On Wednesday (Oct. 9), West Virginia University Board of Governors Vice-Chair and Presidential Search Committee Chair Dr. Patrice Harris sent a letter to the WVU community providing updates on the presidential search process. (WVU Graphic)
West Virginia University Board of Governors Vice-Chair and Presidential Search Committee Chair Dr. Patrice Harris submitted the following letter to the WVU community today (Oct. 9).
Dear West Virginia University Community,
We have reached a pivotal milestone in the search for the 27th President of WVU. Today (Oct. 9), the Board of Governors endorsed the Leadership Profile — a document that highlights our wonderful institution and sets forth the expectations and challenges for the next president.
The Leadership Profile was developed based on information gathered from a range of diverse perspectives and University constituents during 34 listening sessions held over the summer and nearly 1,200 survey results.
On Friday, Oct. 11, our external executive search partner WittKieffer will publicly release the WVU Presidential Leadership Profile and formally begin the recruitment process, accepting applications and nominations for candidates to become our next University president.
The Board of Governors and Search Committee are driven by one clear goal: to attract the most highly qualified pool of candidates. With that goal in mind, the Board of Governors endorsed the following process for the finalist phase:
• The Search Committee will review applications, conduct preliminary interviews, and ultimately recommend a slate of 3 to 5 finalists to the Board.
• The Board and the Search Committee will conduct in-person interviews with the finalists.
• In accordance with its statutory obligations, the Board will deliberate and select the next president of West Virginia University.
• The Board will announce the new University president in the Spring of 2025.
As noted above, the Search Committee will interview the finalists in person along with the Board. In addition, we will incorporate the questions that the faculty submitted into the interviews with the finalists. The BOG is committed to integrating the Search Committee’s feedback in its’ deliberations and selection of the next president.
We fully understand and appreciate the desire within our community for a public announcement of the finalists as well as open campus visits for the finalists. We have carefully considered all feedback, including the West Virginia Campus Workers petition requesting that finalists be named publicly.
For months, the Ad Hoc Governance Committee and the Board of Governors have engaged in thoughtful deliberations on the finalist stage. The Ad Hoc Governance Committee, with the assistance of WittKieffer, conducted research on best practices for presidential searches.
The University also conducted research on the processes used at similar peer institutions for presidential searches in recent years. Seven did not publicly announce their finalists, four only disclosed a single finalist immediately prior to their presidential announcement, and nine publicly announced their finalists. Every institution must choose their own search process, with many contingent upon state regulations, by-laws or board rules. Our research shows that not publicly announcing finalists is a common and accepted practice today among public universities.
To truly conduct the most meaningful, successful presidential search, our process must reflect the expectations of the current marketplace. Candidates in today’s market want and often expect confidentiality. As we hope our community understands, publicly naming finalists can deter top candidates who prefer to keep their job search discreet to maintain their current leadership roles, especially those currently in high-level positions at other institutions, as well as minimize disruption at their current institutions.
Our University is poised to recruit top candidates from across the country. We are beyond excited to officially open our search and share our WVU story nationwide.
The Leadership Profile will be posted to the Presidential Search website on Oct. 11. As you will see when the profile is released, it tracks to the key learnings from the listening sessions and online survey results. It confirms that our next president must understand our commitment to the land-grant mission and the vital role WVU plays in the state, bring a wealth of relevant experience, and demonstrate an unwavering dedication to lead in alignment with WVU’s values.
For those who would like to engage in the University’s shared commitment to finding WVU’s next inspirational leader, learn more about this process or ask questions, please join me and faculty members of the Search Committee for a meet and greet tomorrow, (Oct. 10), from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Erickson Alumni Center in the Barnette Board Room.
As we continue to move through the process, please follow WVU Today, MOUNTAINEER E-News, Unews and the Alumni Newsletter for updates. In addition, be sure to visit the Presidential Search website, presidentialsearch.wvu.edu, where you can find the timeline, updates and additional information, including a recent video which provides information on the decisions outlined in this letter.
If at any time you have comments or questions, or wish to offer a confidential candidate nomination, please email our search consultants at WVUPresident@wittkieffer.com.
Thank you for your ongoing trust, support and participation. We look forward to continuing to provide updates throughout this process.
Sincerely,
Dr. Patrice Harris
Chair, WVU Presidential Search Committee
Vice-Chair, WVU Board of Governors
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ph/10/9/24
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