Update on the UNH Presidential Search
July 20, 2006
To Members of the UNH Community,
On behalf of the UNH Presidential Search Committee, I wanted to provide you with an update on the search process to date. It is my intention to provide you with regular updates throughout the process and to have them published in the Campus Journal.
The Challenge Profile was finalized in late June and will be the primary document used to define the challenges and opportunities facing UNH and characteristics we are looking for in the next president. It is posted on this web site and also via a link from the “president’s page” on the UNH web site.
The search committee held its organizational meeting on June 30th. We were joined by USNH Chancellor Stephen Reno and USNH Board Chair Andy Lietz. They thanked the committee for their commitment to this process, and called it the single most important task the university system will address during the remainder of 2006.
At the meeting, Chairman Lietz cited a number of characteristics the next president should have. They included:
- The ability to achieve stellar results through the actions of others
- A thoughtful but action-oriented person
- A leader who is student centered
- A change agent who is disciplined in their approach
- An academic with a strong research orientation
- An executive who can work with and support an urban campus (Manchester) as well as a more idyllic Durham
- A leader who will demand excellence in all we do.
- A team player – a collaborator, but a decision maker
As we have done in past presidential searches within the university system, we will be working with a search firm to assist us throughout the process. After interviewing a number of firms, we have selected Heidrick & Struggles, Inc., a highly regarded leader in recruiting senior executives in the educational, non-profit, and for profit environments. This is the first time Heidrick & Struggles has been engaged for a search in the University System. Their efforts will be led by Ellen Brown and Stuart Sadick. We are also pleased to have Celine Chiasson, senior administrative assistant to the vice president of finance at UNH providing staff support to the search.
Advertisements for the position will be placed within the next week. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by September 10, 2006. All nominations or expressions of interest should be forwarded to the following address:
Heidrick & Struggles, Inc.
Attn: Ellen E. Brown/Stuart H. Sadick
303 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 4300
Atlanta, GA 30308
Our timeline calls for the completion of our work in early December with final recommendations delivered to Chancellor Reno and Chairman Lietz for Board approval before the end of the calendar year
We expect a very strong pool of candidates and look forward to working through the process with much care, thought, and analysis over the coming months.
I sincerely appreciate all the thoughtful comments and suggestions received over the last few weeks.
Thank you,
Edward Dupont
USNH Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees & Search Committee Chair