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College chooses top presidential
candidates
by Darren Reed
Crusader editor
The Seward County Community College Board of Trustees heard the
Presidential Search Screening Committee's choices for the top
five presidential applicants Monday.
 The
top-five candidates include: Stephen Hilterbran, vice chancellor
for student services at Baton Rouge Community College in Baton
Rouge, La. and former Liberal Bee Jay; Paul Osborn, director of
technical education for the Kansas Board of Regents in Topeka;
Duane Dunn, president of the Manhattan Area Technical College
in Manhattan; Clayton Tatro, dean of learning services and chief
academic officer at Garden City Community College in Garden City;
and Don Woodburn, dean at the University of Nebraska College of
Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Neb.
The findings were presented to the board by committee
chair Dr. Steve Cauble, according to Dr. James Tangeman, SCCC
interim president and member of the screening committee.
The committee met Feb. 25 to choose the top seven
candidates out of the 18 applications received.
They then chose which five would be recommended
for interviews. The remaining two candidates will serve as alternates
in case one of the committee's top choices decides to drop out
of contention.
Tangeman said that experience in the community college
environment was a deciding factor in choosing applicants.
"To lead an institution of this type you should
have some community college experience," Tangeman said. "That
was a high priority."
Tangeman said other areas the committee looked at
included the candidates' experience with politics, fund raising,
business and their decision making styles.
"Some people had a lot of academic experience but
they really hadn't been put in a leadership position where they
had to have a global view and a vision of what's going on in the
whole institution," Tangeman said, adding that the level of community
involvement exhibited by the applicants was also very important.
"When you read a set of applications, some just
come across stronger than others, the way they communicate in
writing, the kind of experiences, the kind of involvements they've
had in their communities and the service projects they've been
associated with," Tangeman said. "You kind of get a feel for a
person who limits himself a little bit and just focuses on the
job and nothing else. A community college president has to be
part of the community."
While in-state status wasn't a major consideration,
familiarity with SCCC's geographic area was important as it could
determine whether a candidate would feel comfortable enough to
stay in Liberal for several years.
"We want somebody who's going to fit, fit in this
community, fit in the college and be here," Tangeman said. "You
can't afford to change presidents every couple of years."
Each of the top-five applicants has agreed to come
to SCCC to be interviewed. The dates for the visits will run from
March 22 through April 8.
While the applicants will have a traditional interview
with the Board of Trustees, they will also be evaluated by students
and staff and introduced to the community.
"You don't hire a president very often," Tangeman
said. "So when you do, you have to make sure that you do it right,
give it all the attention you can, and get everybody's input and
consider that when making the final decision."
To that effect, the applicants will first meet with
SCCC's administrative council. This group includes the college
deans: Dr. Gerald Harris, dean of student services; Cynthia Rapp,
dean of instruction; Dale Reed, associate dean of educational
services; Tommy Williams, dean of administrative services; as
well as Tangeman, Pam Perkins, administrative assistant to the
president, and Todd Carter, Title III coordinator.
Following that meeting, each applicant will talk
with members of SCCC's Continuing Quality Improvement council,
which includes members from every college department, as well
as with Galen McSpadden, athletic director, and SCCC coaches.
The candidates will also meet with a group of staff
members as well as with a group of students; both are yet to be
assembled.
Harris will be in charge of deciding which students
will be chosen to interview the presidential candidates.
"What we want is for students to listen to them,
ask questions and get a feel for if they think they would fit
our campus culture," Harris said.
Harris hopes to gather a group of around 15 students
in order to have 10-12 present for each of the five interview
and is asking faculty members to nominate anyone they feel is
up to the task, but Harris is willing to consider any student
who is serious about the process.
"If somebody walks in and says 'Hey, I'd like to
be part of it,' if there is room, I would certainly let them do
that," Harris said.
The findings and comments of the group will be compiled
and reported to the Board of Trustees by Harris.
After the applicants have met with all select groups,
they will speak at an informal reception which will be open to
all staff, students and anyone else who wishes to attend.
The reception will give the entire Liberal community
a chance to meet the candidates.
Afterward, the board will conduct the final interview
of the day and have dinner with the candidate.
"That day is going to be a packed day for them,"
Tangeman said. "We want them to know us, and us to know them."
According to Tangeman, following the last interview
April 8, the Board of Trustees will make a decision on which candidate
to offer the position of SCCC president.
"It's going to be a tough decision, these people
are very well qualified," Tangeman said. "I think we're going
to get a good president."
SCCC began the task of selecting a new president
following the death of then president Dr. James Grote in October
of 2003.
Tangeman has served as the college's interim president
since November 2003 when he accepted the board's request to fill
the position.
Tangeman, who had retired as president of Garden
City Community College, agreed to put his retirement on hold and
serve as interim president until the search for a permanent replacement
could be completed.
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