Campus messages

Dear campus community,

We are pleased to share an important update on the search for Western Michigan University's 10th president. Thanks to the diligent work of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC), we now have a slate of finalists who have emerged after a thorough evaluation process guided by the leadership attributes identified in our campus listening sessions and reflected in the position profile.

Following an in-person interview process last week, the committee has narrowed the candidate pool to four finalists. The next phase will be facilitated by the WMU Board of Trustees, which will conduct the final confidential interviews. 

These confidential meetings will take place between Wednesday, March 26, and Wednesday, April 2, bringing together individuals from among our faculty, staff and students as well as deans, the President's Cabinet, representatives from collective bargaining groups and individuals from the community. 

We once again extend our sincere gratitude to PSAC for its outstanding work in helping advance the presidential search from its launch to this important stage. The process remains on track with the previously announced timeline for WMU's 10th president to assume office ahead of fall semester. We will continue to keep you informed as the process moves forward.

Best regards,
Trustee James L. Liggins Jr.
Trustee Kara Wood
Presidential Search Advisory Committee Co-chairs

Dear Bronco community,

We are pleased to share the latest developments in the search for Western Michigan University's next leader and outline upcoming milestones. Thank you for your engagement in the presidential search process, including the community’s nominations for this pivotal role at a critical time for WMU.

Earlier this month, the Presidential Search Advisory Committee began reviewing candidates and conducting initial interviews, guided by the position profile. 

Additional interviews will take place in the coming weeks. We anticipate the advisory committee recommending a slate of finalists to the Board of Trustees for its consideration, leading to campus visits by mid-April.

We will continue to keep you informed as the process progresses.

Best regards,

Trustee James L. Liggins Jr.
Trustee Kara Wood
Presidential Search Advisory Committee Co-chairs

Dear Bronco community, 

As co-chairs of the WMU Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC), we are writing with an update on the University’s presidential search, which is in the candidate recruitment phase. 

You may recall that starting in November, students, faculty, staff, WMU trustees and members of the broader community participated in listening sessions to share input on the priorities that will guide the Board of Trustees’ and the committee’s evaluation of candidates. We also collected feedback through an online survey. We thank everyone who participated in this important process. Themes from the listening sessions and survey responses helped shape the position profile and continue to inform the search process. Be assured that throughout the search, the search advisory committee's evaluation of candidates will align with the priorities and qualities identified in the profile. 

In this recruitment phase, while our consultants from Storbeck Search are pursuing prospective candidates and advertising the leadership opportunity broadly, we urge you to amplify awareness of the opportunity in your networks. Additionally, if you know individuals who would be a strong fit for this critical role, we invite you to share their names with our consultants at WMUPresident@storbecksearch.com.

PSAC will spend mid-February through March engaging a diversified pool of candidates, evaluating their credentials and interviewing them to ultimately recommend a group of finalists to the Board of Trustees for its consideration. The committee's goal is to conclude its work later this spring.
 
Thank you for your ongoing support and participation in the search process. We will continue to share additional updates as the search proceeds. We hope you are having a great spring semester.

Thank you,

Trustee James L. Liggins Jr.
Trustee Kara Wood
Presidential Search Advisory Committee Co-chairs

Dear campus community, 

As co-chairs of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC), we are pleased to update you on the presidential search and invite you to participate in a series of listening sessions scheduled for Nov. 11, 12 and 13 in the WMU Student Center’s Fireplace Lounge. These sessions will be an opportunity for you to articulate the qualities you would like to see in Western Michigan University’s 10th president. 

Following President Edward Montgomery’s announcement that he will retire at the end of June, the WMU Board of Trustees formed the search advisory committee composed of students, faculty, staff and stakeholders from the greater community to assist the board in identifying Western’s next visionary leader. The group met for an orientation late last week.  

Input from WMU’s entire campus community and external stakeholders is likewise vital to informing the board’s responsibility to select the president. During the listening sessions, we look forward to hearing your perspectives on the attributes, skills and experiences you believe are important for our next president to possess. 

 Listening sessions schedule: 

• Monday, Nov. 11, 5-6 p.m.  
• Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2-3 p.m. 
• Wednesday, Nov. 13, 9-10 a.m.

The WMU Student Center’s Fireplace Lounge is located on the facility’s top floor. Please join us.

If you’re unable to attend a session, you can still contribute by submitting your thoughts through an online input form, which also will launch early next week on the Presidential Search webpage. 

Thank you, 

Trustee James L. Liggins Jr. 
Trustee Kara Wood 
Presidential Search Advisory Committee Co-chairs

Dear campus community,  
  
As we prepare to launch the search for the next president of Western Michigan University, who will succeed Dr. Edward Montgomery following his retirement next year, we are pleased to announce the formation of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee, which is co-chaired by Board of Trustees members James Liggins Jr. and Kara Wood.    
  
The committee is composed of individuals from across our campus community as well as representatives from the broader community. We deeply appreciate the time, commitment and effort they will dedicate to the important task of helping us identify our next president.   
  
Further details about the search process will be shared in the coming weeks and months.  
  
Thank you,  
  
Shelly Edgerton  
WMU Board of Trustees Chair  
   

Presidential Search Advisory Committee members  

Jim Culhane, Director of Principal Gifts, Senior Associate Athletic Director, University Advancement and Intercollegiate Athletics  
 
Paula M. Davis, Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications, Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications 

Jason DeGeorge, Chair, College of Aviation   

Dr. Jim DeMello, Professor and Chair, Department of Finance and Commercial Law, Haworth College of Business  

Dr. Laura Dinehart, Dean, College of Education and Human Development  

Greg Dobson, Chief Operating Officer and Principal, AVB; WMU Alumni Association Board of Directors  

Sherrie Fuller, Specialist of Diversity Education, Office of Diversity and Inclusion  

Dr. Deveta Gardner, Associate Dean, Merze Tate College

Monique Haley, Associate Professor, Department of Dance, School of Theatre and Dance, College of Fine Arts

Dr. Brian Horvitz, Professor, Educational Leadership, Research and Technology, College of Education and Human Development 

Alex Kasprzyk, President, Western Student Association

Dr. Kristina Lemmer, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences  

Larry Lueth, Chairman of the Board, First National Bank of Michigan; WMU Foundation President  

Jocelyn Medina, President, Graduate Student Association  

Dr. Amy Naugle, Professor, Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences; Faculty Senate President 

Dr. Reetha Raveendran, Associate Vice President and Dean of Students, Division of Student Affairs  

Dr. Malia Roberts, Interim Senior Director of Graduate College Enrollment, Graduate College  

Dr. Alex Santos, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs, College of Health and Human Services  

Dr. Remzi Seker, Vice President for Research and Innovation 

Keanah Smith, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Intercollegiate Athletics  

Bryan Sutton, Environmental Control Person, Facilities Management 

Sara Volmering, Marketing Manager, University Libraries 

Dr. Ying Zeng, Interim Associate Provost for Global Education, Director of Asian Initiatives, Haenicke Institute for Global Education