The UM System Board of Curators, the executive board for the university’s four-campus system, met in Rolla on Monday to discuss the ongoing presidential search and employee benefits.
A recap of the public forums the presidential search committee held during the past two weeks convened the meeting. Representatives from the presidential search firm, Greenwood/Asher & Associates, were present.
Qualities listed as integral in the next president include the ability to lead with a vision, an appreciation for the state of Missouri and to be a champion for public higher education issues, such as access and affordability, among others.
“Basically, they took the input from those forums and compiled them together to form a list of qualities they are looking for in the next system president,” said Andrew Meyer, who serves as the Associated Students of the University of Missouri Board chairman and was present at Monday’s meeting.
These qualities will be voted on at Tuesday’s meeting and will then be given to the search firm for distribution.
In addition to the presidential search, a majority of discussion focused on changes in employee benefits and the addition of several academic programs at UM — Kansas City.
Missouri Students Association President Eric Woods and former MSA President Tim Noce both were in Rolla during the weekend for an Intercampus Student Council meeting, where the selection of the next student representative to the Board of Curators was discussed. Noce was named ISC President in November.
“I want to work more on student conduct, work with ASUM on lobbying and find someone to increase institutional knowledge,” Noce said when he was elected to the position.
Meyer said ISC had interviewed candidates for the student curator position.
“Anybody that wanted to apply for the job could apply, as long as they met the qualifications,” Meyer said. “A couple of weeks ago, the Intercampus Student Council traveled to KC to interview all of the candidates, and we narrowed it down to three who we are suggesting to the governor.”
Meyer said that of the original seven or eight candidates for the job, IFC has narrowed down to three candidates who it will suggest to Gov. Jay Nixon for approval. The next student representative will be a student attending UMKC, as the position rotates among the four campuses. Woods couldn’t disclose the candidates names.
“At this point, we’re going to keep transitioning with all three of them until the Governor decides to appoint the person,” Meyer said. “We don’t know who that is going to be at this time, because of the presidential search.”
Although student representatives to the board typically step down in June, current representative Laura Confer’s involvement in the presidential search will likely cause her to serve her full term, Meyer said. Her term officially ends Jan. 1, 2012.
The board will reconvene Tuesday to take action on several items discussed Monday.