Dr. Tim Wyne's, the Winner Hands Down

Leader-Telegram

Friday Sep 7, 2007

WYNES is clear choice in bungled CVTC search

Chippewa Valley Technical College’s search to replace retiring President Bill Ihlenfeldt is careening toward a possible meltdown. With just two finalists still standing, it is now a distinct possibility that the entire search process will have to be scuttled and started anew.

The two remaining finalists are CVTC Vice President Bruce Barker and Iowa Valley Community College District Chancellor Tim Wynes. A third, unnamed finalist has already withdrawn.

It is, in fact, quite common for finalists to withdraw from such presidential searches. Academicians apply for top administrative positions for a variety of reasons, only one of which is to actually assume the vacant position. Being named a finalist in a presidential search boosts one’s standing in the academic community and provides the finalist with significant political capital.

If either Barker or Wynes were to withdraw, it could be argued that the search would have to be scrapped, as the full Board of Trustees would be robbed of any real decision. What brought CVTC to this brink?

First, a behemoth-like 23 member search committee chaired by Trustee Jesse Harness was seated last March. As a point of reference, Harvard University employed a nine-member search committee in selecting its current president. Inclusivity is good, but a search committee never should be so large that it can field both a full offense and defense on the gridiron.

The search committee was assisted by two Washington, D.C.-based consultants affiliated with the Association of Community College Trustees. A very extensive recruitment campaign ensued.

The position was advertised in no less than five higher education periodicals with nationwide circulation. A May 17 progress report drafted by Harness revealed that a customized letter requesting nominations and expressions of interest was mailed to more than 1,000 community college presidents. That same progress report indicated that electronic messages were sent to “thousands” of presidents and administrators of colleges, universities and businesses throughout the country.

A progress report dated July 5 disclosed that the Washington-based consultants had solicited nominations from “over 3,000” community college leaders. I suspect that every man, woman and child in America was aware of the search!

As one might expect, such an exhaustive search produced positive results. An Aug. 1 progress report indicated the search committee had an “outstanding pool of candidates” representing “all regions of the country.”

Given the extensiveness of the search and its success in producing so many outstanding applicants, it’s rather disconcerting that there is only one remaining finalist not currently on the CVTC payroll.

The trustees specifically instructed the search committee to select three to five finalists. The decision to select just three finalists was absolutely reckless. Given the large pool of qualified candidates, why weren’t five finalists selected?

When UW-Eau Claire sought to replace former Chancellor Donald Mash, a search committee selected five finalists. Incidentally, one of those five finalists, current UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich, is one of the CVTC presidential search committee’s 23 members.

UW-La Crosse Chancellor Joe Gow was one of five finalists for his position in 2006, as was UW-River Falls Chancellor Don Betz in 2005. Selecting five finalists for the top administrative post is a “best practice” in higher education.

A cynic would be excused for concluding that the entire search was a mere formality and that Vice President Barker simply has been doing time as the president-in-waiting. The decision to select just three finalists, thus increasing Barker’s odds of gaining the presidency, serves to fuel such cynicism.

The good news in all of this is that both Barker and Wynes are qualified to serve as CVTC’s next president. Indeed, both men possess academic credentials superior to those of the current president. Both Barker and Wynes earned bachelor’s degrees at highly regarded liberal arts colleges and then went on to earn law degrees at prominent Jesuit law schools.

Wynes is the better-suited candidate, however. Wynes has served as chancellor of IVCCD for five years. Prior to his current post, he served as executive dean of governmental affairs, grants and college research at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa. Wynes also has impressive post-secondary teaching experience. He currently teaches graduate level courses at Iowa State University and previously served on the faculty at the University of Missouri.

In contrast, Barker’s experience in higher education is limited to his eight years at CVTC. Unlike Wynes, Barker has no experience as the chief executive of a post-secondary institution. Barker also lacks Wynes’ teaching experience.

Finally, CVTC needs a president with a fresh perspective. While Ihlenfeldt has accomplished much at CVTC and has considerable community support, his legacy does not include a positive working relationship with faculty and staff.

While the presidential search process has been less than ideal, it has produced one clear choice. As residents of the Chippewa Valley, we should be flattered that a leader of Wynes’ caliber would with to serve as CVTC’s next president.

Gunem, of Eau Claire, has taught at UW-Whitewater and Mount Senario College and has been an unsuccessful applicant for teaching positions at CVTC. He can be reached at sggunem@yahoo.com.