Clark College takes next step in hiring new president

Community and college representatives selected to screen and recommend finalists for the next Clark College President.

Community and college representatives have come together to form a Presidential Search Advisory Committee at Clark College. Their job will be to screen applicants and recommend presidential candidate finalists to the Clark College Board of Trustees.

The committee met for the first time on October 11 to review the process, participate in implicit bias training ,and discuss the job description for the next president. The composition of the committee is outlined in Clark College policy 610.025. It includes community leaders as well as college students, staff and faculty.

  • Heather Adams, Clark College staff    
  • Christhian Canseco, Account Manager ESCO Corporation
  • Justin Flint, ASCC student leader
  • Tanisha Harris, CASA Program Specialist YWCA Clark County
  • Jane Jacobsen, Clark College Board of Trustees Chair
  • Evans Kaame, ASCC student President
  • Catharine Keane, Clark College staff
  • Tanya Kerr, Clark College staff
  • Eric Merrill, Clark College Foundation Board Chair
  • Dannie Nordsiden, Automotive Technology Instructor
  • Danielle Plesser, Clark College staff
  • Donivee Randall-Jones, Professor of Nursing
  • Suzanne Southerland, Professor of Communication Studies
  • Al Schauer, Founder PointNorth Consulting 
  • Paul Speer, Clark College Board of Trustees Presidential Search Lead
  • Brian Taylor, Industrial Sales Manager Siemens
  • Vicki Sovold-Prendergast, Mount Pleasant School District Superintendent
  • Dr. Siri Wickramaratne, Geography Instructor
  • Rashida Willard, Clark College Office Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The committee’s work is supported by non-voting members Dr. Preston Pulliams, CEO of Gold Hill Associates, and Stephanie Weldy, Interim Executive Assistant to the Board of Trustees.

“Diverse community involvement is key to a transparent, equitable and inclusive process,” said Paul Speer, search lead and member of the Clark College Board of Trustees. “This is a moment in history for Clark College. Our next president will shape the future of the college supporting our students, community, faculty and staff.”

The Board of Trustees, with assistance
from the committee, has now approved the job description which is posted and
being distributed nationwide. It can be found at https://collegepresidentsearch.com/searches/.

Preston Pulliams of Gold Hill Associates is conducting the candidate search. In early October, he held two open houses and conducted numerous individual interviews to get input on the college’s opportunities, challenges and hopes for a new president over the next decade. 

The Search Advisory Committee will meet
again in early November to participate in an equity in hiring workshop.
Candidate applications are due mid November. The Committee will review the
qualifying applications and select semi-finalists by late November.

The Board of Trustees plans to approve finalists in December, providing sufficient time to have the candidates visit Clark College in January for interviews, community and college forums. The Board plans to announce the new president in February 2020.

“It’s the most important work we will
do as a board of trustees,” said Speer.

For more information about community
involvement, please go to www.clark.edu/presidential-search or
email presidentialsearch@clark.edu.

All interested candidates should
contact Gold Hill Associates for questions regarding the application process or
inquiries.

Preston Pulliams, President and Owner, Gold Hill Associates
1065 Stigger Road
Jackson, Mississippi 39209
Email: preston@goldhillassociates.com
Web: http://collegepresidentsearch.com

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley