The faculty does not want the presidential search to end.

At least, not for now. And the reasons vary.

Some faculty believe the search process will end prematurely if the Board of Trustees decides Tuesday that a leadership change is unnecessary. Others agree with a Faculty Senate motion passed last week, which recommended the Presidential Search Committee require a doctoral or terminal degree from future applicants.

The BOT scheduled a special session meeting at 3 p.m. via telephone to discuss “the results of this search committee,” Chair Nate Anderson previously said.

The 13-member presidential search committee met for the first time Wednesday. The job opening has not been opened to the public.

Interim President Lou Hencken has held the position since Aug. 1, 2001, when he took over for former President Carol Surles, who resigned two months earlier because of breast cancer.

“I think we would have much more confidence in the decision if it were the result of a national search,” mathematics professor Leo Comerford said. “It could very well be that a search would result in that (Hencken) was the best person for the job, we would certainly be comfortable with that.

“But I’d like to see what’s available.”

More time needed

“The issue is not Lou Hencken,” English professor David Radavich said. “The issue is the procedures for a search. I can imagine the situation if Lou Hencken applies and is among finalists and we like him the best – I’m cool with that, but I am really bothered by possibly not having a search process that seems normal or legitimate.”

The search committee met once before, but has not decided a date the job position would be opened to the public. Hencken previously said if the BOT offered him the position before the job opening became public, he would “very, very seriously” consider accepting it.

An unsuccessful search process occurred in fall 2001 until spring 2002, but the university’s top candidate accepted a position at the University of West Florida.

Radavich said a Sept. 11 public meeting with search consultant Jim Appleberry, an employee of Academic Search Consultation Service, gave him the impression Eastern was in a good position “to attract a strong presence of applicants.”

Hencken said fewer candidates are applying for university presidential positions.

“I think many times people are not going to want to go somewhere they are unfamiliar with and the first thing they get to do is cut things,” Hencken said.

Last year, Eastern’s state appropriation was cut by 8.2 percent or more than $4 million from the previous fiscal year.

If the BOT skips the search process and offers Hencken the position, Radavich believes the move will have “unfortunate consequences.”

“I do think it undermines the credibility of both Lou Hencken and the board,” Radavich said of the possible final decision Tuesday. “It makes them seem they are aborting a search process rather than letting the process happen.”

Another factor the BOT must consider is the time table for when the newly elected president would arrive at Eastern.

Amidst a state budget deficit Hencken estimates will be “$2 billion,” the new president would arrive early spring 2004. Hencken says he or she would arrive at, “the worst possible time for someone to show up.”

The last search process lasted almost eight months. The search committee estimates this search would be on a similar timetable, but about a month faster.

Hencken said one of two things would happen if a new president is elected:

-the new candidate would start right when higher education budget lobbying was at its busiest, most intense time.

-or, Hencken would lobby for the university but with less sway because legislators would know he was on his way out.

“You literally then do have a lame duck,” he said. “The timing would be terrible.”

To Ph. D or not to Ph. D

The bigger issue, some faculty admit, isn’t the degree but rather experience in academics as a faculty member or department chair. Schooling to its fullest degree as a student only solidifies the academic experience.

Mathematics professor Charles Delman, who is president of the faculty union, the University Professionals of Illinois, said experience as either a student or professor would provide the “intellectual leadership” universities strive for.

Delman’s qualifications?

“The president has to provide intellectual leadership and understand the university from the academic side,” he said. “That we are here to educate students, to be knowledgeable and thoughtful citizens, which means they have to judge actions soundly.

“I’ve worked at a number of institutions. In all cases, when the president was very successful that person had been successful in higher education as a teacher and as a scholar.”

Comerford, a member of Faculty Senate who voted in favor of the doctoral-requiring motion, said teaching or student experience provides a “certain perspective” from being in the classroom every day and from publishing research in publications.

Hencken’s education ends with his master’s degree and he has never held a full-time teaching position.

“Yes, I do know there are concerns. Flat out, I don’t have a Ph. D,” Hencken, who has worked at Eastern since 1967, said, “but I think what people have to do is to look at the person. I know there are some who believe a Ph. D is imperative to be a good president, and I respect their opinion, but the experience may be better.”

But it’s that “certain, academic perspective” that Delman has not seen in Hencken.

“It’s a lack of examples that troubles me,” he said. “I’ve never heard him talk passionately about anything but the Panther athletic teams.”

Hencken said he can’t please everyone.

“As a leader you’re going to do things that people won’t always like,” he said. “I really do think that my actions speak, and I’m not afraid for you to call anybody and say well, ‘What do you think he’s done? How do you think he’s done?’ as a president either here, there, whatever.”

Administration editor Tim Martin can be reached at [email protected]