EXPLAINER: Selecting the next president and provost of UHCL

After the departure of former UHCL President Ira K. Blake, UH System Chancellor Renu Khator is beginning the search for UHCL’s sixth president. 

This will be the first presidential search at UHCL since 2017. Greenwood/Asher & Associates Inc. is the search firm which aided in the selection of former president Ira K. Blake. The search firm that will conduct the next search is being chosen by Khator.

The search for a new president

Every two years, the UH System issues a request for proposal for executive search firms. The system then selects several firms to contract with so they can be utilized when senior-level leadership positions such as presidents, vice presidents, provosts and deans become open or are expected to become open.

“The firm, yet to be selected, will guide UH-Clear Lake and the UH System through the critical leadership change by recruiting a diverse pool of experienced candidates and will assist with the evaluation of candidates, transition and succession of the role,” said Shawn Lindsey, associate vice chancellor of media relations for the UH System. “The search for UH-Clear Lake’s next president will involve an exhaustive national search for forward-thinking leaders who can steer a future course and fulfill the mission of UH-Clear Lake.”

After the selection of a search firm, Khator will form a search committee consisting of various UHCL constituents including administrators, faculty, staff and students from the various divisions and colleges. Additionally, administrators from other UH System schools and other external stakeholders may participate in the search committee. The committee participants will be selected before the end of 2021.

Once the search firm and committee members are selected, the search firm approaches the committee to outline the application and candidate consideration processes, create a position description and survey constituents about the strengths and weaknesses of the previous president. 

After this, the search firm begins seeking referrals from committee members and constituents, as well as applicants in their pool for the position. The search firm then reaches out to potential applicants with the application package for the position.

Interested parties complete the application package, which are then reviewed by the search firm and committee. Applicants who meet the qualifications from the position posting are reviewed and placed into a pool. The search committee, with help from the search firm, narrows the pool of applicants down to candidates who show promise in their resume and other submitted documents. This exact process is unique to the search committee and selected search firm. From this pool of candidates, the search committee selects those candidates with the most promise to become finalists. 

Once the finalist candidates are selected, the committee brings them to campus for a two-day interview process with various constituents on campus. While specific plans are to be determined, the candidates are likely to meet with faculty, staff, student and administrative leadership across campus. 

Once each candidate has had the opportunity to complete the on-campus interviews, the committee notes the strengths and opportunities of each candidate and forwards them to the chancellor, who makes the final recommendation to the UH System Board of Regents on which candidate should be appointed to the position. Texas law requires that 21 days pass before the Board of Regents can formalize the candidate’s appointment to the position. 

The search for a new provost

After the Aug. 6 announcement of the departure of former Provost Steven Berberich, Christopher Maynard stepped in as interim provost Sept. 7. The search committee for the next provost of UHCL will be formed and begin work before the end of 2021.

Mark Denney, vice president of administration and finance, said the search may be staggered in such a way that UHCL’s next president is selected at the same time finalists for the provost position are interviewed on campus, allowing the next president to have a say during the hiring process.

Additionally, Denney said that while plans are still being made for these committees, students will have a voice throughout both candidate searches. 

“I am confident that a student representative will likely be on the search committee, as well as student representation on many of the groups that either give information regarding the desired qualities of the candidates, and/or who will meet with the finalists when they come to campus,” Denney said. “Explicitly how that will occur, I cannot say, as that will be determined by the search committee with input from the search firm, and the goal of student engagement and input can be achieved through many different paths.”

The search for the provost follows a similar process as that for a president with a search firm being selected, a committee of constituents on campus and in the system is formed, candidates apply and interview for the position, the committee offers its feedback on the finalists to the chancellor.

Lindsey said that because the provost is an executive management level position, the chancellor makes the final decision of which candidate will receive an offer for the position. The appointment of the provost does not require approval from the Board of Regents.

Both the president and provost positions are planned to be filled by the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester.