College of DuPage Selects Presidential Search Firm
Nov. 19, 2015 - The search for a new College of DuPage President officially began Thursday, Nov. 19, with the selection of an executive search firm approved by the Board of Trustees during its regular meeting.
On Monday, Nov. 16, members of the Presidential Search Committee recommended that William E. Hay & Company of Chicago assist with conducting searches for the positions of President, Chief Financial Officer, Controller and Vice President for Development/Executive Director of the COD Foundation. In addition, the committee recommended that Hay & Company seek assistance from a firm with specific expertise in academic searches for COD's presidential search before final hiring. The Board of Trustees approved this recommendation at its Nov. 19 meeting.
"We wanted a company that would take a fresh look at the search process, which is why we determined Hay would be the best company for this tall order," COD Board Chairman Katharine Hamilton said. "College of DuPage is fully committed to finding the best person to lead this College toward a new future focused on student success and open communication within the College and District 502 community."
As part of the search process, Hamilton noted that individuals from all constituency groups will be extensively involved in the selection of the College's new leader from start to finish. The 18-member Presidential Search Committee incudes a wide range of volunteers affiliated with business, legal, financial, government and education communities in District 502. In addition, Chairman Hamilton chairs the volunteer committee, which includes Board Secretary Frank Napolitano, a non-voting student representative, as well as members of the COD faculty, administration, and managerial and classified staff members.
"We have created a highly inclusive process to choose the new College of DuPage president," Hamilton said. "In addition to Town Hall meetings to help us identify the attributes we're looking for in a president, we will host finalist public forums before a candidate is recommended to the Board. We will do everything right this time around to erase what happened in the past and ensure it will never happen again."
Coinciding with the meeting, College of DuPage posted a Presidential Search website that links from the College's home page and will contain continual updates throughout the process. One of the most important pages - Presidential Profile - remains blank on the site for now, Hamilton noted.
"We will look to Hay & Company for advice on Presidential Profile qualities. We will just as seriously consider the input from our volunteer Presidential Search Committee and our community members," Hamilton said. "We look forward to hiring a president who puts the College's academic excellence and students first…someone who also focuses on the importance of relationships between our faculty, staff and administrators who keep this institution moving forward while maintaining its stellar reputation."
The presidential search website has a timeline recommending that a new president be selected and in place by March 2016.
"While this timeline has been recommended, I'd like to unequivocally emphasize that this national search will end only when this Board feels we have found the absolute best person for the job," Hamilton said. "If it takes more time to complete this process, that is what we will do."
For more information about the presidential search as the process unfolds, please visit www.cod.edu/Presidential_Search.
Contact Randall Samborn (312) 214-2300.