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Show iery will ay until ext July, earch on j i the new "I like to teach. It's where the action is in a university," With these words, University President Alfred C. Emery formally announced that he would not continue as President beyond July 1, 1973, the end of his appointed term. A search committee will be formed at the September meeting of the State Board of Higher Education. Dr. Emery did offer to stay on as President after July 1, 1973 jf the search committee is hindered by the legal questions surrounding the Board of Higher Education. The board was declared unconstitutional last month, but pending appeal to the Supreme Court, the board has authority over the University. Dr. Emery expressed doubt that anyone would accept the position while the governance was under question. Dr. Emery made his announcement an-nouncement in a letter to Peter W. Billings, chairman of the r Board of Higher Education, stopping speculation that he would continue. "A person could not be holding the office of the president for a limited time and be a candidate for that office during the search without losing his credibility. The public, faculty, students, and staff must have confidence that o"ice are solely motivated by the ST hundtandino" s good of the university and not realize personal ambitions to be reappointed to that office." Dr. Emery also expressed and staff must have a say in the search committee, if the new President is to have the support he needs. To this end, Dr. Emery suggested that faculty representatives be nominated by the Executive Committee of the University Senate, the student members be nominated by ASUU and non-faculty staff members be included by an undetermined method. "If I choose them, they wouldn't be representative." According to Dr. Emery, Mr. Billings has accepted the idea of representation of all campus groups, but the president emphasized em-phasized that the final decision would be made by the governing board, either the Board of Higher Education, the Board of Regents or whatever the legislature has come up with by that time. "The choice of candidates will be very exciting," predicted the president. He noted that the University has an excellent reputation among other universities in the country, so the chances that a well-known candidate will apply is good. Dr. Emery was sure that the next president would be excellent for the University. But Dr. Emery warned against attaching too much importance to the selection of the President. "The president is not the University," insisted Dr. Emery. "As president, you don't have that much power, but it is an awesome responsibility to take on." The search committee will probably begin its work in the fall, gathering names, recommendations recom-mendations and trying to find everyone who might be interested. in-terested. After narrowing the names down from perhaps 500 to 100, the committee will begin to ask for resumes and endless lists of accomplishments. All this could occur while the question of the University's governance was being decided. But when interviews in-terviews begin, the question of who the president is going to work for would have to be clarified. In search committees of this type the question of when the final candidates will be made known to the public always comes up. Although Dr. Emory wants to stay out of the search completely, it is his fooling that the commit toe would be closed all the way along. "At least in the beginning, it has to bo a confidential, con-fidential, private kind of tiling, because you're involved in evaluating people's names. " To publish all names under consideration might prevent some from applying. If the committee is truly representative, then faculty, students and staff will trust the judgments of their representatives represen-tatives to make the right decisions. "That's why it's vital that each group feel involved." Expressing no regrets on leaving, Dr. Emery is anxious to got back to his teaching, but. is willing to serve the University when it is needed. "I'm not saying it's perfect, but. we've done some good tilings this year." Dr. Emory concluded his letter saying, "The last year lias had some trying moments and the support given me has made the task worthwhile and has given me confidence that they will continue that support, in coming years." |