Letter from the Grambling Presidential Search Chair

January 29, 2010

Dear Grambling State University Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni and Community:

The search for a university leader is one of the most important jobs the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System undertakes.  While we begin the search for new Grambling State University President, rest assured our Board has developed a tried and true presidential selection process that has yielded tremendous leaders throughout our system.

Allow me to outline this open process for you:

1. The Board Chair appoints a search committee comprised of board members and a faculty representative. Advisory, non-voting student and community members may also be appointed. As the president of our system, I serve as the non-voting chair of the search committee.
2. A tentative timeline is developed by the search committee, which includes a priority date for applications and a target date to select the new president.
3. Early in the process, a search committee meeting is held on-campus to solicit input on desired qualifications for a new president.
4. Advertisements are placed in publications throughout the country and a search firm may be engaged to seek qualified candidates.
5. As completed applications are submitted to the UL System office, they are scanned and posted on a special presidential search section of our website.
6. Semi-finalists are brought to campus to meet with various campus constituencies and have public interviews with the search committee.
7. The search committee presents its recommendation, usually two or more names, to the UL System Board of Supervisors.
8. Public finalist interviews take place in Baton Rouge with the full Board of Supervisors.
9. The Board selects a new university president based on the recommendation of the UL System President.

Board Chair Winfred Sibille has already appointed the 12-member search committee, which includes Grambling faculty member Dr. Matthew Ware and SGA President Steven Jackson.  Community member Wilbert Ellis will serve as non-voting, advisory member.  The first meeting of the search committee was held in conjunction with the McNeese State University Presidential Search Committee on Friday, Jan. 29 in Baton Rouge. 

The Grambling search committee will hold a public forum on campus at 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 11 in the School of Nursing Auditorium.  All meetings are open to the public.   I encourage you to attend and share your thoughts and desires for a new president.  Your input will help the committee shape its decisions as we search for Grambling's eighth leader.

To follow the search process, you can visit a special section of the UL System website that is devoted to the Grambling Presidential Search, www.ulsystem.edu/GramblingSearch.  Also, to submit questions and comments to the committee, you can email gramblingpresidentialsearch@uls.state.la.us. 

Experience has demonstrated that the UL System's search process has produced exceptional candidates and presidents.  Critical to that process is the participation of faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members.  That is why we will be coming to the Grambling campus for input early in the process and later to conduct candidate interviews.  I urge all of you to attend any or all of our meetings throughout this important work.

Randy Moffett
President, University of Louisiana System
Chair, Grambling State University Presidential Search Committee