West Liberty University Presidential Search Still in Preliminary Stage
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Members of the West Liberty University Presidential Search Committee expect to receive bids for firms early next month to assist with the selection of the university's next president, which is expected to continue well into 2023.
Following the meeting, during which no action was taken, committee chair Tom Cervone said the hour-long discussion was mainly to plan out the next steps for the committee, including a Nov. 2 deadline to receive bids from vendors who will assist in the search process. The committee's meeting was held remotely over Zoom, beginning at 6:11 p.m. Following roll call, the meeting moved to executive session for 55 minutes. Katie Cooper and Jamie Evick were not present at the meeting.
When the university's Board of Governors decided against renewing the contract of outgoing President W. Franklin Evans in August, board president Rich Lucas said the process would take several months, possibly as late as 2023. Cervone said the search had been initially given an "ambitious" timeline, and that the search could take several months more than anticipated.
"We realized the timeline was ambitious, and not that we want to quell the ambition around that, but we want to do the most thorough job that we can," he said. "We've created the (request for proposal), we've set our parameters around how that will proceed."
Cervone said that the process of selecting a new president for the university was a laborious one at all steps, but one which they hope will ensure a quality candidate. An interim president, Cervone said, has not yet been selected for when Evans' term ends at the end of the year.
"This is not something that happens overnight; the wheels of academia, I've always said, grind thoroughly but slowly sometimes. We're at the whim of that, but we're in the mode of getting this done as quickly and efficiently as possible."
Cervone, a 1975 alum of WLU, said he is highly involved with the school and its culture, and wants to see the process work out for the best.
"It's really important - this campus is a little bit fragile right now. ... I want what is absolutely best. I was up there for Homecoming this past weekend, I love the campus, I love the university. I think everyone in this room wants to get this right, I think we know we must respect the process, and find that individual who will heal and carry us forward.
"We want to get this right, and we need to be flexible. We need to identify (where we want to start), and if that looks less likely and less realistic, we need to adapt, and take it upon ourselves to be very transparent and honest with ourselves about, 'That may be too aggressive, let's back up a minute, have a conversation and see where we are.' Until we identify a search firm, we're in conversation mode."