Presidential Search in Full Swing

Wanted: A proven, outstanding leader with a commitment to continuing to build academic excellence and national visibility; an accessible, collegial presence; an appreciation of the complexity of all components of the College; a strategic vision; a flair for fund-raising; a solid commitment to diversity; and a strong capacity to hire well and manage resources.

Oh, and did we mention the ability to leap over tall buildings in a single bound?

The job of a college president often seems to require a near-superhuman constellation of academic, administrative, business, and interpersonal skills. So how do you go about finding this rare individual who is leader, listener, scholar, manager, mediator, critic, number cruncher, and rainmaker?

After Michael Mooney resigned as president of Lewis & Clark in June, the Board of Trustees appointed Owen Panner, trustee and federal judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, as chair of the Presidential Search Committee. The committee is composed of 14 members of the College community and includes faculty, staff, student, and alumni representatives.

The search committee’s overarching charge is to find the best possible candidates for the office of president of Lewis & Clark College. The committee recruits, reviews, and evaluates possible candidates and recommends one or more finalists to the Board of Trustees. The board then makes the ultimate decision regarding the appointment of the president.

The search committee selected A.T. Kearney, a consulting firm that specializes in executive searches in higher education, to assist with planning and implementing the presidential search.

In late October, the search committee, with the assistance of Shelly Storbeck, managing director of A.T. Kearney, held a series of meetings on campus to solicit the community’s views on the future direction of the College and the role of the new president in that vision. The sessions were open to students, faculty, and staff from all three schools, as well as to trustees.

“I was very pleased with the helpful information we received at these sessions and the positive tone of the responses,” says Panner. “I am confident we will find a great president for a great school.”

After the meetings, Storbeck incorporated the major themes expressed by the committee and the Lewis & Clark community into an ad that was placed in the Chronicle of Higher Education. She also used the community’s input to craft a much more detailed prospectus to share with candidates.

Applications for the position were accepted through January 15. The committee is now in the process of screening applicants. “We hope to bring a new president to the board for confirmation before the end of the academic year,” says Panner.

Lewis & Clark’s interim president, Paul Bragdon, has declined to be considered for the permanent position.

Information on the search, including the position prospectus, can be found here.