Politics was the main topic brought up on Tuesday in an open public forum setting to receive input from faculty, staff, students and members of the Nicholls community and the surrounding area concerning the search for president.
Sally Clausen, president of the University of Louisiana System and chair of the committee, said this second forum was scheduled based on feedback from people who had wanted to be there, and also some who had wanted a second chance to speak out on the search issue.
The timeline set for the search was discussed. According to Clausen, some applicants have been concerned with the way the timeline would be working out. In order for these applicants, who may be applying for positions elsewhere, to make informed decisions about their futures, it would be better for the process to move at a faster pace. Clausen, and the rest of the committee did agree that the complete process would still be followed, but that the elements of the search would just happen at a quicker pace than originally decided.
Those in attendance were asked to come forward and present their views on the search, this forum being a way for the committee to see what they should be looking for in an applicant.
Past president of the Nicholls foundation, Milo Meacham, had one major request for the search committee.
“Please do not let politics enter into this search. Please make this a valid search, make it honest and make it count,” Meacham said. He also said Nicholls has had a political past, but it was time to move beyond that into a new future.
He also said the president should be a visionary to see farther than just five years down the road, as well as a leader to lead the University out of the academic cellar that it is in.
“We have been lead into new academics depths, I validate that statement with two facts. One, the College of Education has been put on probation. The second one is that in our College of Business, our graduates cannot compete nationally,” Meacham said.
“This is not acceptable and we deserve better.”
He said the president should be able to take the University from the cellar to the rooftop. He asked the committee not to send an administrator who is looking to retire in a few years, or a president who wants to establish a kingdom.
“Please send us a president that will come in and fairly assess all leadership positions on our campus, and not be afraid to make the necessary changes to move Nicholls State forward. We need a president that will hire and promote employees based on ability and merit,” Meacham said.
He said that Nicholls is a big business that is going to lose students and revenue with the evolution of the community college.
“We need a president that can take Nicholls from being the school of chance to the school of choice. We are far from that now, but it is an attainable goal,” he said.
Meacham also touched upon the “plague” that Nicholls is touched with, stating that the University is not touched by an interstate system, so it is harder for people to get here.
“What you can change is the direction in which Nicholls is going,” he said.
Chairman of the Board, Gordon Pugh, commented on the statements by Meacham.
“I can guarantee you and everyone here that the process is going to be the exactly same process that we followed at Northeast Louisiana. Let me assure all of you that in that process, I as the chairman of this board, did not speak or hear from anyone in the political process in Louisiana from the governor on down except in open forum,” Pugh said.
He said he, as well as members of the committee, would not take calls or speak to anyone concerning the search process, unless it was in open forum.
“There will be a judgment, and we will have to make that judgment in the end, but I can assure you again that the judgment is going to be exercised so that we get for you, this community and this University and this region the best leader that we can find in the United States,” Pugh said.
“This process can only be influenced by the political arena if they are willing to appear and express their opinions in public.”
Herman Waguespack, member of the agriculture alumni association, spoke to the committee about the important role that the University president plays in the agriculture business of South Louisiana.
“Nicholls State University is strategically located to capitalize on the opportunities provided by the abundance of natural resources, such as agriculture. Nicholls has filled the needs in the area by educating students who have successfully provided leadership for the continued growth of these agricultural commodities,” Waguespack said.
He also said alumni have been instrumental in improving upon the traditional ways to meet the higher demands of the industry to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the nation.
“We encourage this search committee to consider all applicants for their awareness of agricultures importance to the area,” Waguespack said.
Student Programming Association President, James Irwin, spoke on behalf of the students of Nicholls.
“I challenge you to find a leader that will guide this campus to a higher academic level, but it is also important that we remember that when students come here we need to guide and educate the whole person,” he said.
Irwin said there are two types of students. There are the students who get involved and find their niche in the campus community, and there are the “PCP” students, as he likes to call them, who go from parking lot to class and then back to the parking lot.
“I would ask that you find a president who will increase the student affairs aspect of this campus. We need to get students more involved, but if we increase the programs and the activities we will help students to find their niche, and that will help increase retention and student success,” he said.
Clausen responded that this is an important message because 90 percent of what students learn comes from outside the classroom.
President of the Lafourche Parish School Board and Nicholls alumnus, Dave Defelice said the school board has enjoyed a harmonious working association with the university.
“I hope that your selected individual is one who understands the people, the culture and heritage of south Louisiana, and Lafourche parish and this wonderful University,” Defelice said.