LITTLE ROCK — Tom Meredith of Effective Leadership LLC signed a contract Friday with the Arkansas State University Foundation to help the ASU System find a president.
Meredith signed the deal after the ASU System board of trustees met and voted to recommend the foundation hire his search firm. The board also appointed an 11-member committee to oversee the selection.
Former ASU System President Les Wyatt resigned effective June 30. Interim President Robert Potts will hold the position until the board can appoint a permanent replacement.
During Friday’s meeting, Potts briefly described Meredith and his firm.
Chairman Florine Milligan called for a motion for the board to recommend the firm, and all five board members voted unanimously in favor.
Meredith was president of the National Association of System Heads, an organization of chief executive officers of 51 public higher education systems in the United States.
He has also served as commissioner of Mississippi’s public university system, chancellor of the University System of Georgia, chancellor of the University of Alabama System and president and professor of education at Western Kentucky University.
“This will be a good opportunity for the right person,” Meredith said to the board. “We’ll scour the country to find who is the best person available out there.”
The ASU Foundation will pay Effective Leadership of Oxford, Miss., $45,000 from private funds. The foundation plans to make three equal payments each on Aug. 3, Oct. 1 and on the date when the new president is named - which Meredith said he hopes to have done by Jan. 1.
The board also considered Korn/Ferry International, R.H. Perry and Associates, and Academic Search Inc. to head the search, Potts said.
The board chose to recommend Effective Leadership because of Meredith’s experience and because his firm cost less than the others, Potts said.
After the board voted on the firm Friday, Milligan told the board about the 11-member advisory committee.
She nominated members after visiting several ASU campuses and attending ASU Foundation alumni functions, she said.
The 11 members of the search advisory committee are:
Milligan.
Pat Bailey, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at ASU-Mountain Home.
Dan Howard, interim chancellor, Arkansas State University at Jonesboro.
J.W. Mason, vice chancellor for administrative services for ASU-Jonesboro and the ASU System.
Beverly McCollum, chairman-elect, Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee.
Eugene McKay, chancellor, Arkansas State University at Beebe.
Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin, trustee emeritus.
Randall Pope, board chairman, ASU Foundation.
Potts.
Mary Robertson, vice chancellor for student affairs, ASU-Newport.
Paul Rowton, president, ASU Alumni Association.
Arkansas, Pages 10 on 07/31/2010