The Board of Higher Education has chosen six candidates to interview for the position of Interim Chancellor.
The candidates were from a pool of applicants compiled by consultant Narcisa Polonio from the Association of Community College Trustees. They include Dr. Kendall Blanchard, current President of Georgia Southern State University; Dr. Gordon Davies, former senior advisor for Lumina Foundation in Virginia; Dr. Thomas Henry, Former Chancellor of Mohave Community College; former Fargo Mayor Bruce Furness; former Commerce Commissioner Shane Goettle; Dr. Michael Wartell, former Chancellor at Purdue in Indiana and acting Chancellor Larry Skogen. Board member Kari Reichert was reluctant to recommend Wartell as a candidate because he is currently in litigation with Purdue, because its policy required him to retire at age 65. Wartell claims he lost his job due to alleged gender discrimination. Reichert says with the controversy surrounding former Chancellor Ham Shirvani behind them, the board should try and shy away from candidates "with baggage." Board member Dr. Douglas Munski disagreed and says Wartell should be given fair consideration for the position.
"I've been on search committees that range from faculty to chairperson, I even had the privilege to search for an exceptional President for the University of North Dakota. You don't hurt yourself at all by fully vetting. I would be more concerned that not vetting would trigger more controversy," Munski says.
The board will conduct hour-long interviews with each candidate via video conference, and then select a couple finalists for in-person interviews.
