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FERRUM CHOOSES A DIFFERENT PATH |
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| For immediate release: |
Released
by: Lisa Bowling |
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| March 12, 2002 | (540)
365-4307 |
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Unlike many private colleges and universities, Ferrum College opted for a relatively open search process for its next president. This inclusive approach solicited participation from Ferrum stakeholders and disseminated progress information broadly, leading to exceptional constituency consensus about the top candidate. "The open search was crucial to the process since it was important to solicit the opinion of a wider audience. This was probably the most important decision relevant to the future of Ferrum College, and it would seem prudent to invite as many voices into the process," affirms Dr. Frédéric Belle Torimiro, committee member and chair of the Faculty Development and Affairs Committee. On March 12, 2002, Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten was named the College’s tenth president since its founding in 1913. The president was selected after a yearlong process, which extensively involved the Ferrum campus community. The process began through the Board of Trustees’ March 2001 appointment of a search committee, which then selected and retained the services of a professional search firm. |
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The 11-member search committee represented various college populations, including faculty, staff, alumni, student government and board members. The committee included Dr. Jody D. Brown, professor of English, and Dr. Frédéric Belle Torimiro, associate professor of political science; Rev. Wes Astin ’74, college chaplain; Mr. Jay Greeley ’02, Student Government Association (SGA) president; Mr. Mike Ferguson ’81, chair of the Alumni Board of Directors; board members Mrs. Patricia Compton, Mrs. Betty Forbes, Mr. Paul Harris ’65, Mr. Larry Heaton, and the Rev. Dr. Wasena “Buddy” Wright, Jr., ’60; and Board chair Mr. William Bales. Torimiro expands upon the group, saying, "The committee was represented by the various constituencies with vested interests in the future of Ferrum College. The members of the committee worked very well together. There was a good sense of collegiality and a strong desire to work toward consensus building without stifling competing viewpoints. I am confident to say that the voices from all of the corners of Ferrum were heard and treated with respect by the search committee." |
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| SGA President Jay Greeley suggests, “I do believe that the stakeholders represented in the committee were represented appropriately. Each of the members truly understood the importance of what they were doing. We worked together, without any one person or group of stakeholders dominating a decision or vote. It was the fairest process to achieve such an important objective and challenge, which has resulted into an excellent and unanimous decision by the committee.” Regular communications to the campus from the Board chair and a prominent web page, allowed the campus to stay abreast of search developments and meetings.
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| Early in the process the search committee solicited nominations to the position nationally as well as from the Ferrum campus community. Once the candidacy field was narrowed, each of the two finalists was invited on site for two days of meetings, forums and receptions with students, faculty, and staff. The campus newspaper, The Iron Blade, also featured the candidate on campus just prior to press time. The entire campus was also invited to provide written comments on both candidates. These comments were then reviewed by the search committee and weighed heavily in the process to select the final recommendation.
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Ferrum Announces 10th President New
Ferrum President Selected From |
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Dr. Bruce T Alton, search consultant with Academic Search Consultation Services, of Washington, DC, described the process as an unusually positive one, “Ferrum's committee was a great example of a group of individuals from the various constituencies of the College who came together to find a person who would serve the needs of the College as a whole, not just certain subsets. They remained focused on what they had defined as the needs of the institution.” Ultimately, Braaten received almost unanimous support on campus, was recommended unanimously by the search committee, and was appointed unanimously by the College’s Board of Trustees. Brown confirms, “All in all, this process has demonstrated that the various parts of Ferrum College—its alumni, trustees, faculty, staff, students, and community supporters—can work cooperatively to make important decisions. That example of meaningful shared decision-making will serve Ferrum College well over the next few years.” “Ferrum, with its emphasis upon broad-based input and participation, will greatly smooth and define the path—and the directions by which it may be reached—ahead,” states Braaten. Ferrum College is a four-year, private, co-educational, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Ferrum offers a choice of nationally recognized bachelor’s degree programs at a cost well below the national average for private colleges. To learn more, call 1-800-868-9797 or visit www.ferrum.edu. # # #
Biographical Sketch of Dr. Braaten Downloadable jpeg of Dr. Braaten Search Firm’s Web Address United Methodist General Board of Higher Education
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