University Letter

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NDUS releases new information on UND presidential search

The North Dakota University System (NDUS) has released new information about the search for UND’s next permanent president on its official UND Presidential Search homepage.

The new information includes a Presidential Position Advertisement, with descriptions for preferred applicants, as well as minimum and preferred qualifications. The website also contains information for nominations and applications.

A UND Presidential Search Committee held its first meeting on July 24 on the UND campus. The committee plans to convene next via teleconference in August.

“The committee wants to create a vision for UND that’s aligned for the future, and I believe the position description does a nice job in setting a successful course for the search committee,” said NDUS chancellor Mark Hagerott, who is an ex officio member of the committee.

At its July 24 meeting, the committee agreed to contract with the lowest bidder, AGB Search, a higher education search firm that’s conducted several past searches for NDUS, to assist in the UND’s search.

The committee is being co-chaired by Dr. Casey Ryan, vice chair of the State Board of Higher Education, and Dennis Elbert, former dean of the UND College of Business & Public Administration. The co-chairs played host to a number of public listening sessions in July to get a sense of what the University community and general public are looking for in UND’s next permanent president.

“A sense of stability in leadership for the University, for the communities it serves and for the State of North Dakota is something that resonated as a need among participants of the listening sessions,” Ryan said, “ and I believe the search committee’s recognition of this need is reflected in the presidential position advertisement.”

Elbert added that the public listening sessions also showed that “transparency,” “trust” and “integrity” to be important qualities desired in the next permanent president of UND.

“People are looking for someone who is a bold thinker, and at the same time, shows concerns for others,” Elbert said. “They’re also looking for someone with a passion for UND, who will focus on service to the State of North Dakota. Our aim as a committee is to take those qualities, identify and select the best possible person who meets those ideas.”

More UND Presidential Search Committee listening sessions are slated for the fall.

The committee hopes to complete its work before July 2020, and has an accelerated timeline but no deadline.