Finalists looking to become the next University of Iowa president will visit campus as early as Aug. 31, according to a schedule reviewed by the UI Presidential Search and Screen Committee.
"There is a lot of enthusiasm on campus for the next president and the search process."
—Christina Bohannan
The 21-member committee met Friday, May 8, with representatives from Parker Executive Search, the Atlanta-based firm contracted by the Iowa Board of Regents to assist with the search process.
Parker’s timeline proposes providing candidate materials to committee members on Aug. 3, conducting first-round interviews with approximately eight candidates in mid-August, and inviting finalists to campus by the end of August.
Position description emphasizes communication
The committee also reviewed a position description and discussed advertising. Faculty and student representatives opened the meeting by summarizing what their peers seek in a president.
"There is a lot of enthusiasm on campus for the next president and the search process," said Christina Bohannan, professor of law and vice president of the UI Faculty Senate. "We want to make sure it is someone who can be an academic leader on campus...someone who understands faculty and faculty work and can articulate that work broadly."
The position description drafted by Parker Executive Search and UI shared governance leaders foregrounds qualities the emerged repeatedly in campus forums.
Priorities include a record of principled leadership; commitments to academic quality and freedom, diversity, and student welfare; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; and ability to draw strong faculty, students, and staff.
The committee unanimously approved the position description pending a handful of modifications and final review by Jean Robillard, UI vice president for medical affairs and chair of the committee. Advertising will begin once the description is finalized, with notices appearing in higher education, business, and general news outlets.
Nominations from campus sought
Laurie Wilder, president of Parker Executive Search, outlined the firm’s role in recruiting candidates, advising the committee, and facilitating the process. Her team, she emphasized, leaves candidate selection completely up to search committees.
Committee members approved a resolution stating that candidates for the position who are not currently employed by the UI or other regents’ universities expect their applications to remain private. Finalists’ names will be released prior to campus visits.
Wilder explained that candidates will come from nominations—including, crucially, from the UI community—research, and recruiting by Parker. The best candidates, she noted, may not actively be seeking new jobs.
“These are important searches. They really are about relationships,” she said. “We spend a lot of time treating people like people.”
Next steps for the search include an email to campus soliciting nominations. Wilder advises faculty, staff, alumni, and others to contact Parker by phone to nominate candidates once advertising begins.
Ultimately, the search committee will identify three to four unranked candidates for consideration by the Iowa Board of Regents.