Interview Schedule Released for Northwestern State Presidential Semifinalists

Published on under 2014 / News

NATCHITOCHES, La. – The interviews are set for the four Northwestern State University Presidential Semifinalists.  Two interviews will be held per day on Wednesday, Sept. 10, and Thursday, Sept. 11.  On Friday, Sept. 12, the search committee will deliberate and decide who will move forward to be interviewed by the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System on Sept. 23.

“This is the most exciting part of the search process when the candidates interact with the campus, community, and search committee.  We want students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to attend every meeting possible and give us their honest feedback.  Together, we can find the right person to lead this great institution,” said UL System President and Northwestern Presidential Search Committee Chair Sandra K. Woodley.

The public interviews and search committee meeting will take place in the Magale Recital Hall in the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) building on Northwestern’s Natchitoches campus.  They are scheduled as follows:

Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014

  • 10:15 a.m. – James B. Henderson (D.M. – University of Maryland), Chancellor, Bossier Parish Community College
  • 1:30 p.m. – Lisa Abney (Ph.D. – University of Houston), Provost and Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, Northwestern State University

Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014

  • 10:15 a.m. – Renva H. Watterson (Ed.D. – University of Arkansas), Interim President, Georgia Highlands College
  • 1:30 p.m. – Linda K. Rinker (Ed.D. – Columbia University Teachers College), Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Davenport University

Friday, Sept. 12, 2014

  • 9:00 a.m. – Northwestern State University Presidential Search Committee Meeting to Select Finalists

In addition to public interviews with the search committee, each semifinalist will meet with faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community members.  A full schedule of meetings can be found at www.ulsystem.edu/NorthwesternSearch. 

At the interview sessions, attendees can submit questions they would like to be addressed by each semifinalist, and comment cards will be available to provide feedback to the search committee.  Comment cards will also be available at each constituent meeting, and those who cannot participate in person can send comments to the committee via email at nsupresidentialsrch@uls.state.la.us. 

The search committee will review all written comments and entertain public comments prior to making its finalist recommendations on Friday, Sept. 12.

Voting members of the Northwestern Presidential Search Committee include UL System Board Members Edward Crawford III of Shreveport, Dr. Kelly Faircloth of Pineville, Board Chair E. Gerald “T-Boy” Hebert of Kenner, Student Member Adam Lefort of Thibodaux, Jimmy Long, Sr. of Natchitoches, D. Wayne Parker of Choudrant, Mark Romero of Lafayette, Carl Shetler of Lake Charles, Robert Shreve of Baton Rouge, and Winfred Sibille of Sunset.  Also serving as a voting member is Northwestern Faculty Senate President Massimo Bezoari.

Serving as advisory, non-voting members are Northwestern SGA President Kyla Winey, a junior mass communication major from Lafayette; Northwestern Foundation President Lola Dunahoe, a 1971 graduate in biology who works for The Dunahoe Law Firm in Natchitoches; and Northwestern Alumni Association President Joe Stamey, a 1983 graduate in accounting who is a partner in the Natchitoches-based Stamey and Miller Law Firm.  UL System President Sandra Woodley serves as the non-voting committee chair.

Northwestern State’s longest-serving president, Randall Webb, announced his retirement in April.  A new president is expected to be named on September 23. 

-ULS-

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN STATE: Founded in 1884, Northwestern State University is classified by Carnegie as a Master’s Large University and by the Southern Regional Education Board as a Four-Year 4 institution, enrolling almost 9,000 students in over 50 degree programs.  In addition to the main campus in Natchitoches, the University has facilities in Leesville and Shreveport and offers instruction at other centers in central Louisiana.

ABOUT THE UL SYSTEM: The University of Louisiana System is the largest higher education system in Louisiana enrolling about 90,000 students at Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and the University of New Orleans.