new prez - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jul 25, 2005

RE: new prez

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Worrying wrote:

Perhaps someone on either or both of the last two presidential search committees can confirm what I've been told--that the applicant pool was very thin and, for the most part, weak. I know this is true from dean search committees I've served on. (And look what we got with the last crop of deans!!) Lots of us were crazy about Ann Hart, but with the New Hampshire offer, she surely wouldn't have taken the job. Cotten was a terrific candidate, but politics surely were at work. Anyway, we better hope we get a good, deep, well-qualified pool of applicants or we will be in trouble once again.

I'm an ignoramus (note the correct use of "an") with respect to the modus operandi of a presidential search committee. Who appoints them? Do they advertise in professional journals? Use a headhunting firm? Do they identify attractive candidates who may not be actively seeking employment and attempt to recruit them, as is often done with football coaches and corporate executives? Is there a signing bonus? Performance incentives? How does this work?

Rev.Dr. AE

Date: Jul 25, 2005

W.J. Johnson wrote:

And most important, I get along with most everybody . . .

W.J. Johnson: Not Shelby; Not Shinola

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Dumb as The Rock wrote:

W.J. Johnson: Not Shelby; Not Shinola

Or simply: W.J. Johnson: He's Not Shelby

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Austin Eagle:

I'm an ignoramus (note the correct use of "an") with respect to the modus operandi of a presidential search committee.
Who appoints them? I think they are appointed by the board. The committee comprises board members, alumni, maybe big donors, some faculty/staff. Others? I don't know.

Do they advertise in professional journals? Use a headhunting firm?
Last search they used a very expensive headhunter--so did State I was told.

Do they identify attractive candidates who may not be actively seeking employment and attempt to recruit them, as is often done with football coaches and corporate executives?
I know we try to identify and recruit good candidates who might not apply at USM for faculty positions--and we did that on the two dean search committees I was on. Those on the pres search will have to answer for that one.

Is there a signing bonus? Performance incentives? How does this work?
I never heard of such things but others may know. I know that there is a lot under the table that faculty never get wind of. (Grammar police..forgive ending the sentence with a preposition.)

Rev.Dr. AE

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Onward Through the Fog

I like that so much I started using it today in another context.

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Has everyone forgotten that this virtual BJ is a Shelby supporter?

Date: Jul 25, 2005

There was a "real" WJ, we think. Nobody knows what happened to him. The present incarnation is a, um, let's say an acquaintance, shall we, of one of our regular buddies.

Date: Jul 25, 2005

LVN wrote:

There was a "real" WJ, we think. Nobody knows what happened to him. The present incarnation is a, um, let's say an acquaintance, shall we, of one of our regular buddies.

There was no "real" but regarding the incarnation, I trust you so we'll see if we divurge on this "acquaintance".

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Austin Eagle wrote:

W.J. Johnson, Leading USM Onward Through the Fog

Didn't know W.J. was a big fan of Oat Willie's...

(Used to have an OW "Onward Thru the Fog" bumpersticker on the back of my microbus...)

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Invictus, would you be so kind as to vouch for WJ Johnson in his present incarnation? I don't get where this person is coming from and why he is having problems with a fictional satirical character. I mean, branch campus at D'Lo?? Really now.

Date: Jul 25, 2005

LVN wrote:

Invictus, would you be so kind as to vouch for WJ Johnson in his present incarnation? I don't get where this person is coming from and why he is having problems with a fictional satirical character. I mean, branch campus at D'Lo?? Really now.

Well, I've had lunch with WJ. Or at least one of the WJs. Didn't look fictional to me. (Of course, it's arguable that I am fictional.) Whether WJ is satire or satyr is another question altogether.

The real question is "How D'Lo can USM go?"

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Oh, the lunch. You guys owe me some chiles rellanos (or however you spell 'em.)

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Worrying wrote:

Perhaps someone on either or both of the last two presidential search committees can confirm what I've been told...

There is a big difference between the presidential search committee and the campus advisory committee (CAC). The search committee is a sub-committee of the IHL board made up of board members. The advisory committee is made up of faculty, staff, students, and alums. The board appoints the CAC members through the suggestion of someone on campus (the provost last time). The CAC makes recommendations to the search committee but the search committee is not obligated to follow the recommendations (last time around, of the 9 candidates the CAC submitted on the "short list," the search committee only interviewed 6 of them and 2 additional candidates that the CAC deemed unacceptable (no, SFT was not one of these two), plus several other candidates that the CAC never saw their materials...this includes one of the 3 finalist).

Yes, the applicant pool was very thin. The CAC only saw about 43 applications. The CAC complained and asked about extending the search but was told that was not an option. To give you an idea of the pool, here are some numbers: 11 deans, 8 presidents (most were from small schools), 6 provosts, 6 VPs, 6 with no academic administration experience (everything from former profs that had become CEOs to a recent PhD who had his first visiting appointment for about a year), 2 CC administrators, 1 state commissioner, and 1 assistant VP (these are the only ones I have notes on).

In regards to Ann Hart, the IHL board figured she was going to take the UNH job and they did not want to announce someone that might turn down the job.

In regards to Don Cotten, someone made a comment in front of the board members about Cotten not being a finalist, and one of the board members quickly snapped back, "He had his chance!" Don’t know what that means, just something interesting.

The job ad was posted in the Chronicle of Higher Education. A head hunter was used and recruited many of the last minute candidates. I don’t know for a fact, but I would say 1 of the final 3 came from the head hunter. (Actually, there were 4 finalists, the 4th was heavily recruited but turned down an interview offer at the last minute). The head hunter said that the best candidates never apply, but of course he would say that.

