Presidential Search Committee Updates
recent notes
Significant progress has been made with the Judson University presidential search. Through various sources (the Judson and local community survey, personal referrals, and response to advertising), more than 100 individuals have been nominated or have applied. From that list, more than 35 highly qualified individuals coming from academia, ministry, and business nationwide completed the application process.
All applicants are given a thorough and prayerful review by the search committee. On Friday, March 9, the committee met on campus to compare and discuss reviews and to prioritize prospects. At the end of that process, the pool was narrowed down to a select group of individuals for face-to-face interviews, reference checks, and for the candidates to participate in SIMA's "Motivated Abilities Pattern" assessment.
Since March 9, prospective candidates have been contacted by SIMA and appropriately informed of the outcome of the application process. The finalists are in the process of taking the SIMA assessment and reference checks have begun. The search committee will conduct face-to-face interviews with these individuals in April.
The search committee has been truly impressed and excited by the high quality of the candidates. Please continue to pray that the committee remain humbly focused on prayer and discerning God's leading for this significant decision.
notes from first meeting
The Presidential Search Committee held its first meeting on October 1. Committee Chair Carol Thompson reviewed the charge to the committee. Everyone read and agreed to the Presidential Search Committee Code of Conduct.
It was noted that Stephanie Belokon has become the student representative on the committee, replacing Patrick Linder who has stepped down due to his multiple responsibilities including JSO president. A junior and Ohio Hall Resident Assistant, Stephanie is an American Red Cross Board member and active in Caza de Luz, a Sunday school for bilingual children at Willow Creek Community Church.
The executive committee of the Board of Trustees directed the chair and executive committee member Jim Didier to evaluate search firms and make a final selection. Based on a list of firms provided by the CCCU (the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities), they reviewed three different organizations. Following phone or face-to-face interviews and reference checks, it was determined that the System for Identifying Motivated Abilities (SIMA) was the best fit.
SIMA Managing Director Tommy Thomas and Director of Operations Laura Coverstone attended the meeting and reviewed and discussed the search process with the committee. They had been on campus the prior day, conducting one-on-one interviews with Board members and the executive leadership team to gain input for this effort.
A survey prepared by SIMA was distributed to the committee for discussion and edits. Its purpose is to help provide understanding of the culture, needs, challenges and opportunities of the position. It will be distributed electronically the week of October 5 to various groups including students, faculty, staff, board members, and donors. A conference call meeting will be set with the committee and SIMA to review the survey results.
Listening posts will be offered to faculty, staff and students during the week of Founder's Day. These small group sessions are an opportunity for individuals to contribute their thoughts and opinions on what they feel the search team should be looking for in the next president.
An opportunity profile, a web-based marketing piece, will be developed with the help of compiled survey results and listening post feedback. Though not a job description, it will present the position and the university in detail. By early November this document should be ready to post to the university's website.
It was recommended that a prayer leader be appointed from the committee to take responsibility for keeping the search bathed in prayer by the Judson community. (Following the meeting Fran Street volunteered to take on this role.)