Dear members of the Wright State University Community:
I am writing to you on behalf of the WSU Presidential Search and Screening Advisory Committee (S-SAC) to update you on progress in our search for Wright State University’s seventh president. Much has occurred since my last update.
Wright State University's presidential search is being conducted in four phases, and the first phase – the Preparation Phase – is complete. We are now in the Learning Phase of the search (the final two phases are the Search Phase and the Selection/Onboarding Phase).
In the Learning Phase the S-SAC will conduct outreach with campus stakeholders and the surrounding community to hear perspectives on qualifications the Board of Trustees should value most in WSU’s next president.
The S-SAC has formed a Community/Inclusion Work Group to oversee a diverse listening process to hear what the community has to say about the type of president best suited to serve WSU in the future. Listening will include in-person and group interviews with student groups, groups of faculty and staff, alumni, donors, chambers of commerce, community leaders, and others. The goal is to gather input from a wide audience of contributors who care about our university.
Interviews will be augmented by a presidential survey posted on our search website and which has been emailed to WSU students, faculty, and staff. The S-SAC wants everyone on campus to have an opportunity to contribute.
The survey is anonymous, and completed results go directly to Academic Search, the university’s search partner, for tabulation.
Several other listening events are planned. The S-SAC will host three open forums in October:
- Dayton Campus: October 10th, 109 Oelman Hall, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
- Boonshoft School of Medicine: October 11th, 101 White Hall (Gandhi Auditorium), 2:30-4:00 p.m.
- Lake Campus: October 12th; Dicke Hall, 4:00-5:30 p.m.
In addition, a Presidential Symposium is planned for October 19th. It will feature a distinguished panel of sitting university presidents and other experts in higher education who will help the S-SAC understand the higher education environment for public universities in Ohio. Please watch for notices communicating symposium details.
The symposium will be moderated by Dr. Steve Johnson, President of Sinclair Community College. Panelists include Dr. Sharon Gaber, President of the University of Toledo; Dr. Mary Ellen Mazey, President of Bowling Green State University; Mr. Bruce Johnson, President of Ohio’s Interuniversity Council; Rep. Mike Duffy, member of the Ohio House of Representatives, and State Senator Peggy Lehner.
The purpose of all this listening – personal interviews, surveys, Presidential Symposium, and many other conversations – is to include thoughts from across campus and throughout Raider Country to inform a formal Presidential Profile. The profile will describe the WSU opportunity and the ideal candidate for president.
The profile will have two sections. The first will tell the WSU story using information gathered by the SSAC’s Marketing/Collateral Material Work Group. It will describe WSU and provide an accurate picture of the university for potential candidates to consider. The goal is a comprehensive presentation of WSU’s many great attributes which also describes challenges our next president might find upon their arrival.
The second section will describe qualities the Board of Trustees is looking for in our next president. This section will be used as an initial screening of candidates – we want top candidates who best meet the attributes as voiced by the university community to the Board of Trustees.
The final profile will be posted on the search website after it has been approved by the Board of Trustees.
Finally, the following is a general timeline for the remainder of the search:
- October: Presidential Profile complete and approved by the WSU Board of Trustees.
- November: Begin sourcing candidates.
- December: Initial screening of candidates; semifinalists selected.
- January: Initial in-person interviews; finalists selected for on-campus visits.
- March: Search committee presents 1-3 acceptable candidates to the Board of Trustees.
- April: Board of Trustees conducts final interviews and appoints WSU’s seventh president.
- May: Transition-In activities for new president and Transition-Out activities for Dr. Hopkins begin.
- July: New president begins work.
For the latest information and news on WSU’s presidential search, I encourage you to regularly visit the WSU search website at www.wright.edu/presidential-search.
As a reminder, the committee’s objective is to present the WSU Board of Trustees one or more highly qualified and acceptable candidates from whom to choose as Wright State University’s seventh president. Our goal is conduct an open and transparent search while recognizing the need to respect the privacy of potential candidates. The search is going well and we appreciate your support!
Douglas A. Fecher
Chair, WSU Presidential Search and Screening Advisory Committee
