August 26, 2009
To: Members of the Grinnell Community
From: Paul G. Risser ’61, Chair, Presidential Search Committee
Re: Report of the Grinnell College Presidential Search Committee
The Search Committee for the President of Grinnell College has met twice by teleconference and will meet next in September. Among its actions is the hiring of the national search firm of Isaacson, Miller to assist the Committee in the process of identifying and evaluating candidates. Isaacson, Miller began in 1982 and is highly regarded for its assistance to successful higher education leadership searches.
To inform potential candidates and to set the context of the search, the Committee is writing an 8- to 10-page scoping document (Grinnell Perspectives) that will describe the essential characteristics of the College, explain the challenges and opportunities for the next President and outline the desired attributes of successful candidates.
The Search committee welcomes and encourages your thoughts on the search for Grinnell’s next president and your nominations. Please visit this webpage to provide advice to the Search Committee and to nominate potential candidates for the presidency.
On September 24 we will launch a new Grinnell Presidential Search website. This comprehensive website will include the Grinnell Perspectives document noted above, as well as considerable background and collateral information about the College. The website is designed to assist potential candidates as they consider the opportunity to serve as President of Grinnell, as well as to inform the College community about the search. As of September 24 you will be able to offer your thoughts and nominations via the new Presidential Search website.
As a general schedule, the Search Committee expects to identify candidates from now until late fall, to evaluate candidates near the end of the year and into 2010, and make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees in early spring.
The Search Committee appreciates the advice already received and looks forward to your recommendations for the next President of Grinnell College.
