Presidential search committee announced

EOU presidential search committee members announced

October 16, 2014

LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Eastern Oregon University announced today the members of a search committee that will be charged with finding a new president for the school.

The new leader will replace Dr. Jay Kenton, who began serving as interim president this past June, following the departure of Dr. Bob Davies.

The 18-member team includes representatives from the faculty, students and staff as well as the community and region, alumni and also members of EOU’s incoming governing board of trustees. Former State Senator David Nelson of Pendleton, who sits on the Oregon State Board of Higher Education (OSBHE), will chair the search.

The committee, working in concert with the Oregon University System and OSBHE will hold its first meeting at EOU Thursday, Oct. 23 with the goal of having a new president in place by July 1, 2015.

“This is an excellent occasion for the university to identify a new leader,” said Cathy Dyck, acting chancellor of the Oregon University System. “Dr. Kenton is preparing EOU for success, and a new president will have opportunities to begin working immediately with a new governing board as well.”

EOU has retained the executive search services of Witt/Kieffer, a firm based in Oak Brook, Ill. Representatives will be on campus next week, meeting with the search committee, university leadership, faculty, students, staff and members of the community as they gather information and input to help with the search.

Members of the search committee are:

David Nelson – Search chair, OSBHE member & former state senator
Chris Maples – President of Oregon Institute of Technology
Bill Grigsby – Associate professor of sociology
Charles Lyons – Professor of psychology
Darren Dutto – Professor of physical education & health
Doug Briney – Associate professor of business law
Terry Walters – Regional director of EOU Portland & EOU Salem
Jodi Hickerson – Science lab preparator
Philip Sebastiani – ASEOU student government president
Lara Moore – Vice president for finance & administration
Donald Easton-Brooks – Dean of business & education
Dixie Lund – Past president & EOU board member
Richard Chaves – EOU board member & business leader
Abel Mendoza – Retired assistant professor of chemistry
Steve McClure – Union County Commissioner
Dana Young – President of Treasure Valley Community College
Roy Koch – Search liaison to Oregon University System
Heather Cashell – Search coordinator

For more information and updates, visit www.eou.edu/presidential-search.