After a long national search for a new president, Point Loma Nazarene University has settled on an internal candidate, its longtime provost and chief academic officer Kerry Fulcher, to the surprise and consternation of some staff, students and alumni. “Robyn and I are humbled and honored to be chosen to serve this beautiful community that we have had the privilege of being a part of for these many years,” said Fulcher. “We are grateful for Dr. Bob and Linda Brower’s faithful leadership that has left PLNU with a solid foundation and strong financial position to build from.” For the first time in nearly 30 years, the private liberal arts school’s board of trustees earlier this year began searching for a new president, ahead of current President Bob Brower’s retirement. They opened up the search nationwide for a leader to preserve its Christian heritage — including upholding its conservative positions on issues like same-sex marriage — while also boosting campus fundraising. On a campus that has found itself recently at a crossroads as it maps its future and develops its identity, the choice of Fulcher sparked some controversy. A coalition of LGBTQ+ alumni and donors condemned the selection, saying it would hinder the university’s already strained relations not just with some students and faculty but also with San Diego’s LGBTQ+ community after a series of recent controversies. As recently as 2017, the church called homosexuality a perversion. Although the word is no longer in the church’s manual, the university policy bans hiring faculty and staff who disclose that they are in a same-sex marriage. It also says any employee who marries someone of the same sex may be fired. “Dr. Fulcher’s appointment is a massive step backward for PLNU,” said Lauren Cazares, PLNU alum and the coalition’s founder. “His track record of divisiveness and intolerance contradicts the inclusive values that PLNU should embody.” That opposition stems in part from Fulcher’s role in last year’s controversial firing of Mark Maddix, PLNU’s dean of theology, in a complicated dispute that involved his support of a former adjunct teacher who had publicly expressed support for LGBTQ+ people. After the firing, the coalition gathered hundreds of signatories to call for Fulcher to resign. Faculty members surveyed at a meeting last year were split on their trust and confidence in him, with slightly more saying they trusted him than not. Comments on the school’s Instagram post announcing Fulcher’s selection underscored the polarized reception. “While Monday was one of the most exciting days of my professional career, I understand that not everyone shared that same enthusiasm, and that’s OK,” Fulcher told The San Diego Union-Tribune via email Wednesday. “One of the many strengths of the PLNU community is that we can have different points of views and engage in difficult conversations, while still respecting and truly listening to each other. PLNU will remain a place that welcomes, supports, and values all students, including LGBTQIA+ members. That will not change.” Fulcher was one of two final candidates the school’s search committee recommended to the board of trustees, who ultimately chose him, chair Doug Pierce announced Monday. “Dr. Fulcher brings a wealth of higher education experience, understands the growing challenges and complexities that universities are facing and is committed to making the PLNU community a welcoming and thriving place for all of its students, faculty and staff,” Pierce said. FaithSearch Partners, an outside executive search firm hired by the university, conducted focus groups with students, alumni and administrators, as well as external partners and donors, and surveyed the community on what they considered an ideal candidate’s characteristics and experiences, according to the board. Cazares argued not all alumni received the survey, and that concerns about Fulcher weren’t heard. Before the pool was winnowed down, a total of 12 candidates were interviewed by the university’s search committee. Last month, the committee met in person for in-depth interviews with the final three candidates, after one finalist withdrew. Two proceeded to the board for final interviews. Fulcher joined the university in 1994 as a professor of biology, serving as department chair from 2002 to 2008 before moving into administration. He earned his doctorate in zoology from the University of Idaho and his bachelor’s degree in biology at Northwest Nazarene University. Fulcher has also been “active in building bridges between science and faith,” according to his biography on the school’s website. Fulcher will begin his tenure as the university’s 15th president on Aug. 15, with some overlap with Brower to support a smooth transition, Pierce said.