Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 1, 1993 TAG: 9310010040
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In fact, they say the continuing cutbacks may be bait enough to lure a college president hungering for new surroundings to Blacksburg.
"The people in the top positions tend not to be scared away from a lot of challenge," said William Bowen, vice chairman of Heidrick & Struggles, an international search firm that specializes in higher education.
Tech hired Heidrick & Struggles to help them find a new president when William Lavery stepped down in 1987. The result of that search was McComas, who announced Tuesday that he's leaving the university because he has cancer.
Tech's Board of Visitors has scheduled a special meeting today and is expected to name an acting president. The most likely choice is Fred Carlisle, the school's senior vice president and provost.
The acting president probably will lead the university through the rest of this academic year. Bill Weary, director of presidential searches for the Association of Governing Boards for Colleges and Universities, said it usually takes four to six months to fill a top administrative post.
Weary agreed with Bowen that the state's shrinking education budget shouldn't hurt Tech in finding a new leader. The state has decreased its aid to colleges by $440 million since 1989 and is threatening to cut the budget as much as 15 percent next year.
"Cutbacks are unfortunately a normal part of higher education," Weary said. "Our experience has been that a sharply defined challenge is usually a big drawing point."
Dave Merkowitz, director of public affairs for the American Council on Education, said Tech's excellent reputation as a research university will overshadow any fears a candidate might have about budget cuts.
"When you get an opening at a prestigious institution like that, then there won't be any shortage of interest," he said. "We're in an environment where dealing with budget problems is just a condition of the job."
Virginia's college presidents have said further budget cuts will hurt the quality of education the schools are able to offer. They've used as a rallying point the fact that the state will be ranked 48th in per-student appropriation if the proposed cuts are implemented.
Bowen, in an interview from his Chicago office, said the state's reputation as a leader in higher education hasn't been tarnished by the recent budget cuts.
His thoughts were echoed by Bill Fishback, a member of the English department and special adviser to the president at the University of Virginia who's been through three searches in his 27 years there.
Tech "is very attractive and the state is very attractive," he said. "I believe the tough times are when you get the best people."
Tech's Board of Visitors is expected to form a search committee today and will probably decide if it wants to get help from an outside search firm.
Bowen said Heidrick & Struggles hasn't talked to Tech, but he hopes the company will be included in the search.
The practice of using headhunters to fill top positions at colleges has become popular in the past five years, but it isn't cheap.
The College of William and Mary paid a search team more than $25,000 last year to find its new president, Timothy Sullivan.
by CNB