Committee narrows search for new president

"We were able to narrow the applications significantly and get close to our goal," said Jonathan Schmitt, committee member and student member of the Arizona Board of Regents, after the meeting.

"This committee is going to have to decide if we are to have one president instead of 50."

Schmitt, an agriculture and resource economics senior, said the committee is on track and should be ready to interview five to seven candidates by mid- June. He said the new University of Arizona president should be chosen by the beginning of August.

"A lot of time will be spent before the next meeting looking at the prospective candidates and checking their references," Schmitt said. "So far we have had very productive discussion."

The next committee meeting is May 29.

The committee released the specifics of the candidate pool - minus the names - Monday.

Since Feb. 14, a 22-member search committee, which includes regents, faculty, students and community members, has been reviewing applications and seeking out possible presidential candidates.

UA President Manuel Pacheco announced his resignation Jan. 8 and was chosen March 13 to head the University of Missouri School System. He will report to his new duties Aug. 1.

Regent Judy Gignac, a member of the search committee, said if a new president is not chosen or able to take office by the first day of the fall semester, an interim president may be needed.

"We would probably look internally," she said. "It might be someone in Arizona who is retired or who has served in that type of role before."

If an interim president is chosen by the board, the individual would not be in the pool for president, Gignac said.

"It would be unfair to the individuals that applied for the presidency," she said. "If somebody was on our 'short list' they would not be chosen the interim president."

Gignac said, however, it would be unlikely that the board will have to chose an interim president.

"If we are close to reaching agreement on the final candidates, we may not need an interim president," she said.

Schmitt said he would prefer not to chose an interim president but said the committee's priority is in choosing the right individual.

Although it is possible that the new president will not be chosen before August, the committee is right where it should be, said Michael Cusanovich, committee member and vice president for research and graduate studies.

"It is going to be tight, but we will get it done as soon as possible," he said.

Gignac, who put pluses on about one-fifth of the applications she reviewed before Friday's meeting, said she looks for individuals who have experience working in similar-sized institutions.

"I look for a broad breadth of experience, and I am very interested in how they have handled different situations in their current institutions," she said. "They should be interested in the non-traditional student, in diversity and in undergraduate excellence."

Schmitt said he is looking for a person who has demonstrated leadership, is articulate and can bring cohesion among university groups.

"It should be someone who has a vision of what they want the university to be so it is not on-the-job training," he said.

Prospects can be nominated by an outside individual or be self nominated. An advertisement for the position appeared March 7 and March 14 in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

In a February survey that asked 156 UA students what they look for in a new president, student interaction and undergraduate education topped the list.

Students also said they valued the ability for the new president to be outgoing, honest and intelligent. Experience with student activities and administration were the top professional qualifications.

When candidates agree to be interviewed by the committee in mid- June, the UA community will be able to interact on-on-one with each individual, Schmitt said.