UW Trustees Seek Advice on Presidential Search Process from Across State

People throughout Wyoming and beyond are encouraged to electronically submit their thoughts to the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees regarding the process to search for a new university president.

Those with input on the search process are invited to email their ideas to  UW.Presidential.Search@uwyo.edu. A presidential search Web page has been established at www.uwyo.edu/presidentsearch, and people can offer comments there as well.

In order for comments to receive full consideration, it is recommended that they be submitted no later than Monday, May 11.

UW President Dick McGinity has recommended the board initiate a search for a new president to succeed him at the conclusion of his contract in summer 2016. A five-member committee of the Board of Trustees, tasked with seeking advice from the public regarding the search process, plans to report to the full board during its regularly scheduled May 13-15 meeting.

Issues to be considered include how to develop a statement of qualifications for the position; whether to engage a search consultant; what types of committees might be involved in reviewing applications and screening candidates; and the timetable for conducting the search. Opportunities to comment on other issues, including preferred qualities and experiences for a new president, will occur later, after the board determines the search process.

The presidential search planning committee, appointed by Board of Trustees President Dave Palmerlee of Buffalo, consists of board members Mel Baldwin of Afton, John MacPherson of Saratoga, Mike Massie of Laramie, Jeff Marsh of Torrington and Michelle Sullivan of Sheridan. The committee is scheduled to conduct public forums and meet with representatives of several organizations on campus May 4-5, but electronic input will be considered as well.

“At this early stage, we’re not traveling to conduct public meetings around the state seeking comment on what we should look for in a new president; the board could decide to do that later. This committee simply is gathering advice on how to design the search process,” says MacPherson, who chairs the committee. “With the exception of the fact that the board appears to favor publicly identifying finalists for the presidency, we’re starting with a blank slate in terms of how the search will be structured.”