someone who cares about not just the student experience but being a part of the student experience.”