CLC narrows list for president's job

The search for the next president of the College of Lake County in Grayslake is down to four.

The college has been without a full-time president since Richard Fonte resigned in June 2007.

James Rock, CLC's vice president for administrative affairs, has served as interim president since September 2007. He is one of the four on the shortlist.

Other finalists include Raymond Cummiskey, president of Southeastern Illinois College in Harrisburg, Ill.; Vicky Smith, president of Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kan.; and Girard Weber, president of Kankakee Community College.

The CLC board will interview the candidates in December. The finalists also will participate in public forums at the Grayslake campus.

The job of leading the college of 16,359 students with an annual operational budget of $83.2 million comes with a roughly 195,000 yearly salary.

"Our HR people are surveying what the current compensation packages are at different community colleges," said Evelyn Schiele, college spokeswoman.

A presidential search committee made up of college faculty and staff and community representatives pared down a list of 42 national applicants for the job.

"We advertised the position as open until filled, and we felt that it was important to have the broadest pool possible," said Susan Yasecko, executive director of human resources.

Committee members will visit the home campuses of the finalists to learn more about their leadership styles and accomplishments, she said.

Dates and times for the public forums and candidate biographies will be posted on the college's Web site, clcillinois.edu.

The college board is expected to appoint the new president at its Jan. 27 board meeting.

Officials expect the next top administrator to develop relationships with business executives and other community organizations in Lake County.