McHenry County College president search down to 3

McHenry County College has narrowed its search for president to three finalists, and college officials hope the eventual nominee will be in it for the long haul.

"We said exactly that to each of the candidates," said MCC board member Bob DeWitt, chairman of the presidential search committee, alluding to repeated turnover in the president's office. "We were looking for someone who was ready to make a commitment to the college and to the community, and who could provide long-term leadership."

Using the Isaacson Miller search firm to conduct a national search, the school eventually identified three finalists from an original pool of 53 applicants, DeWitt said.

"The finalists in the end came out because of their leadership qualities but we are very pleased we are seeing some diversity in that pool," DeWitt said.

Thomas Coley is president of Scott Community College and vice chancellor for instruction in the Eastern Iowa Community College District.

According to a news release, Coley has worked in schools all over the country, including the University of Maryland where he was assistant provost, California State University where he was executive assistant to the president, and Oregon State System of Higher Education where he was assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Margaret Skold is vice president of academic affairs and the chief academic officer at Harper College in Palatine.

At Harper, Skold monitors academic initiatives and manages budgets of more than $35 million.

Vicky Smith is vice president of Neosho County Community College, a two-campus school in eastern Kansas.

When she was vice president for academic services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, N.Y., Smith monitored an applied technology center and two campuses, according to a news release.

Each candidate has "the experience we were looking for to take McHenry County College into its next stage of growth," DeWitt said.

The president's office at MCC has been a revolving door of sorts in recent years.

Since September, Kathleen Plinske, the school's vice president for institutional effectiveness, has been running the school on an interim basis.

Plinske replaced former interim President Larry W. Tyree, who resigned from the school in September, citing "personal and family matters" in his home state of Florida.

Tyree replaced Walter Packard, who had been president since 2003 and left in early 2009 with one year remaining on his contract.

The committee hopes to seat a president before school starts in the fall.

Residents are invited to chat with the three finalists.

Smith will be at the school from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. today in room B166-167.

From 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Coley will be at the school's employee dining room.

Skold will chat with residents from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. Thursday at the school in room B166-167.