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Search Committee Set to Find Saint Rose’s Next President

By JACKSON WANG
Executive Editor

The College of Saint Rose announced last week that the Presidential Search Committee has been assembled. The search committee will include trustees, faculty members, administrators, a student, and an alumnus. The College has also selected a search firm for the process, Korn/Ferry International.

Both Marcus Buckley and Maggie Kirwin have been heavily involved in finding the next college president. (Photo Credit: ZACHARY OLSAVICKY)
Both Marcus Buckley and Maggie Kirwin have been heavily involved in finding the next college president. (Photo Credit: ZACHARY OLSAVICKY)

“We believe this is a remarkable opportunity to bring an extraordinary leader to our College and we look forward to working collaboratively towards this goal,” said Dan Nolan and Judy Calogero, co-chairs of Presidential Search Committee via email to students last week.

The College was stunned back in June when then Saint Rose President David Szczerbacki suddenly resigned due to personal reasons. That led Saint Rose to begin the process for the search for the institution’s next president.

The trustees involved in the search process will include John Dunne, Kitty Hanley, Norman Massry, Greg Serio, Anne Bryan Smollin, and Betsy Van Deusen. Each of the members was selected by the Board of Trustees themselves, said Marcus Buckley, vice president of finance and administrator, who is also heavily involved in the search process.

As for the faculty members, Lucy Bowditch, Kathleen Crowley, Marguerite Lodico and Michael Matthews were all chosen to represent the faculty side on the search committee. Four spots on the search committee were reserved for faculty members, each one representing a school. The faculty members could either nominate themselves or were nominated by a colleague.

“It was an open process,” said Buckley, who was responsible, along with interim college president Maggie Kirwin, for selecting the administrators for the search committee.

Buckley and Kirwin nominated Debra Lee Polley, associate vice president and comptroller, and Richard Satterlee, senior associate registrar, for the position. “They both know the college very well and I think they’re good choices,” said Buckely.

As for the student position, there was only one student selected for the search committee- sophomore Justin Whittaker, Student Association president.

According to Buckley, he approached Dennis Macdonald for students would want to be nominated to be on the search committee. Buckley only received one student nomination from MacDonald, which was Whittaker. Buckley said he was not aware of any other student nominations, besides Whittaker’s.

David Szczerbacki suddenly stepped down after serving just one year as college president. (Photo Credit: Kelly Pfeister)
David Szczerbacki suddenly stepped down after serving just one year as college president back in June. (Photo Credit: Kelly Pfeister)

The final position on the search committee went to current alumni treasurer Denise DiNoto. Buckley said the co-chairs directly ask DiNoto to be on the committee, to which she did accept.

Buckley said he feels very good about the search committee that has been assembled, which includes the search firm.

Korn/Ferry International was chosen out of about ten firms that were in the running for this job. Only six firms delivered a presentation on this job at Saint Rose. From their Korn/Ferry International was selected after an extensive background search.

“With this group, we should be able to identify qualified people,” said Buckley, who added that the cost of hiring this search firm ranges from $60,000 to $100,000.

Buckley said Paul Hsun-Ling Chou, senior client partner and co-managing director of the global education practice at Korn/Ferry International, will meet with trustees, faculty members, administrator, and deans this week before they begin their search process.

“They have to understand what their clients are looking for,” said Buckley, referring to the more than 5,000 members of the Saint Rose community. “It’s important to get a good picture of who we are.”

Once Korn/Ferry International begin their search for The College’s next president, they will then return with profiles of prospective college presidents. From there, interviews will be held off campus with the potential college presidents.

Buckley said finalists will then be visiting The College and interact with students and faculty members by late winter. He believes this will allow the Saint Rose community to get a good understanding of potential next college president.

Buckley said he hopes to have the next Saint Rose president selected by later winter or early spring.

Anyone with thoughts or comments on the search process can send an email to PresidentSearch2013@strose.edu.

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