The North Carolina Community College system presidential search committee met on Monday to finalize a position profile for the system presidency. On Wednesday, the profile went live. The process will remain open until September 15, 2020.
The committee designed the profile after receiving input from the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents and the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees.
“Our committee has an important responsibility to find the next great president,” said Bob Stephens, chairman of the presidential search committee, in a release from the system. “We hope for a deep and diverse slate of candidates, and we look forward to selecting a talented and dedicated leader for the community college system.”
The search committee has laid out an aggressive schedule. Applicants can apply through mid-September, the committee intends to hold interviews in October, and they have stated during search committee meetings that they hope to have finalists narrowed down by late November. This schedule would allow them to name a new system president by the end of the year.
The position description states: “The candidate of choice should be a creative, visionary, experienced leader of high energy, exemplary personal integrity, and professional ethics and should possess the ability to work with and respect a constituency of diverse needs and interests.”
In addition, the position description states that candidates should have five years of leadership experience in higher education. It also notes that equivalent experience in government, nonprofit, or private sector organizations will count.
The committee will look to build off of efforts by Peter Hans and the system to build unity among the 58 colleges, myFutureNC’s attainment efforts, and more. The profile stresses a need to be able to work with “K-12 schools, the University of North Carolina System, and North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, community college trustees and presidents, businesses, civic organizations, and community groups.”
Peter Hans’ tenure was also marked by success in raising private donations to launch a variety of efforts including the system’s marketing campaign. The search committee is looking to build off of this success with fundraising abilities listed as an additional characteristic for the right candidate.
The search committee is now receiving both applications and nominations. Candidates who are interested should submit a letter of introduction, a resume, and five recommendations to SystemPresidentSearch@nccommunitycolleges.edu. The North Carolina Community College system is providing search information and the presidential profile at a just-launched website for the presidential search.
