August 14, 2014

As your University prepares for the start of a new academic year, allow me to share some important information with you about the Grambling State University Presidential Search.

During the May committee meeting on your campus, we indicated that the search timeline would likely be delayed if we chose to go through the state’s rigorous Request for Proposals (RFP) process to secure a search firm with HBCU experience.  We did decide to seek a firm with HBCU experience, and thus the process is underway.  However, it will likely take a few more months to get final approval to move forward with a search firm.  To ensure a careful and exhaustive search for Grambling State’s next president, I will recommend a new timeline to the search committee.

The new proposed timeline will include an October committee meeting, a February preferred application date, semi-finalist interviews in March, and finalist interviews and selection in April.

We continue to move the process forward as quickly as possible given our extra diligence to get the most qualified search firm, and we are on track to ensure a comprehensive search for the new leadership.  My staff has been carefully reviewing search firms per the RFP and working on the process to get to a contract as soon as possible.  We are also fortunate to have Grambling Interim President Cynthia Warrick onboard to address the many challenges facing the institution, and we are actively gathering input from various constituency groups to hear their thoughts and suggestions about Grambling’s future direction as well as desired characteristics of the next president.

This summer, UL System Executive Vice President and Provost Karla Hughes and I traveled across the country to meet with Grambling’s extensive out-of-state alumni groups for open dialogue about the search.  Although it was not possible to meet with every group, to date we have visited Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Houston.  We also attended the Grambling National Alumni Association’s annual meeting in Shreveport, and meetings are scheduled for Dallas and tentatively for Los Angeles.

These discussions with Grambling’s supporters have been invaluable to me in this process.  I have learned so much from the dialogue and am grateful to experience firsthand the positive energy for Grambling from all across the nation.  I wish I could bottle the passion and pride that pours from the alumni members I have been privileged to meet.  Every conversation, email, and phone call reinforces the need for us to take the time necessary to get this right.

We will share with you the specific dates for the updated timeline as soon as possible.  In the interim I encourage you to click on the links below to visit the special search website and provide input to the search committee members. 

This is an important time in Grambling State University’s history; and we are committed to ensuring the future of this great institution!

Dr. Sandra K. Woodley, President
University of Louisiana System