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Board of Trustees comments on ‘secret’ presidential search

TO THE EDITOR:

As the Secretary to the Board of Trustees, and the person assisting the Trustees, the Presidential Search Committee and the Miami community throughout their search process, I want to respond to the Sept. 29, 2015 article "Presidential Search to be Secret" and to provide information about the search process.

The initial stages of the search have been open and inclusive, and now, as a next step, it is vitally important that the search committee identify the largest and most diverse pool of exemplary individuals possible for consideration. The Trustees believe strongly this is best achieved through a process that respects the confidentiality of each individual until the announcement of a single finalist. This is a common practice in higher education and is the same process Miami followed to select former president James Garland (1996) and President David Hodge (2006).

Trustees are concerned a process involving multiple publically announced finalists would deter many of the most qualified individuals from expressing interest or actively exploring the position through the review process. Many potential candidates will be genuinely concerned that a public announcement of their interest could detrimentally impact their effectiveness or even continuation in their current positions - particularly sitting presidents and provosts.

Representatives from our search consultant, Isaacson, Miller, recently met with 25 groups and numerous individuals in Oxford and at the VOA Learning Center to discuss the search. During their two visits to Miami, the firm also held four public forums open to the entire Miami community to allow faculty, staff and students the opportunity to explain what they believe are the necessary skills and qualities for Miami's next president and the opportunities and challenges she or he may face. Information from those visits - and the nearly 300 responses to the presidential search website's online survey - will be considered by the search committee and used to craft a scoping document that will provide important information about Miami to potential candidates.

The Presidential Search Committee will be appointed in the coming days. To form the search committee, the Board reviewed past committees from back to the retirement of President Shriver and remained true to their composition and size. Miami's Board Chair, David Budig, will chair the Search Committee. Other members include three faculty members to be elected from and by our faculty, a second Board Trustee, an alumni representative, the Chair of the University's Foundation Board, an undergraduate student and a senior administrator.

The Committee is charged to thoroughly review the many nominees and potential candidates and select a small set of particularly well-qualified individuals for final consideration. The Board will then interview each and select one finalist to introduce to the Miami community. This process will take several months, and we expect to host the finalist in spring, 2016.

The Trustees understand and share the keen interest of the Miami community in the search process and the selection of our next president and also recognize that Miami is competing with other national universities for a limited number of the most qualified and capable individuals. The confidential nature of the search process - from the initial nomination phase to the selection of one final candidate - is a critical part of identifying Miami's president.

This is an energetic time to be at Miami University, and we are excited about attracting an outstanding scholar and leader to be our next president.

Ted Pickerill

pickerto@miamioh.edu