The University will likely announce its top candidate to replace President Dave Frohnmayer on April 3 and will later bring the selected individual to campus for an evaluation session, University Senate President Paul van Donkelaar said on Thursday.
The University’s presidential search committee has been conducting a closed search for Frohnmayer’s replacement since June. The decision to perform the search in secret was controversial at first. However, van Donkelaar said the search has yielded “an incredibly strong group in terms of their credentials.”
The committee, which consists of 25 members including some University employees and members of the business community, will meet in person with the candidates in a few weeks, van Donkelaar said. He hopes meeting them will help narrow down the choices. “It’s a good problem to have,” he said.
ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz agreed with van Donkelaar. All of the potential candidates are very well-rounded, he said.
Dotters-Katz is one of two students on the selection committee, and the only undergraduate. As such, he has tried to focus on what students want in their next president. Last term the committee held an open forum to allow students to give input on the search.
The most important criteria Dotters-Katz said students wanted was a president who could relate to students and understand the issues affecting them.
Dotters-Katz said he thinks students have a knack for telling when someone is being disingenuous and it’s important to have “someone who’s going to be very honest.”
He also said students want a president who not only understands them, but understands Oregon. They want someone who “gets” what makes the state special and unique, and who can bring some “fresh air” to campus, he said.
University senior Bryan Baird agreed. Gender and age don’t matter, he said, but someone from Oregon would probably be the best choice.
Other students were concerned about experience. Junior Colin Cook said he hopes to have a new president who has a good track record at his or her previous university and who could point to data and proof of that school doing well.
Freshman Tygan Meyer said she hopes for a president exhibiting “open-mindedness and a creative approach to things,” similar to the president-elect she already admires, Barack Obama.
A University president plays a “multi-faceted” role – he or she is the external face of the University to the state and federal governments, alumni, donors and other educational institutions, van Donkelaar said. The president is essentially “selling the story of the University,” he said.
The president also plays an internal role, van Donkelaar said. He or she needs to be involved in the University and up-to-speed on issues, but not micromanage, he said.
After the committee meets the candidates in person, it will select three top candidates, and the number one choice will likely be made public, van Donkelaar said. The ideal situation, he said, would be to make all three names known, but that may not be possible.
Whichever candidate is made public will come to campus for two days of evaluation time with student and faculty groups, van Donkelaar said. If evaluation time does not go well and the campus strongly dislikes the candidate, he or she will be removed from the search, he said.
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Who will be the next leader of the flock?
Daily Emerald
January 8, 2009
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