Candidates for the University of Florida presidency will not be invited for a campus visit until after the new year, the chairman of UF board of Trustees and presidential search committee announced.
In an open letter to the UF community, C. David Brown II said bringing candidates to the campus at the end of the school year may reduce the number of people who are able to participate in the search process.
The committee is targeting Jan. 10-12 for the campus visits.
To: University of Florida Family and Friends Re: Presidential Search Update As we prepare for our holiday break, I want to update you on our schedule, express my appreciation for your help with our search for the next president and give you a glimpse into what to expect in the coming weeks. We started this journey in July, with the appointment of a search committee composed of representatives from the University of Florida Board of Trustees, faculty, students, administrators, the Florida Board of Governors and stake-holder groups. These members – all distinguished leaders in their fields of expertise who have in common a commitment to the future of the University of Florida – have devoted countless hours to finding the right leader. But we could not have come this far in the last six months without your feedback and support. The Gator Nation stepped forward when we asked your help in identifying potential candidates. You responded when we asked what qualifications you felt were most important, and again in suggesting questions we should consider to properly evaluate our candidates. You have followed the process, participated in focus groups and sent us your suggestions for questions and comments. Your enthusiastic participation has made this process more inclusive and better informed. Because of this, I am confident our next president will walk into the role with the full support of The Gator Nation. This support is key to allowing our next leader to be immediately effective as an influential leader in our state and among the broader university community. You will recall when we started this process last July we anticipated it could take anywhere from six months to a year, and we are almost at the six month point. As I have previously shared, Jan Greenwood, our search consultant, has encountered great enthusiasm for this position among leaders of the AAU and other research universities. Our outreach makes us confident that our selection will align well with the qualifications and criteria developed by the search committee and approved by the Board of Trustees as we began the process. We are now planning campus visits and interviews. During that time, the search committee will evaluate the applicants and narrow the field, interview the finalists and decide which finalists to send to the Board of Trustees. The finalists who interview with the Trustees will also participate in a faculty forum hosted by the Faculty Senate and an open public forum. Then, the Board of Trustees will consider its interviews of the candidates and feedback from the Search Committee’s interviews and the forums, and select a president, who we feel confident will be confirmed by the Board of Governors. This process will happen over a three-day period, which we're currently planning for January 10-12, 2013. We decided not to hold campus visits after the fall semester ends or during the holidays, as we want to ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to observe or be present. The search committee and the Board of Trustees are mindful of the important role the next president will play in the future of our great university. We are excited about the possibilities and look forward to successfully concluding the search for our next leader. Best regards, C. David Brown, II Chairman UF Board of Trustees and UF Presidential Search Committee