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Presidential search update: search website, committee members and ongoing feedback

May 8, 2019

Dear students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and community members,

The search for Pacific's 25th president is underway. I'd like to give you an update on the search committee members, the timeline and related matters.

We have created a presidential search website to serve as the central resource for information. Updates will be posted to the website as they occur. I encourage you to visit the website to stay informed.

Presidential Search Advisory Committee
Members of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) were selected by their respective shared governance or advisory groups based on the Board of Regents' determination of the search committee composition. Members include:

  • Two Students: Ashley Silva-Guzman, McGeorge School of Law; Cassidy Johnson '21, COP and SOECS
  • Two Staff: Elena Dueñas, Graduate Student Support Specialist, Sacramento; Shani Richards, Assistant Director, Learning and Development
  • Four Faculty: Rex Hamilton, Professor of General Education and Religious Studies; Scott Jensen, Professor, Chair of Psychology; Cindy Lyon '86, '09, Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, Dugoni School of Dentistry and Associate Dean for Oral Health Education; Rachael Salcido, Professor of Law, McGeorge School of Law, Associate Dean for Faculty Scholarship and Diversity Initiatives
  • One Alumna: Janice Magdich '79, '96, City Attorney, City of Lodi
  • Two Deans: Rena Fraden, Dean, College of the Pacific; Nader Nadershahi, Dean, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
  • Six Regents: Norman Allen '88, '94 (committee chair); Paul Dassenko '82; Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt '76, '80; Corwin Harper; Andrea Lynn Hoch '84; Gary Mitchell
  • Committee Liaison: Janine Baca Swanson, Secretary to the Board of Regents

The PSAC will hold its first meeting in mid-May to review the committee's charge and discuss the confidentiality agreement, timeline, search process and position profile. The committee's charge and the position profile will be posted to the website following the committee's review. We will also include information about how to nominate candidates.

  • Mid-May: PSAC's first meeting
  • Late May/Early June: Position profile complete; advertisement(s) placed
  • Early September: PSAC reviews candidate profiles
  • Late September/Early October: PSAC selects three finalists
  • October Board of Regents meeting: Board of Regents interviews finalists and selects candidate
  • December: Announcement of the appointment of Pacific's 25th president (subject to candidate's timeline)
  • July 1, 2020: New president starts

Presidential Search Process
Following a discussion at its April meeting with Alberto Pimentel, the consultant managing the presidential search, and after serious consideration by the ad hoc search planning committee and the board's executive committee, the Board of Regents determined it is best to conduct a fully confidential search process to produce the broadest and most talented group of candidates. This means the committee and the board will not share names of candidates with the university community to ensure confidentiality for the candidates and encourage their participation in the search. We acknowledge that some of Pacific's recent searches included holding community forums with finalists, but in today's highly competitive presidential search market, most private and many public universities have moved to closed/confidential searches. We have a broadly representative search committee that will work to ensure many voices are considered in the process.

Ongoing Feedback
There are two ways to provide ongoing feedback, to ask questions or to share comments. The first is an anonymous and confidential survey that seeks your input on the desired characteristics of the next president. The second is an email form that goes directly to the search firm, Storbeck Pimentel & Associates. Both of these will remain available throughout the search process. 

I appreciate your continued interest and participation in this important search and look forward to providing updates.

Sincerely,

Norman Allen '88, '94
Chair, Presidential Search Advisory Committee
Board of Regents