NT's next president, as well as its future, lies in the hands of 19 people, chosen for the complete presidential search advisory committee.

According to his letter to the NT community last Friday, Chancellor Lee Jackson said the committee "is now ready to begin its work, helping us seek, encourage, interview and recommend the strongest possible candidates for the position of president."

While an exact date is not set, the committee is meeting for the first time this month. Their first order of business is to create a list of attractive qualities for the next president.

Next, they will begin reviewing and interviewing candidates sometime next spring. Jackson hopes to announce the next president at the May 2006 Board of Regents meeting.

Regents Gayle Strange, Robert Nickell and Chuck Beatty were appointed to represent the Board of Regents.

Oscar Garcia, dean of NT's engineering department, was chosen for the dean's spot in the committee.

"I think this is one of the most important decisions in the history of NT," Garcia said. "NT is at a branching point for becoming a major university in Texas. The next president is going to see the dreams and hopes and ambitions of the students and faculty realized, and therefore it is extremely important to choose the right person."

Phil Diebel, vice president for finance and business affairs, and Michelle Hale, staff council chair, will represent the staff.

"It's one of those things where you know it when you see it," Diebel said. "I want someone with good administrative experience, preferably in higher education, that has demonstrated a good track record in moving an institution forward in regard to research, fundraising and institutional reports."

The Faculty Senate previously elected Dennis Engels, regents professor of counseling, development and higher education; Art Goven, professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences; Mark McKnight, associate head of the music library; Gus Seligmann, associate professor of history; Marcia Staff, regents professor of finance, insurance, real estate and law; and Frances van Tassell, associate professor of teacher education and administration.

To represent the students, David Hall, Richardson senior and Student Government Association president, and Tobye Nelson, graduate student council president, were chosen.

"First and foremost, I want to look at the responses from the survey that the chancellor conducted," Hall said. "Secondly, I want someone with vision. And third, I want someone who's a good communicator, who will understand students and serve as a liaison for them."

Finally, from outside NT, six community leaders were chosen: Euline Brock, Denton's mayor; Frank Bracken, president and chief operating officer of Haggar Clothing Company; Bill Lively, president and chief executive officer of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation; Eva Poole, director of the Denton Public Library; and Victor Rodriguez, retired San Antonio ISD School Superintendent and former track team member.

In cooperation with search consultant Bill Funk of Korn/Ferry International, the committee's role is to "define NT's needs and aspirations for the next president as carefully as possible and ... to recruit, screen, and interview possible candidates," Jackson said.

The committee will present Jackson with a list of finalists. Of those, Jackson will choose at least one to recommend to the board. It will make the final decision.

One of the major considerations, which will be taken into account when choosing the next president, is the results of the presidential search survey.

The survey, which was available until Nov. 4, was a four-page questionnaire designed to allow NT students, faculty and staff a chance to rate the qualities they would like to see in a president.

The survey results will be shared with the committee and the Board of Regents once they are available. They will also be posted on the NT Web site after the office of institutional research has analyzed them.

"Building on the accomplishments of recent years, this can be a very exciting opportunity for the NT community," Jackson said in his letter. "Looking for new leadership should always be an optimistic time when we resolve to work together to find solutions to our challenges and renew our commitment to improve our institution."

Norval Pohl, NT's current president, announced on July 19 he would not renew his contract past its termination exactly one year later. Pohl served NT as president and chief executive officer since October 2000.

"I am grateful that President Pohl provided the university with a complete academic year to search thoughtfully and thoroughly for the university's next president, and I am confident that the University of North Texas will be attractive to proven leaders who believe in our future, recognize our many assets and opportunities, and relish the chance to work with us in meeting our challenges," Jackson said.

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