University of Rochester President Sarah Mangelsdorf was recently reappointed to her post for another five-year term. She has been on the job since July 2019.
The university is the region’s largest employer with more than 30,000 employees, including those working at the university and its various colleges, the medical school and the area’s main trauma hospital, Strong Memorial.
WXXI’s Randy Gorbman got to talk with Mangelsdorf about what’s next for her and the university. Here is an excerpt of that interview, edited for length and clarity:
Randy Gorbman: A lot has happened in the last five years, including dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. What are some of the things that you are proud of (in terms of your accomplishments)?
Sarah Mangelsdorf: Well, you’re right, COVID was an unintended and unanticipated challenge that we all faced together. I am incredibly proud of how the university handled that, with the teams of people coming together every day to monitor the virus, and our infectious disease people and the people on the ground carrying for the patients. ... We also worked across the whole community, and I can’t tell you how many Zooms I was on with Mike Mendoza, our county (health) commissioner.
RG: Do you think the university and the medical center learned things that will stand us in good stead for whatever comes next?
SM: Sure, for one thing, we learned what we could do with Zoom, for better or worse. We never had used virtual platforms so frequently, and certainly not in health care. Our psychiatry department discovered that they had fewer cancellations and no-shows when all people had to do was a telehealth visit. And we discovered how convenient telehealth was for certain things, like if you’re doing a follow-up with a doctor and they want to know how you’re responding to a medication.
RG: When you look at your position, leading what has always traditionally been the biggest employer in the area, is that a responsibility that you think about all the time?
SM: I absolutely think about it all the time. Are we a place that people want to work? Kathy Gallucci, our head of HR, spends a lot of time thinking about what are the ways we can make this a place that we don’t want to just be your default, because we’re the biggest gig in town, we want you to work here. And we want you to stay here.
RG: There’s a big call for diversity (among employers). How do you think UR has been doing? Have you reached the kinds of goals you want to have in terms of diversity?
SM: I think there’s still more work to be done. I feel like we have made some progress in different areas; we do lots of different things in the community to connect with all our different constituent communities. So, are we done in our work in terms of being a diverse and inclusive employer? No, we’re not done. I think it’s ongoing work.
RG: If you were to pick just a couple of initiatives you have started and want to continue (in the next five years), what does the future hold?
SM: Well, of course in the national higher education space, you’ve heard quite a lot about some smaller schools that have struggled to meet enrollment targets. And so one has to look at, do we have student demand? What is our student quality? The good news is the demand for a University of Rochester education continues to increase each year. In fact, last year, 2023, we had the largest number of applicants ever, and all very strong students. And 22% of our first-year class this year are first-generation students, so that’s giving you the pathway of opportunity.
We’ve also continued to grow our research. University of Rochester first and foremost is a research university. People know a lot about our biomedical research, but let’s not forget the laser lab, which just secured $503 million in appropriations for the next five years.
RG: Talking about tuition at UR, I know the “sticker price” of tuition that tops $63,000 per year is not something a lot of students pay, but can you still do more to help students with the cost of attending the university?
SM: It’s not unlike buying a car. There’s a difference between the sticker price and what people actually pay, which of course leads to a lack of transparency. And this is a national trend, where we find that students, particularly first-generation students, particularly from low-income households, think, “I can’t go to that school because it’s got this high sticker price,” when actually some of the schools with the higher sticker prices also offer more generous financial aid packages. 71% of our undergraduates receive some form of financial aid.
RG: There’s always some debate over the role of higher education and is this going to put me on a path for a good career, good salary? But do you feel UR is a good value for the money?
SM: I do think so. You’re right, higher education has been under attack, like, “What’s it worth, why would we care, does it really matter?” It’s clear that there’s a return on the investment of a college education. There are studies that show that people who are college-educated are healthier, are more likely to vote, are more civically engaged. … I do believe education changes people’s lives, and I’ve seen it. It doesn’t mean we do things perfectly, but do I think a University of Rochester education is worth it? Yes, I do.
RG: I also wanted to touch on (recent campus protests) in connection with the situation in the Middle East. Is it tough to balance the need to offer a place where there is supposed to be freedom of expression along with how students are reacting to the conflict in the Mideast?
SM: Absolutely, that is probably the favorite topic of discussion whenever groups of college and university presidents get together these days. We do want our students to be free to express their views, and just making sure we have clear guidelines, so students who want to have a demonstration or vigil can do so in a way that is safe and also protects the rights of other members of the campus not to be disturbed if they’re trying to get into the dining hall, or trying to study in the library.
RG: Any other points you want to make as you look ahead to the next five years?
SM: I’m very optimistic about the future of Rochester. We have increasingly successful startup companies that often come out of either UR or RIT, and there are many other schools in the area. I just feel like the education and research missions will really help this community. (Rochester) is a really wonderful place, and I look forward to being here the next five years.
