Last Friday the Oregon University System announced the members of the search committee for the new University president, who is expected to take over for current University President Dave Frohnmayer in summer 2009.
The 26-member committee includes University faculty, staff and students in addition to community members and OUS foundation members.
“Because there are so many areas represented within the committee, we are going to have a pretty good idea of how the community will react,” said John von Schlegell, the committee chair and state Board of Higher Education member.
The committee will begin meeting immediately, according to an OUS press release. Von Schlegell said its first order of business will be to select a national search firm to help find the most desirable candidates from around the country.
During the summer the committee will work with the firm to find additional qualified candidates who are not necessarily looking to apply for the position, said OUS Chancellor George Pernsteiner at a May open forum for student, faculty, staff and community members to voice what they felt to be good qualities in a new University president. This way both OUS and the committee will be certain to find the most appropriate person.
“This is one of the most important searches we’ve done in the state,” said von Schlegell.
Sandy Schoonover, the University’s director of student life and search committee member, said she was honored to be asked to serve on the committee. She said the committee isn’t sure what it will be looking for in the new University president, but once it begins meeting this summer with the search firm, she and the rest of the committee will decide exactly what they are looking for.
Pernsteiner said that in addition to selecting a search firm, the committee will write a University president job description to use when making the selections.
Pernsteiner appointed von Schlegell to chair the committee roughly a month ago, said von Schlegell. With the help of the chancellor and University administration, he then appointed the rest of the committee.
Student representation on the committee includes undergraduate and ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz and graduate student Max Rayneard, a doctoral student in comparative literature.
Pernsteiner will hold another open forum with the University community next fall to update people on where the search stands and give them the opportunity to offer additional input.
Von Schlegell said that after the committee isolates the best candidates, the University will bring them to campus for an informational visit and interviewing. After the campus visits a final decision will be made.
Pernsteiner said he hopes this will happen by spring 2009 so that the new president will be able to become acclimated by working with Frohnmayer for the term, taking over permanently in the summer.
“The appointment of the next UO president is one of the most important decisions this Board will make,” said von Schlegell in a OUS press release. “We are not only looking for a leader of the University, but also a leader in the state.”
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