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| SELECTION PROCESS |  |
We have not engaged a search firm to-date. Two reasons are salient:
1) Search firms sometimes result in search committees not working hard enough at identifying candidates, providing an unhelpful barrier between the committee and potential candidates; 2) Shimer’s uniqueness leads us to believe that alumni, Board of Trustees, and community networks are more likely to identify good candidates than a search firm. As the search progresses, we may decide to engage a search firm for later stages of the process.
We currently anticipate that our search will have four phases. Please note that new information may lead us to change the following schedule. Any changes will be posted to this site:
Phase 1:
Publicizing and preliminary identification of candidate pool.
Our first formal search committee meeting will take place on September 16, 2010. Between June 10 (when we finalized the job description), and September 15, the committee’s principal tasks are to publicize the position in appropriate ways, conduct informal preliminary conversations with individuals who express interest, receive and file applications and related materials, and begin informal conversations with selected candidates. On September 15 we will conduct our initial screening, determining which applicants receive further consideration.
Phase 2:
Intensive Review and Evaluation.
Beginning September 16 and continuing until October 15 (or later), we will continue to accept applications and begin a formal process of evaluation of candidates. After initial committee review, candidates no longer under consideration will be notified.
Phase 3:
Formal evaluation and Identification of Finalist Pool.
By October 15 (or shortly thereafter), we will cease accepting applications except on direct invitation from the committee. At that point, we will continue formal evaluation of remaining candidates and determine a group of finalists for interviews. The formal evaluation process will include reference checks. A decision whether to hire a search firm to assist with reference checks will be made at this time.
Phase 4:
Campus Interviews and Final Decision process.
At some point after November 1 and before the end of January 2012, we expect to conduct formal interviews and intensive discussions with leading candidates. At some point, we expect to invite finalists to visit Shimer and meet other members of the community in addition to the search committee. We anticipate making a recommendation to the Board of Trustees by the end of January for action by the Trustees in mid-February.
Candidates should not expect to hear from the Search Committee regarding the status of their candidacy until the second half of September. By October 1 we anticipate being able to notify candidates whether they remain under consideration or not at that point. Candidates who remain in consideration from that point forward will be kept informed about their status as our process continues and finalists are identified.
IMPORTANT NOTE
regarding availability of documents relating to the College’s Strategic Plan and its financial statements.
The Strategic Plan is a public document. It is currently being revised on the basis of decisions made in the spring of 2011, and we anticipate posting it on this site not later than July 15, 2011. The financial statements are more sensitive, but we understand that in any serious negotiations for the Shimer presidency, such information will need to be available to the candidate. We therefore expect to provide this information, as needed, to candidates whom the search committee decides to invite for interviews.
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