|
George Pernsteiner, chancellor of the Oregon University System, should have a good idea of what qualities students, staff and community members would like to see in the next president of Eastern Oregon University.
Prior to the State Board of Higher Education meetings recently held at EOU, Pernsteiner — to his credit — scheduled a series of meetings to solicit input on what the OUS should be looking for in Interim President Dixie Lund’s replacement. After the meetings, Pernsteiner told The Observer that the messages from the various groups were similar.
The groups told him that the next president needs to have a sense of rural communities. A dedication to students, staff and community. Someone who is approachable. Who listens.
Someone who will partner with groups in the community and work toward enhancing the region’s economic well-being.
And, the next president needs to be someone who isn’t simply looking at the position as a stepping stone.
Sounds like a tall order for recruiting someone to a small, regional university. But Pernsteiner said he heard the message loud and clear and couldn’t agree more. He has named a search committee — one that, frankly, could have used more local representation — that will work with a professional search firm to find the best applicants for the position.
The chancellor heard in no uncertain terms that many people were not happy with the search that resulted in the 2004 hiring of Khosrow Fatemi, who resigned a year ago after a three-year tenure that resulted in increased expenses, diminished reserves and falling enrollment. The local arm of that 2003-04 search committee was ignored in its recommendations in favor of Fatemi. Although Pernsteiner was not the chancellor at the time and did not make the selection, in 2006 he did ignore warnings during faculty and community meetings that Fatemi had EOU on a downward spiral.
Pernsteiner, though, seems to be off to a good start in finding someone to replace Lund, who as interim for the second time has done things right and put EOU back on a successful track. Since she can’t be cloned, the OUS is compelled to find her replacement.
We can only hope that, this time, Pernsteiner was listening.
|
Opinion 
