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West Liberty University’s Presidential Search Committee met for the first time at 4 p.m. today in historic Shaw Hall.

The 22 members of the search committee voted on a chairperson and selected Leslie “Les” DeFelice to serve in that role. A West Liberty alumnus, DeFelice is CEO of Visiting Angels (Wheeling) and also serves on the Board of Governors.

The committee also elected alumnus Jay Duffy to serve as vice chairman of the committee. Duffy is president of Duffy Consulting, McMurray, Pa. Additionally, the committee chose Rhonda Tysk, a member of the staff since 1989, as recording secretary. A WLU alumna, Tysk is from Wheeling.

The committee also voted on the presidential job description and established a timeline (below) for the process of naming the 35th president to lead the University.

•     May – June 2015 — Advertisement placed in Chronicle of Higher Education online edition, HigherEdJob.com and in the Wheeling News-Register.

  ·      May – June 2015 — Search committee reviews applications on NEOGOV applicant tracking system (agency.governmentjobs.com).

  ·      June 5, 2015 — Deadline to receive nominations.

  ·      June 12, 2015 — Deadline to receive applications.

  ·      June 19, 2015 — Search committee meets to narrow the candidate pool to approximately eight to 10 candidates.

  ·      July 9 – 10, 2015 — Search committee holds preliminary interviews of candidates via Skype on WLU’s main campus or Highlands Center campus (two full-day meetings). Based on preliminary interviews, committee narrows the pool to the top three to five candidates to invite for on-campus interviews.

  ·      Sept. 7 – 18, 2015 — Search committee holds on-campus interviews. Each candidate will spend a day and a half on campus. (Start and end date may change depending on number of candidates selected).

  ·      Sept. 23, 2015 — Search committee, with input from all campus constituencies, meets to select finalists.

  ·      Oct. 9, 2015 — Board of Governors interviews finalists for president. Higher Education Policy Commission designee also will attend interviews and concur with the selection of successful candidates.

  ·      Oct. 9, 2015 — Establish salary and terms of compensation for new president.

  ·      Oct. 9, 2015 (afternoon) — Possible on-campus announcement of new president.

  ·      Jan. 1, 2016 — New president takes office. 

The complete WLU Presidential Search Committee includes:

Alumni Representatives

Jim Frum and Jay Duffy

Dean Representative

Dr. Thomas Michaud

WLU Foundation Representatives

Rich Lucas and Tom Reinbold

Classified Staff Representative

Katie Cooper

Non-Classified Staff Representative

Scott Cook

Faculty Representatives

Linda Cowan and Leann Elkins

Board of Governors

George Couch, Patrick D. Kelly, Sandra M. Chapman, Joseph W. Carey, Richard Carter, Leslie “Les” DeFelice, Patrick Ford, Brian E. Joseph, Ann Thomas, Faculty Member Jim Haizlett, Classified Staff Member Rhonda Tysk, Student Government Presidents, both incoming and outgoing, Allyson Ashworth and Evan Newman.

 The next meeting of the committee is tentatively set for June 19, 2015 in Shaw Hall.