HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The search is on for a new president at Marshall University. A committee, made up of the university’s Board of Governors, said they’re right on track, according to their schedule.
The committee selected eight potential candidates, out of 56, to invite for the first-round of off-campus interviews, scheduled for this week.
After the first-rounds of interviews, the committee will then narrow the eight candidates down to about three or four finalists. Those people will then visit the Marshall University campus around the week of May 18 to meet the faculty, students, and staff.
Community members are also invited to meet the finalists, so that everyone can give feedback to the search committee.
Ginny Painter, Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing at Marshall, said the process is still confidential at this time.
“The search committee has been very cognizant of this from the very beginning that it would be absolutely confidential until the names are announced of the finalists,” said Painter.
Painter said the committee held public hearings over the winter months to open the floor to any community members about what they’d like to see in the next president.
She said the public and the committee said they generally want a president who has higher education experience, a strong financial background, and strong communication skills.
“They wanted someone who can communicate the goals and the mission of the university to a variety of audiences and someone who will be a strong advocate for the faculty and our students with the Legislature and other policy makers,” she said.
Painter said the new president must exemplify qualities that are significant to Marshall.
“We want this person to be a strong leader, to take Marshall to the next level, to continue the momentum that we’ve had over the last 10 years in our growth and financial stability.”
The Board of Governors will make its final decision by June. The chosen candidate will then be presented to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission for approval, so the new president can take office at the start of the fall semester.
Former Marshall President Stephen Kopp died of a heart attack in December 2014. Currently, Gary White is the interim president.