Search Committee Begins Review of Nominees, Hears Key Leaders
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Samford University’s presidential search committee began an intensive review of nominations at a July 15-16 meeting in Birmingham.
All 18 committee members will review every nomination, according to committee co-chair Albert Brewer of Birmingham. Brewer is a former Alabama governor and retired Samford law professor.
“[The committee] is taking great pains to ensure that we review as detailed a profile of each candidate as possible to assess how they fulfill the criteria set forth in the presidential profile guiding our process,” Brewer said.
Brewer noted that the search committee is operating under a code of ethics adopted at the committee’s first meeting in May, which provides for the committee to give “appropriate consideration” to every individual nominated and not to publicly reveal names of individuals nominated or making nominations.
The committee has not yet set a deadline for receiving nominations, according to committee co-chair Hobart Grooms, although the committee already knows that its work will continue into the fall semester. Grooms, a Birmingham attorney, also serves on the University’s board of trustees.
“We want to be sure we conduct as open and comprehensive a search as possible,” Grooms said. “We know the date by which President Corts has asked to move on, but we do not yet want to be restricted by a timeline. We have put in place a good method for reviewing nominations.”
Current Samford President Thomas E. Corts has announced plans to retire by the end of the 2005-06 academic year.
At the July meeting, the committee heard from Nancy Whitt, Samford’s Faculty Senate chair, Lisa McNeal, president-elect of the Staff Advisory Council and Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist Convention.
“The committee sought their input not only for what they hope to see in a future president, but also how best to make sure their constituents feel informed about and included in the process,” Grooms said.
Whitt spoke about academic freedom and faculty governance issues, and Lance spoke about the University’s historic relationship with Alabama Baptists. Staff issues included salary and benefits, as well as “maintaining the sense of community that is vital to Samford,” Grooms added.
Lance, McNeal and Whitt also participated in question-and-answer dialogs with the committee.
The committee has invited Samford’s Student Government Association president to address the committee’s next meeting about needs and concerns of students related to the presidential search, according to Brewer. Students will be invited to submit nominations when they return to campus in late August to begin the fall semester.
Sarah C. Latham, committee secretary, said the committee will continue to communicate with all Samford constituents on the committee’s progress and activities. Latham is Samford’s director of institutional research. The committee’s web site, www.samford.edu/presidentialsearch, also has updated information.
The committee’s next meeting is scheduled Aug. 26-27 in Birmingham.