Committee begins process to find new CSN president
Michael Richards is set to leave his post Jan. 31
A committee of the state Board of Regents took the first step of many on Monday in the process to replace longtime College of Southern Nevada President Michael Richards.
The search committee agreed to move forward with identifying a consultant that will help in a national search for Richards’ replacement.
“We want the headhunter or the search firm to do an active recruitment,” said Thom Reilly, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. “We don’t want them just to put an ad out and individuals apply. We want them to go to institutions, or go to individuals in the community that have a proven track record.”
The committee approved its chair, Allison Stephens, along with Reilly, Dean Gould, chief of staff to the board, and Nate Mackinnon, vice chancellor of community colleges, to review the responses received, and select the appropriate firm to bring back to the committee.
Gould said NSHE has a list of about 50 search firms to which he will send a request for quotations. Regents, and nonvoting, institutional advisory members, can also suggest other firms. Gould said the services of the chosen firm will cost between $70,000 and $100,000.
Stephens said she hopes a firm will be selected at the committee’s Feb. 20 meeting.
Richards, who has been president of CSN for nearly 10 years, retires on
Jan. 31. Margo Martin, vice president for Academic Affairs at CSN, will be acting president. Martin has said she does not want the job permanently.
Reilly said he hopes to have a permanent replacement by Aug. 1, but the new president’s start date could be pushed to Jan. 1, 2019, if need be.
Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @Nataliebruzda on Twitter.