Presidential Search Committee Chair Cheryl Herbert, in a memo to the Otterbein community, said that the finalist interview process would not be open to the campus community.
The memo stated that nearly 80 applicants applied for the position with eight people making it to the semi-finalists interview. Witt/Kieffer urged that the final interviews be done in confidentiality due to the requests of some candidates.
OUSG President Jeremy Paul, who is a member of the presidential search committee, said six or seven of the candidates said they would pull out of the process if it were a public search.
The suggestion to remain confidential with the names was presented to the board of trustees who ultimately decided to add three additional faculty members and two additional staff members to the search committee. This was confirmed in a letter sent the next day from the chair of the board of trustees to the faculty assembly executive committee.
This change in procedure comes with a lessening of faculty representation as compared to the last search committee that was created 10 years ago. In a memo by Herbert on Aug. 31 of last year the layout of the search committee was set in place.
The total number of members was reduced from 15 to 11 members. The board of trustees went on to choose the head of the faculty assembly and the senior faculty board of trustee member to represent the faculty on the search committee. This goes against the norm as in the past representatives were elected, not chosen and total faculty representation was reduced from four members to two.
Prior to the March 14 memos, the faculty was asked to elect two additional members to the committee. This request comes before the memos would announce the closing of the finalist interviews.
Similar situations arose at University of Oklahoma, Ohio Christian University and Ithaca College where the final candidates did not visit prior to being hired.
Frank LoMonte, director at the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications, previously told publications that this may not be the best move for a university.
“I can’t imagine, in the year 2018, that any college is hiring a president without talking to the people at their present workplace,” said LoMonte.
LoMonte said members of Otterbein need to feel some ownership in the decision and not that a president was thrust upon them by trustees.
Reactions to the letters varied. Some were confused with the status of the search while others were upset with the change. An email to the student body sent by Paul Thursday morning spoke of the benefits of the changed search process.
“It is far from a 'closed process.' In the spirit of shared governance, a committee was selected to review applications and conduct interviews for those interested in becoming Otterbein’s next President,” wrote Paul.
Senior biochemistry and molecular biology major John Wright said Paul's email was misleading.
“If a closed process is better, then that's great. However, please don't send misleading emails to the student body. You said the presidential search isn't closed because there is a committee of constituents who are conducting interviews behind closed doors. That's contradictory. I have no hard feelings for you; just please use precise language in the future.”
Paul said the term ’closed process’ was being used to show no representation from different constituent groups.
“Are these interviews and meetings happening behind closed doors? Yes. However, we believe using the phrase 'closed process' is intentional, to make people believe the process isn't being completed in the spirit of shared governance,” wrote Paul.
A stronger reaction was seen by the faculty. Many of them expressed concern on not being able to meet with their new boss and leader. Professor of Communication Kerry Strayer showed disappointment with the change in process.
“It’s a shame because this is essentially the person that will lead the strategic vision of the university,” said Strayer.
A petition from faculty was sent to the board of trustees asking to meet with the top finalists and to allow faculty to give feedback. The petition which read, "We the undersigned faculty call for the opportunity to engage meaningfully and directly with all finalists for the position of President of Otterbein University."
Out of the 176 full time faculty on campus, the petition received 72 signatures in two days.
The finalist interviews are set to be completed in the next two weeks, with a recommendation made to the board of trustees shortly after. Herbert said the board intends to announce the name of the new president prior to commencement.