Date: Jul 25, 2005

O4GS wrote:

Has everyone forgotten that this virtual BJ is a Shelby supporter?

The name's W.J., not B.J., and I'm a USM supporter and an Eagle athletic supporter, but not a Shelby supporter. I think you've got me confused with someone else. It was Dr. Thames who recruited me for the business faculty and helped line up my doctor's degree through a special fast track program with Dr. Malone. I'm grateful to him for bringing me on board but I assure you that I'm my own man, and my first loyalty is to this fine university. If you're ever traveling to the north country on highway 49, stop off at the new USM administration building in D'Lo. I'll show you around campus and buy you a cup of coffee at our new Starbuck's. We're located in the black and gold double wide mobile home right behind the truck stop. My door is always open. Come by any time.

Your friend,

W.J. Johnson, Professor of Economic Development and Chancellor, USM at D'Lo

Date: Jul 25, 2005

O4GS wrote:
Has everyone forgotten that this virtual BJ is a Shelby supporter?

W.J. Johnson replied:

The name's W.J., not B.J., and I'm a USM supporter and an Eagle athletic supporter, but not a Shelby supporter. I think you've got me confused with someone else.

W.J., I thought O4GS's reference to a "virtual BJ" was in reference to the BASE FLESH MYTH.

Okay, somebody remind me this is a

family-oriented board... I'm under the influence of Kinky Friedman at the moment...

Date: Jul 25, 2005

Invictus wrote:

O4GS wrote: Has everyone forgotten that this virtual BJ is a Shelby supporter? W.J. Johnson replied: The name's W.J., not B.J., and I'm a USM supporter and an Eagle athletic supporter, but not a Shelby supporter. I think you've got me confused with someone else.

W.J., I thought O4GS's reference to a "virtual BJ" was in reference to the BASE FLESH MYTH. Okay, somebody remind me this is a family-oriented board... I'm under the influence of Kinky Friedman at the moment...

Dr. Invictus,

I believe that's exactly what he meant too. I was trying to steer the conversation away from the lewd reference. As you've reminded us, this is a family oriented board and I won't be a party to any off-color talk. After all, there's ladies here.

W.J. Johnson, Leading USM Onward Through the Fog

Date: Jul 26, 2005

W.J. Johnson for president. Ask not what USM can do for you; ask what you can do for USM.

Date: Jul 26, 2005

X. wrote:

W.J. Johnson for president. Ask not what USM can do for you; ask what you can do for USM.

An Eagle in every pot and two cars in every garage.

Date: Jul 26, 2005

Thanks for the info, CAC. I learned some specifics I didn't know.

Anyone out there know what the Cotten comment referred to?

Alias · Status: Offline

coastliner wrote:

the game is on..... will it be political again? the word in 2002 was that if AKL went along with the SFT appointment and did not make waves that his daughter would follow SFT. Can a masterplan be decided that much in advance? other new names on the street (Hardy) Tom Burnham William Lewis Clyda Rent Don Cotten

This old post and others on this board emphasized how political many thought things were in the past. Does this climate still exist? Have these posters and others just accepted the fact that we may be pacified and that those who are well connected will continue to rule? By the way, the only name of those given in the old post that would be appropriate is Don Cotten. Does anyone know whether he will apply or not?

stinky cheese man · Status: Offline

i don't know whether he is interested, but i doubt he would apply unless the process had the confidentiality provisions. there is another person (not hudson--but tim is in town a lot) that has expressed some interest, but i don't know if he'll actually apply.

LVN · Status: Offline

Wow! That was interesting!

And those same people still owe me the chiles rellenos. They may think I've forgotten, but . . . well, I did forget, but I remember now.

Dr VanNostren · Status: Offline

I'm not too sure just what part of national search scares people so much that they keep pulling up the same old names. The process will be political. The outcome will probably be less than perfect. I sincerely doubt that an appropriate candidate currently works at USM or has even worked at USM in the past 10 years. JMO.

Bookie · Status: Offline

The nice thing about this search process is that we will likely have a variety of candidates from across the country, from a variety of backgrounds. Even if the search eventually leads us to someone who is somewhat "local" the search will be better because it will start with a better pool.

After learning more about the process from Commissioner Meredith and others on the IHL Board, I think that this search process is the right way to go at this time and I think that the outcome will not be hijacked like it was last time. I think the MSU search ended successfully and I expect our search will too. I look forward to it with intense anticipation. Things are looking up.

Austin Eagle · Status: Offline

LVN wrote:

Wow! That was interesting!

And those same people still owe me the chiles rellenos. They may think I've forgotten, but . . . well, I did forget, but I remember now.

Hey LVN, I didn't forget the chiles rellenos. I may be in the Burg in late October, meeting with the presidential search committee in support of Professor W.J. Johnson's candidacy. Maybe we can talk old W.J. into joining us for lunch. That is, if he doesn't have other committments in D'Lo.

AE

LVN · Status: Offline

Yum! You're on, AE!

Can Dr. Johnson raise money, get along with people, lead by example, demonstrate ethics, delegate effectively to competent people, and communicate a sound, realistic vision for USM? That's what I'm hoping for.

Invictus · Status: Offline

Austin Eagle wrote:
Hey LVN, I didn't forget the chiles rellenos. I may be in the Burg in late October, meeting with the presidential search committee in support of Professor W.J. Johnson's candidacy. Maybe we can talk old W.J. into joining us for lunch. That is, if he doesn't have other committments in D'Lo.

I must speak with Octavio about the Negro Modelo, AE. The chile rellenos continue to be up to their high standard of standardness, NM notwithstanding.