The University of New Orleans Presidential Search Committee will hold its inaugural gathering on Sept. 15 on the UNO main campus, which will include a business meeting and a public forum. Both will take place in the Homer L. Hitt Alumni and Visitors Center, 2000 Lakeshore Drive. Concurrent with the presidential search, a team of outside consultants will conduct an Institutional Review to provide a framework for the search committee and new president.
“We have a very intensive process for hiring university presidents, which includes hearing directly from various constituencies and conducting an independent review of the institution. Both activities help guide our efforts to find a new leader that is the right fit for the university,” said University of Louisiana System President and UNO Search Committee Chair Randy Moffett.
The morning business meeting, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. and is open to the public, will include discussions of the search process, charge to the committee, advertisement and timeline. The afternoon public forum, which begins at 1:00 p.m. will be an opportunity for members of the campus and community to directly address the committee about preferred characteristics of UNO’s next leader.
Voting members on the committee include UL System Board Members Paul Aucoin of Thibodaux, Andre Coudrain of Hammond, David Guidry of Harvey, E. Gerald Hebert of Kenner, Renee Lapeyrolerie of New Orleans, Student Member John Lombardo of Thibodaux, Jimmy Long, Sr. of Natchitoches, Board Vice Chair D. Wayne Parker of Choudrant and Board Chair Winfred Sibille of Sunset. Also serving as a voting member is UNO faculty representative Neal Maroney, who was selected by the UNO University Senate’s Executive Committee.
Serving in a non-voting, advisory capacity are Brian Glorioso, Susan Hess, John Mineo, and Gary Solomon. UL System President Randy Moffett serves as the non-voting chair of the committee.
The UL System has engaged the services of three consultants to conduct a rigorous review of UNO. The purpose of the review, which is estimated to be completed in late October, is to identify opportunities and challenges that will aid in the leadership transition.
“We are fortunate to have three highly qualified higher education veterans conducting UNO’s institutional review. This will be an important tool to assist the presidential search committee’s candidate selection and will also serve as a roadmap for the new leader,” said Moffett.
The institutional review team consists of the following:
• Gary Reichard, former executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer for the California State University System, who will serve as the review team leader;
• Robert Lovitt, former vice president for finance and operations at Lamar University; and
• Rodney D. Smith, chief administrative and university planning officer for Hampton University.
The institutional review process consists of an extensive review of campus materials and data. The consultants will conduct phone interviews with selected individuals prior to spending four days on campus meeting with faculty, staff, students and local community and business leaders. The site visit will conclude with a public forum.
The consultants have already begun reviewing materials and are scheduled to be on the New Orleans campus Monday, Sept. 26 through Thursday, Sept. 29.
It is important to note that the University of New Orleans is undergoing a governance transition from the LSU System to the UL System, which is anticipated to be complete upon approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC) at its Dec. 3-6 meeting.
For more information about the UNO Presidential Search visit www.ulsystem.edu/UNOSearch. Questions and comments directed to the committee can be emailed to UNOPresidentialSearch@la.gov.