2.2 Procedure for Selection of a President for USG Institutions
The policy of the Board regarding the selection of a president for USG institutions shall be as follows.
2.2.1 All Presidential Searches
The Chancellor shall confer with the Search committee(s) and the Regents regarding the position description and any special qualifications that should be considered for the position. The Chancellor shall finalize the position description.
The Chancellor shall, in consultation with the Board Chair and Search Committee chair(s), determine when a search warrants the services of an executive search firm, and shall develop any necessary contractual agreement that specifies the particular role and reporting lines for such services, all on a case-by-case basis.
For each search, the committee(s) and executive search firm (if one is contracted) will advertise the position widely to reach a diverse audience of candidates, making all reasonable efforts to attract a pool of well-qualified candidates. The committee(s), advised and aided by an executive search firm to the extent that such services have been contracted, will receive nominations and applications and undertake an initial evaluation of applicants.
Insofar as is compatible with state law, all parties to the search, screen, and selection process shall maintain strict confidentiality as to the identity of applicants and any considerations of their credentials, while making efforts to keep the institution community and the public appropriately informed as to the general progress of the search (BoR Minutes, September, 2006; March, 2008).
2.2.2 Research Universities
A presidential search is initiated by the Chancellor, with the agreement of the Board. For research universities, the Presidential Search Committee shall consist of Regent and non-Regent members. The Chair shall appoint seven (7) Regents as voting members to serve on the Presidential Search Committee, one of whom shall be the Board Chair and one of whom shall be the Regent residing in closest proximity to the institution. The Board Chair shall appoint a Chair of the Presidential Search Committee from among the Regents appointed to the Presidential Search Committee. Any vacancies of Regents occurring after the formation of the Presidential Search Committee may be filled by the Board Chair.
The Board Chair, in consultation with the Chancellor and the Committee Chair, shall select the non-Regent members of the Presidential Search Committee. The non-Regent voting membership of such committee shall consist of six faculty representatives from the institution, one representative of the administration and staff, one student, one representative of the institution’s foundation, one representative of the institution’s alumni association, and three representatives of the state-at-large, in addition to seven Regents, as provided above. For each committee position which the Board Chair requests itsadvice, the respective institution, foundation, or alumni association shall provide two nominations. Any vacancies of non-Regents occurring after the formation of the Presidential Search Committee may be filled by the Board Chair.
The Presidential Search Committee shall identify to the Chancellor and the Board Chair from three to five unranked candidates to be presented to the full Board of Regents for consideration. The Board of Regents may request a further search for applicants, or further consideration by the Presidential Search Committee of any applicant in addition to the candidates recommended. The Board of Regents may interview candidates and shall select the president. At the discretion of the Chancellor and the Board Chair, site visit(s) also may be undertaken prior to final selection.
2.2.3 Regional Universities, State Universities, and Colleges
A presidential search is initiated by the Chancellor, with the agreement of the Board. For regional universities, state universities, and colleges, a Special Regents’ Search Committee shall be appointed by the Chair of the Board and will consist of three (3) Regents as voting members, selected as follows. The Board Chair shall, at the beginning of his/her term as Chair, identify six (6) Special Regents’ Search Committees, each of which shall be chaired by one of the six most senior members of the Board of Regents. The next six most senior Regents shall be assigned to the six Special Regents’ Search Committees in reverse descending order of seniority so that the most senior Regent is paired with the least senior Regent of the next six. The remaining Regents shall be assigned to one of the six Special Regents’ Search Committees at the discretion of the Board Chair.
In the event of a vacancy in the presidency of a regional or state university or a college, the Board Chair shall assign one of the six Special Regents’ Search Committees as the Committee with respect to that vacancy. In making such assignments, the Board Chair shall alternate the six Committees in turn so that each Committee has a relatively equal workload. The Chair of the Board and the Regent residing in closest proximity to the institution shall also serve as voting members. The Chancellor shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member. Seniority shall be determined by date of appointment. In the case of Regents appointed on the same date, seniority shall be determined by alphabetical order. Any vacancies occurring after the formation of the Special Regents Search Committee may be filled by the Board Chair.
The institution Presidential Search and Screen Committee shall be appointed by the Chancellor in consultation with the Board Chair. The voting membership of the campus Presidential Search and Screen Committee shall consist of three (3) faculty representatives from the institution, at least one (1) representative of the administrative staff, at least one (1) student, and at least two (2) representatives of the surrounding community (and region, as appropriate), including the institution’s foundation and its alumni association and comprising up to one-third of the total voting membership of the committee. For each committee position from which the Chancellor requests its advice, the respective institution, foundation, or alumni association shall provide two (2) nominations. The Chancellor will appoint the committee’s chair from among the committee’s voting members. Any vacancies occurring after the formation of the institution Presidential Search and Screen Committee may be filled by the Chancellor.
The institution Presidential Search and Screen Committee shall keep the Chancellor and the Special Regents Search Committee informed as to the progress of its deliberations, and shall apprise the Special Regents Search Committee of the names of candidates removed from and retained for consideration during each phase of the screening and selection process. The institution Presidential Search and Screen Committee shall identify to the Chancellor and the Chair of the Special Regents’ Search Committee from three (3) to five (5) unranked candidates to be presented to the Special Regents’ Search Committee.
The Special Regents’ Search Committee may request a further search for applicants, or further consideration by the institution Presidential Search and Screen Committee of any applicant in addition to the candidates recommended. The Special Regents’ Search Committee and the Chancellor shall jointly make a recommendation to the full Board of Regents, which shall select the president. At the discretion of the Chancellor and the Chair of the Special Regents’ Search Committee, site visit(s) also may be undertaken prior to the final selection.