Presidential Search Progress

By Richard Creeger
Edited Dec. 8, 2010

A presidential search committee has been created to help find the next Doane College President

According to an e-mail sent out by Human Resource Coordinator Laura Sears, “the purpose of the search committee is to assist in the candidate screening process through a broad representation of the campus community.”

The members of the search committee are:
Student: Nicole Williams, Student Congress President
Faculty: Jim Johnson, Heather Lambert, Les Manns
Staff: Carrie Petr ,Suzy Carter
Alumni: Michael Weston, Alumni Council liaison to the Board
Crete: Paul Schelstraete
Other Board Members: John Bauer, Dr. Toni Ganzel, Rick Gibson, Ken McCumber, John Nelson, Ms. Kim Robak

According to the e-mail, Doane has “retained Jim Davis and Tom Courtice of Academic Search to assist us. They are prior college presidents and provide advice and counsel to colleges like Doane during a presidential search. In addition, they will be ‘selling’ Doane to high quality candidates who might not otherwise be looking to change jobs.”

“The search committee will screen, interview, and recommend presidential candidates to the Board of Directors for approval,” according to the e-mail sent by Sears.
Junior Dylan Kendallsaid he was looking for a president that represents the school well.

“When I think of a president, I think of someone who is an icon of the school,” Kendall said. “I want someone to make Doane more nationally known.”

Sophomore Tyler Weihe said he hoped the current students would be the main focus of the new president.

“I want someone that wants to make the students happy instead of alumni, and who is looking to be more interested in what the students want; trying to connect,” Weihe said. “I think that students that are present instead of students in the past should be the focus.”

Junior Sadie Hoefler agreed Weihe, and said she wanted a president who focuses more on the students.

“I would like him/her to have a working relationship with the students,” Hoefler said.

Students will be able to voice their opinion from 7 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9th in the Curtis Room in the Perry Campus Center and 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10th in the East/West Dining Room.

According to Sears, the process the committee will go as follows:
--Assessment of Needs
--Documentation of Position Profile
--Advertising of Position
--Identification of Candidates
--Interviews and Screening
--Finalist presentations
--Recommendations to the Board
--Final Board Approval

The committee won’t available to comment until after the meeting on Thursday.