We want to update you on progress of the presidential search. With the help of the Presidential Search Committee and our search firm, Wheless Partners, we have identified a strong pool of candidates of diverse personal and professional backgrounds.
The search firm and the search committee met last week to consider the candidate pool and recommend 10 candidates for the initial round of interviews. The CU Board of Regents met the next day to receive the recommendations, and we discussed the committee’s reasoning with the regents. The board enthusiastically endorsed the committee’s recommendations.
The search committee will conduct initial interviews in mid-March and then make another set of recommendations to the regents. Regents look forward to meeting with the search committee and hearing about the interviews and the candidates. After those meetings, the Board of Regents anticipates it will interview up to five candidates in early April.
The Board of Regents has committed that it will honor the candidates’ confidentiality and not name anyone as a finalist without first receiving permission to do so.
Under Colorado law, once the board receives permission name a candidate a finalist, the board may not appoint a president until that person’s candidacy is publicly known for at least two weeks. During this time, we expect any finalist will make campus visits and meet with university stakeholders. This will likely happen in April or early May. We understand this coincides with the end of the semester, but it is important that we move the process forward so we can name our next president in a timely manner.
We feel good about where we are in the process in terms of candidates and timing. We appreciate the work of the Presidential Search Committee and Wheless Partners to get us to this point. We are optimistic for a successful conclusion to the search and will further communicate milestones with you.
Thank you for your interest in our work to find the university’s next great leader and for all you do for CU.
Sincerely,
Regent Heidi Ganahl, Co-chair
Regent Irene Griego, Co-chair
University of Colorado Presidential Search Committee
