Presidential Search Committee Meets

The Fairmont State University Presidential Search Committee met for the first time today, Nov. 13, in the Falcon Center conference rooms.

The Presidential Search Committee is comprised of members of the FSU Board of Governors and faculty, staff, student and community representatives. Search committee members are the following: Chairman Andy Kniceley; Vice Chairman Jim Kettering, Janet Crescenzi, Bud Ford, Jarrod Ferguson, Galen Hansen, Pam Huggins, Joe Merendino, Bob Mild, Rocco Muriale, Mark Pallotta, Albert Pilkington, Shawn Ragsdale, Maria Rose, Tina Shaw, Chuck Shields, Sandy Shriver, Shirley Stanton, Vern Swisher, Donna Trickett, Ron Tucker, George Yost, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Chancellor Brian Noland (ex-officio), FSU Interim President Charles J. McClain (ex-officio) and Pierpont Community & Technical College President Blair Montgomery (ex-officio).

Parker Executive Search, based in Atlanta, Ga., has been hired to assist the search committee with the process of hiring a new president. Members of different constituency groups met Nov. 12 for focus groups conducted by Parker to give their input into the Statement of Characteristics they feel are important for the new president. The Statement of Characteristics will be used by the search firm to help recruit candidates.

During today's meeting, Dan Parker, President of Parker Executive Search, discussed what he had learned from discussions with the focus groups about the challenges facing FSU and what characteristics they would like to see in FSU's next president. Search committee members also provided their ideas on presidential characteristics.

A subcommittee of four search committee members-Jim Kettering; faculty member Bob Mild; Fairmont State Alumni Association board member George Yost; and student Shawn Ragsdale-will compile the collected information and draft the Statement of Characteristics to be presented to the full search committee and to the FSU Board of Governors for final approval.

Also during the meeting, Parker led the search committee through a timeline and the procedures for conducting the search. The announcement of a new president is expected to occur in April 2009. Each committee member signed a Statement of Confidentiality.

The next meeting of the Presidential Search Committee will be a conference call at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20. During that meeting, the committee will finalize the Statement of Characteristics. Parker Executive Search will begin advertising the position of FSU president soon. All meetings of the Search Committee are open to the public.