WMU News

Trustees expected to choose new president on Friday, April 24

April 22, 1998

KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees is expected to select the sixth president of WMU at its meeting Friday, April 24. The meeting will begin at 11 a.m. in the West Ballroom of the Bernhard Center and is open to the public.

The selection will conclude a process that began 10 months ago when Dr. Diether H. Haenicke announced his plans to retire from the presidency July 31 after 13 years and return to the faculty.

The trustees also are expected to approve 1998-99 room and board rates, which were tabled March 20 to allow time for public discussion.

Because of expected interest, the meeting will be carried live on WMU's EduCABLE Channel 7 and on Community Access Television Channel 30 to all subscribers of Cablevision of Michigan.

Each of five candidates for the presidency of WMU has visited the campus during the past three weeks for public sessions and for public interviews by the Board of Trustees.

The five finalists are:

At their public presentation, each of the five candidates was asked to address the topic, "WMU--An Ascending National University on Its Way to Research II Status." Each candidate was asked to identify the next steps to maintain WMU's current momentum and to reach that goal.

WMU is currently classified as the state's only public Doctoral I university by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Research II status is the next level up.

The five finalists for the position were recommended to and accepted by the Board of Trustees at its last meeting March 20. A 10-member Presidential Search Advisory Committee made the recommendation from among about 60 candidates for the position.

WMU President Diether H. Haenicke announced his plans last summer to retire from the presidency July 31 and return to the faculty after 13 years as president. He is the second longest serving president of a public university in Michigan.

Information on the search and selection of the next president of WMU is available from Betty A. Kocher, secretary to the Board of Trustees, at (616) 387-2360, on the World Wide Web at <www.wmich.edu/wmu/search> and by calling (616) 387-4004 for a recorded message.

Media advisory: Arrangements for media representatives to tap into audio will be available during the Board of Trustees meeting. For specifications, contact Julie Paavola at (616) 387-8413.

Media contact: Mike Matthews; michael.matthews@wmich.edu


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