Profile to be utilized in UT search is finished

11/14/2000

A document has been finalized outlining the University of Toledo's attractions, priorities, and challenges and the characteristics it is seeking in its next president.

The institutional profile underwent minor revisions after faculty, staff, and students had a chance to offer suggestions to a subgroup of UT's presidential search committee. About 20 responses were received after a draft of the profile was released Oct. 12, university officials said.

“A lot of it was cleaning up the language to make it more precise, clearer,” Dr. Joe Brennan, a UT spokesman, said. “The fundamental four big tasks have not changed.”

The top priorities for the new president, according to the document, are clarifying UT's mission, improving student recruitment and retention, building internal and external relationships, and building a strong administration.

Among changes to the profile were adding UT's athletic programs as one of its attractions and the request that the next president be knowledgeable about technology, Joan Uhl Browne, a UT trustee who chairs the search committee, said.

The institutional profile will be used as a guide as UT searches for a permanent replacement for Dr. Vik Kapoor, who resigned in June after 17 months as president. A leadership statement detailing qualities the university wants in its next president was approved Oct. 25 by the board of trustees.

The 18-member presidential search committee is scheduled to meet Thursday for a session intended to prepare them for the process of reviewing applications and screening candidates, said Dr. Elaine Hairston, a consultant who is assisting with the search.

The university has asked potential candidates to apply by Dec. 8.