Know the commitee

Co-chairs
l Paul Agidius — ISBE vice president
l Sue Thilo — ISBE secretary
l Katherine Aiken — Dean, College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Idaho
l Rich Allen — community member, McCall, Idaho
l Tom Bitterwolf — chemistry professor, University of Idaho
l Bill Gilbert Jr. ­— President, University of Idaho Foundation
l Karen Guilfoyle — teacher education professor, chair faculty council, University of Idaho
l Jim Hawkins — community member, former director Department of Commerce, Coeur d’Alene
l Garrett Holbrook ­— ASUI President
l Shawn Keough — senator, vice-chairman senate finance committee, Sandpoint
l Paul Kimmell — community member, Avista Corporation
l Tom Limbaugh — president, University of Idaho Alumni Association.
l Chris Meyer — education director, Coeur d’Alene Tribes
l Dr. Matt Powell — associate director Aquaculture Research Institute, Hagerman Fish Culture Experiment Station.
l Rob Spear — athletic director, University of Idaho
l Robert Smith — distinguished professor Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department University of Idaho, Idaho Falls

Tom Bitterwolf sat at down with the University of Idaho Faculty Council during its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, notepad in hand.
As a member of the UI presidential search committee, Bitterwolf joined faculty to note characteristics they would like to see in its leader before the committee’s first meeting Thursday. Along with the suggestions, several issues surfaced.
The search committee, formed by the Idaho State Board of Education and announced in June, consists of 16 members, none of whom are staff members.

Bitterwolf said the failure for staff to be represented on the committee was a “problem of numbers.” He said getting a group of that size together and finding room for all constituencies can be difficult. He said he has hope in the current selection.
“There’s not a person on the committee that doesn’t feel very strongly about the university,” he said.
Dan Noble, staff affairs committee chair, said he understood the miss as unintentional. In an e-mail conversation between Noble and ISBE Executive Director Mike Rush, Noble said Rush’s reply expressed a genuine interest in staff playing an active role during open forums.
Bitterwolf said there will be several open forums during which staff can give input. He said the committee will attempt to hear all concerns “to the best of their ability.” Planning for these sessions is still in the works.

Noble said almost half of the staff was in attendance during the forum to discuss interim presidential candidates. He said he expects staff to also have a strong voice in the current presidential search.
“It’s important to articulate what our role is in the governing structure,” Noble said.
Bitterwolf will be in attendance to note staff input during the UI Faculty and Staff Affairs meeting at 2 p.m. on Oct. 2 in the Idaho Commons Horizon Room.

Bitterwolf said he is unsure how much of the search process will be disclosed to the public. Itcould be possible university members will know nothing until the final decision is made.
Noble said he would stand behind a selection process that would allow faculty, staff and students to be aware of those in the running. However, he said he understands why the committee would be hesitant to use this method.
UI Faculty Council member Patrick Wilson said applicants can be cautious to “throw their hat in the ring” if they are aware that their names will be known.

Although he understands that fear, he said having a more open system would allow the new hire to create relationships during the selection process and spend less time forming those bonds during the school year.
“It does put someone sort of back a step if you don’t (have an open system),” Sullivan said.
Council member Sharon Fritz said she hopes the committee can find a method that melds candidates’ right to privacy with the university’s right to be informed.

Bitterwolf said he understands faculty concerns about keeping close tabs on the presidential search. After the sudden departure of Tim White, he said faculty are more aware of how easy it is to slip out of the loop.
Bitterwolf said faculty are now searching for a president who will stick with UI for the long haul and also respects the work that goes on within the university.
“When you get to the 10,000 foot-tall level,” Bitterwolf said. “You no longer see the work that goes on in the university.”
Noble said he would like to see the search committee’s choice be someone with an awareness of all on-campus constituencies.
“I’ve spent too much time in my leadership position advocating that (need),” he said.

Bitterwolf said he is personally looking for a candidate with strong leadership skills. Having been in the military for 23 years, Bitterwolf said leadership is something for which academia cannot prepare a person.
“It’s not rocket science,” he said. “But the most important thing people have to understand is that you are here for them.”
Bitterwolf said he will be looking for candidates with a good idea of how UI runs as a research and land-grant university, someone who is ”broadly trained.”

“I’m not looking for a Renaissance man or woman,” he said. “But that would be nice.”
The search committee will have several meetings before reaching their decision. There is no set timeline for
the process.

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