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Presidential search committee seeks 'right kind of leadership' for the college

By Karl Olson '08
October 18, 2005

The head of the committee to find a new president for St. Olaf College expressed confidence recently that the right leader will be found -- and in time to meet the search committee's goal of July 2006.

Search committee chairman and St. Olaf Board of Regents member Addison (Tad) Piper spoke with students, staff and faculty members during a question-and-answer session on Thursday, Oct. 6, in Viking Theater. Many members of the search committee were in attendance.

The search process began this past summer after the board and President Christopher Thomforde came to a mutual agreement that the 2005-06 academic year would be his last at St. Olaf. Thomforde came to St. Olaf in January 2001 from Bethany College in Kansas, where he also served as president.

During the initial phase of the four-stage search, the committee is gathering feedback and information, much of it transmitted via an e-mail alias (president-search@stolaf.edu) that goes to each member of the search committee.

"Your feedback is very valuable," Piper told the audience, which included about two-dozen students. "Finding the right kind of leadership is a complex process."

Piper said recommendations already have come in from various sources. "Without us advertising the position or even posting a job description yet, we have a strong pool," he explained.

SpencerStuart, an independent consulting firm, has been engaged by the college to organize the feedback and come up with a job description, which will be posted on the St. Olaf website. The committee then will assemble a candidate pool.

Interviewing will begin once the candidate pool is sufficient. The process likely will be confidential, Piper said, because the candidates presumably will have good jobs elsewhere. The committee will forward recommendations to the Board of Regents, which has the final say.

"This is a big decision for all of us," said Piper, who has served as a St. Olaf regent since 1999. "This is a very thoughtful board, and all of us take our jobs seriously."

Audience questions and comments focused on how people can get involved in the process and what students, especially, like in the current president. (Students have sent more than 80 messages to the e-mail alias so far.)

"I just love President Thomforde's storytelling ability, insight and personable attitude," said Student Government Association President Tom Russert '06, echoing the comments of several other students. Another student expressed the desire for an accessible president who attends daily chapel and is visible around campus.

Citing the fund-raising prowess of Carleton College President Rob Oden, one staff member asked about the importance of fund raising and how the search committee will ascertain that skill. Piper said that the ability to raise money and be a public presence for the college is essential.

"We want somebody who enjoys fund raising and doesn't look at it as just part of the job," said Piper, who is vice chairman of Piper Jaffrey Cos. in Minneapolis.

The search committee includes current regents, two professors who also are St. Olaf alumni, a current student and a representative of the ELCA. Although Piper emphasized that he does not want to be held to a firm timeline, he said the committee hopes to begin interviewing candidates in November and make recommendations to the Board of Regents at its quarterly meeting in February.

The Presidential Search Committee welcomes feedback and suggestions. Please submit those via e-mail to president-search@stolaf.edu.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.