Presidential field narrowed to three

Selection committee to interview 10 candidates
The field of candidates to become the next president of Ball State University has been reduced to 10.

Presidential search committee narrows field to 12 candidates
The Ball State University presidential search committee has narrowed the field to 12 candidates.

Presidential search update from Frank Bracken
The following is text of a memo sent by Frank Bracken, chair, Presidential Search Committee to the Ball State community.

Presidential search update from Frank Bracken
The following is text of a memo sent by Frank Bracken, chair, Presidential Search Committee to the Ball State community.

Committee releases desired presidential qualifications
These are the desired presidential qualifications presented by Academic Search Consultation Service to the Ball State University Presidential Search Committee.

Consultant meeting with campus groups for presidential search
The search for a new Ball State president begins in earnest this week when the consultant hired by the Board of Trustees meets with campus constituent groups.

Consultants: Ball State an attractive presidential job
Ball State’s "excellent national reputation" in higher education makes it an attractive opportunity for presidential candidates, a group of Trustees were told last week.

Trustees appoint search committee
The search committee to recommend candidates for Ball State University president was appointed Friday by the Board of Trustees.

Presidential field narrowed to three (3/15/2000)

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State University has narrowed its search for a new president to three candidates.

The presidential search committee revealed the names of the candidates during a public meeting Wednesday. One of the presidential hopefuls will replace John Worthen, who retires June 30.

The candidates are:

Blaine Brownell, executive director of the Center for International Programs and Services at the University of Memphis, and former provost and vice president for academic affairs and history professor at the University of North Texas.
William A. Sederburg, president of Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich.
Gregory H. Williams, dean of the College of Law and the Carter C. Professor of Law and Political Science at The Ohio State University. He is a Ball State graduate.

The finalists were selected from a group of 10 individuals. The search committee met with candidates in Indianapolis March 9-11.

"We are extremely pleased with the individuals being considered for president," said Frank Bracken, search committee chair and a member of the Ball State Board of Trustees. "The candidates possess some extraordinary talent. We were very impressed by their interviews, their experiences and the things they’ve done."

The candidates will visit the Ball State campus later this month to participate in several open forums and meet with faculty, university officials and community leaders. Each presidential hopeful also will participate in forums open to the university community.

The presidential search committee will then make its recommendations to the Ball State Board of Trustees. University officials hope to announce a new president sometime in April, Bracken said.

The nationwide search for a new president began with the formation of a 10-member search committee that worked in conjunction with Academic Search, a non-profit agency that has conducted more than 400 university presidential searches. The consulting firm recommended Worthen 16 years ago.

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Bracken at (317) 635-8900. Reno may be reached at (765) 285-1451.)