Search Committee invites Interim President Christian to campus as presidential finalist

NEW PALTZ- The Presidential Search Committee announces today that Interim President Donald Christian has been invited to interview with the New Paltz campus as a presidential finalist. Interim President Christian will be the fifth presidential finalist chosen by the Search Committee to move to this stage in the process, which began last summer.

Interim President Christian’s on-campus interview with various campus constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, administrators, community leaders, Foundation Board and alumni representatives and members of the College Council, will be held on Monday, May 9, and Tuesday, May 10.

In March, SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher requested that the Search Committee continue the search and submit at least one additional finalist for her consideration.

The Search Committee solicited additional candidates during April and received a number of strong applications. Following the encouragement of search committee members, Donald Christian sought and gained from the Chancellor a waiver permitting him to enter the search as Interim President, consistent with SUNY Presidential Search Guidelines. Following search committee process, the committee held initial confidential interviews or sought additional information about those candidates it wished to consider further.

Interim President Christian’s letter of application and curriculum vita is available on the Presidential Search Web site for your review in advance of his on-campus visit.

Faculty, staff, administrators and students will have the opportunity to attend open sessions with the candidate. The days and times of these open sessions are as follows:

Students:

Monday, May 9, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Student Union 418)

Faculty, staff and administrators:

Tuesday, May 10, from 9:15 to10:30 a.m. (LC 102)

Tuesday, May 10, from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. (LC 100)

The Search Committee is interested in feedback about the candidate and will administer an online survey at the end of the on-campus interview. Following the on-campus interview, the Search Committee will meet to review the campus feedback and forward its findings to the College Council. The College Council will then discuss the qualifications of the additional candidate and decide whether to forward his name as a finalist to Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, per SUNY Guidelines for Presidential Searches.

Chancellor Zimpher will then make a recommendation to the SUNY Board of Trustees for its consideration during a future Board meeting. The SUNY Board of Trustees makes the final appointment of a new president.