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Northeast begins search for its next president

Northeast begins search for its next president

NORFOLK, NE – The search for the next president of Northeast Community College is underway. On Thursday, three forums – two for faculty and staff and one for the public - were held to give internal and external stakeholders opportunities to share what characteristics they desire in the institution’s next chief executive officer.

The Springfield, IL-based Pauly Group conducted the sessions.

Angela Provart, president of Pauly Group, said at the community session that the search process will allow the college to help build a case for support for the next president.

“We’re involving multiple groups in the process. The other reason for being here is to learn more about the college, the communities that you serve, what challenges does this college face, what opportunities are here for the next person and where do we see the college (in the future). And then … what types of characteristics do we need in the next president in order to get us to where we want to be in three-to-five years.”

Pauly Group has been providing community and technical colleges with executive to mid-level administrative candidates for nearly 30-years. Provart and her team of nine consultants are personally involved with the search for Northeast’s next president.

She said her firm will work with the college to advertise and recruit candidates for the position from early July through the end of August.

“Advertising includes traditional advertising, but it also means that we’ll be making recruiting calls. We want to proactively go out there and look for people who want to apply for this position.”

The community forum was conducted on Northeast’s campus in Norfolk, but constituents and stakeholders from across the college’s 20-county service area also had to the opportunity to participate and ask questions in a livestream from Northeast’s three extended campuses in O’Neill, South Sioux City and West Point, and its two regional offices in Ainsworth and Hartington.

Those who spoke included students, educators and a state senator, among others.

 

“The forums and the online survey will serve as vital resources as we compile information and develop a position profile, including qualifications, desired characteristics, challenges and opportunities in finding Northeast’s next president,” Provart said. “Once this information is compiled, advertising of the position and recruitment of candidates will get fully underway beginning in July.”

Later this summer, an advisory search committee made up members of the Northeast Board of Governors’ Governance Committee; Steve Anderson, board chairperson; Steve Schram and Mary Honke, co-interim presidents; and administrative, faculty, staff and student representatives will review the applicant pool and identify and interview semifinalists.

In September and October, on-campus interviews with candidates and the full board of governors will tentatively be scheduled along with open public forums with the college community. The timeline is subject to change.

“It is our desire that by October, the board will select the next president of Northeast Community College with the chosen candidate beginning in January 2020,” Anderson said.

He indicated that the board has two major objectives as the search begins.

The first is to, of course, select the next president. However, the second goal is as important – to design a search process that will ensure that the board has adequate information from all stakeholders on the attributes they seek in the next president as we, as board members, determine who that leader will be.”

Anderson is confident the search process will yield successful candidates.

“Today, as we begin the investment in searching for our eighth president, I am pleased to have Ms. Provart and Pauly Group, our search advisory committee and the public assist the board of governors over these next few months. I am confident this process will allow us to not only to be proud of our success in finding the right person, but also be pleased in the way it is achieved.


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                                                                PHOTO CUTLINE

 

Angela Provart leads a community forum Thursday afternoon at Northeast Community College in Norfolk as the search begins for the next president of the institution. Provart is president of Pauly Group, which manages presidential and senior administrative searches at the community college and technical college level. The Northeast Board of Governors hopes to name a new president this fall.