Presidential
Search
Guidelines
September 2012
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Presidential Search Guidelines
Purpose
This process applies to the recruitment, nomination, evaluation, and recommendation of
candidates for the presidencies of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Implementation of these guidelines shall be consistent with Board Policy 4.2 Appointment of
Presidents.
Exclusion of Candidates
No presidential candidate may participate in any subsequent step of this process.
College or University Search Advisory Committee
Purpose
The committee is advisory to the chancellor. The committee performs those responsibilities
that the chancellor requests. Typical responsibilities include recruiting candidates, screening
applications, interviewing candidates off-site in confidential interviews and conducting an
on-site public interview process of a small group of candidates. The committee provides
feedback to the chancellor from those interviews.
Chair
The chancellor will appoint a chair of the search advisory committee who will provide
leadership and facilitate meetings and interviews. The search chair serves as the primary
liaison to the chancellor to ensure that the work of the committee is conducted with the
interests of the system in mind, particularly as it relates to diversity and EEO principles.
Ex-Officio Members
A campus liaison will also be appointed to assist the search chair in the planning and
organization of committee meetings and candidate interviews. This liaison is typically the
chief human resources officer from the campus.
A system office liaison will be appointed. The liaison will have administrative responsibility
for the presidential search and will maintain all records and correspondence for the search.
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Regular Members
The chancellor shall appoint members of the search advisory committee in consultation with
the search chair and the vice chancellor for human resources. The committee members shall
be knowledgeable about the duties and responsibilities of the position of president and should
be broadly representative of the interests of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
system, college and university groups and community stakeholders.
In selecting committee members the chancellor will make every effort to fully incorporate
equal opportunity and diversity principles.
Search Consultants
The system office may engage the services of an executive search consultant. The consultant
will assist with recruitment and evaluation of candidates. Neither the consultant nor any
member of the search advisory committee shall engage in any negotiation of salary or other
employment terms with any candidate, unless specifically authorized to do so by the
chancellor.
Initial Screening
The system office will conduct an initial review of each candidate’s materials to determine
their viability as a candidate for searches during the year. The goal of this initial review is to
screen out candidates who do not meet the minimum qualifications, ensure a diverse pool of
applicants, and ensure that the search advisory committee is spending its time on viable
candidates.
The initial screening will use the position announcement and profile developed, as well as
criteria which consider both the experience and competencies necessary to move the college
or university ahead in the future. The system office will refer qualified candidates to the
college or university search advisory committee for further consideration.
General Search Procedures
Announcement
A presidential vacancy announcement, inviting applications and nominations, shall be
advertised by the search firm, in consultation with the system office. The notice of vacancy,
containing the responsibilities, skills, abilities, and qualifications for the position, shall be
available to all persons making application or who have been nominated for the presidency.
Profile
A comprehensive profile of the position will be developed to assist with recruiting
candidates. The system office liaison will work with the campus liaison, college or university
staff, search consultant, search chair and others to develop the profile.
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Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects
of the search process shall be conducted in accordance with equal opportunity principles and
affirmative action guidelines. Affirmative techniques will be used to enrich the candidate
pool and ensure diversity.
Confidentiality and Access to Information
Confidentiality in the search process is essential to supporting a successful search and
complying with state law regarding privacy of applicant information. Search advisory
committee members are required to maintain strict privacy of all applicant data received in
the search process.
In accordance with Minnesota Statute 13.43, Subd.3, only those candidates chosen to be
interviewed by the appointing authority (that is, the Board of Trustees) are considered
finalists. The release of information about semi-finalist candidates will be made by the search
chair or campus liaison after consultation with the chancellor and system office liaison and
only after receiving a signed release from the candidate.
Applications and nominations
All candidates applying for or accepting nomination for the position of president within the
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system must provide a letter of application and
current resume or otherwise make application in a manner which provides all necessary
information. Each candidate must also provide the names and contact information of at least
three professional references. Candidates proceeding to the interview stage will be required
to agree to have both on and off list references checked, and sign a release form authorizing
this to take place.
A search firm, retained by the system office, will process all the applications and
nominations of candidates, and will notify all candidates upon receipt of materials.
Evaluation Materials
All rating forms and written materials used by the search advisory committee during the
evaluation and interview process shall be retained in a secure manner. Upon completion of
the search, the system office liaison will retain all materials consistent with the system
records retention schedule.
Off-site interviews
A short list of candidates will be interviewed by the search advisory committee in a
confidential location. The search chair, in consultation with the consultant, system office
liaison and committee, will develop a list of behavioral-based questions which will be asked
of each candidate during off-site interviews. At the conclusion of the interviews, the search
advisory committee will provide feedback and audiotapes from the interviews to the
chancellor.
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The chancellor will review audiotapes and consult with the search chair and system office
liaison about the search advisory committee feedback and initial referencing information.
The chancellor will determine which candidates proceed to the on-campus interviews.
On-Campus Interviews
The search chair, in concert with the campus liaison and system office liaison, shall be
responsible for planning public on-campus interviews.
Any member of the college or university community participating in an on-campus interview
may complete a feedback form and submit it to the search chair. The campus liaison will
coordinate the collection and compilation of all feedback. The search chair shall provide a
summary of the feedback to the chancellor regarding candidates interviewed on campus. This
summary will include information gathered about the candidates from all phases of the
process, including the off-site interviews, on-campus interviews, reference and background
checks.
Chancellor Interviews
The chancellor, with at least one (1) and up to three (3) members of the Board of Trustees,
will interview any or all of the candidates forwarded by the search advisory committee.
Candidates will also be interviewed by system office staff and others at the request of the
chancellor.
Recommendation to the Board
The chancellor will recommend a finalist for president of the college or university to the
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees.
Appointment
Appointment of the president shall be made by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
Board of Trustees.
Revised 9/12
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