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SEARCH COMMITTEE WORKING GROUPS

Qualifications and Criteria Subcommittee – Chair Marsha Powers, Michael Okun, Timothy Cerio

This working group is tasked with developing, reviewing and finalizing the Search Criteria and Position Description to attract the most qualified candidates. Specific responsibilities include:

  1. Developing Position Criteria and a Position Description that are consistent with the University’s mission, strategic plan and aspirational goals.
  2. Ensuring the Position Criteria and Position Description reflect robust input from stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, administration, donors, and local and state officials.
  3. Recommending the Search Criteria and Position Description for approval by the Board of Trustees to ensure the criteria align with UF’s mission, strategic plan and aspirational goals.

 

Marketing and Communications Subcommittee – Chair Karen Unger, Shakira Henderson, Robert Stilley

This working group is tasked with guiding marketing and communication strategies throughout the presidential search process. Responsibilities include:

  1. Collaborating with the search consultant and the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing to develop a marketing plan, including compelling marketing materials and outreach initiatives for prospective candidates, that will be submitted to the Board of Trustees after approval by the Search Advisory Committee.
  2. Ensuring effective engagement and communication with University stakeholders.
  3. Updating and overseeing a webpage that includes lists of meetings related to the search and information on the means of providing stakeholder input, a calendar of public events for the process as they are planned.
  4. Supporting candidate recruitment through strategic messaging and outreach.
  5. Developing a final approval packet, that includes a written description of the selection process, criteria and President elect’s qualifications, for submission to the Board of Governors for consideration during the President elect confirmation process.
  6. Coordinating final-stage communications, including the announcement of the selected candidate.

 

Compensation Subcommittee – Chair Patrick Zalupski, Charles Lydecker

This working group is tasked with designing a competitive compensation package to attract and retain top-tier candidates. The group will:

  1. Collaborate with the compensation consultants and the Office of Human Resources.
  2. Benchmark compensation against preeminent educational, research, and athletic institutions that takes into consideration compensation paid to the previous president, presidents of peer institutions, as well as other relevant factors, such as market trends, the available qualified pool and relevant competition for candidates.
  3. Recommend a range of compensation to the Search Advisory Committee that will finalized and submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval and used in negotiating the employment contract with the President elect, ensuring alignment with UF’s stature as a leading national university.

 

Campus Visit Subcommittee – Chair Sara Lynne, Charles Allison, John Brinkman

This working group is tasked with collaborating closely with the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing to design and execute a comprehensive visit plan for finalists. The objectives include:

  1. Highlighting the scale, infrastructure, and resources of the University of Florida.
  2. Introducing candidates to key stakeholders across the University’s constituencies.
  3. Engaging and soliciting feedback from stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, administration, donors, and local and state officials.
  4. Organizing campus and community tours that showcase UF and Gainesville.

 

Transition and Integration – Chair Jon Pritchett, Douglas Band, Duane Mitchell

This working group is tasked with developing a seamless transition plan for the new president. Responsibilities include:

  1. Collaborating with the UF administration to design a schedule and programs for leadership transition.
  2. Organizing events and initiatives to celebrate the contributions of the outgoing president and to welcome the incoming president.
  3. Ensuring involvement from stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, administration, donors, and local and state officials.
  4. Facilitating a smooth integration of the new president into the University community.