- Background checks, stakeholder input, and multiple interviews will be employed during the search process.
The search firm hired by the Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning to find the next president of Jackson State University, AGB Search, presented an overview of how the process will play out during Thursday’s meeting.
Jackson State University has been without a president since Marcus Thompson resigned from the position in August. He served less than two years in the position and was the fourth person to be appointed to that role in the past five years.
According to the timeline presented to the IHL Board, the search, interview and hiring process is anticipated to take about five months. It will include establishment of a set of interview questions by gathering information from all interested parties, recruitment and interviewing of candidates, and a thorough background check. The longest aspect of that process is anticipated to be recruitment of the candidate pool, taking up to 2 months, AGB Senior Executive Search Consultant Carlton Brown described.
After JSU’s new president is appointed, AGB Search’s work is not done. As part of their services, Brown said the firm will assist with the transition for up to a year.
“That, in fact, we stay and remain to assist with transition activities,” Brown added. “In fact, we tend to encourage institutions to form a transition team in order to make sure that new president moves with some success.”
Prior to the candidate recruitment phase, the firm will work with the IHL Board to create a profile for the right candidate and develop a list of interview questions. This phase will focus on the attributes the IHL Board and JSU stakeholders would like to see in the next leader, including credentials, disposition, background and former employment. These factors, among others, will help determine if candidates display the preferred leadership characteristics.
“Then, that becomes the basis for which we do everything else we do, including the advertisements, the sourcing of candidates, etc.,” Brown said.
While all of the typical means for advertising the position will be employed, Brown said the firm has a pool of about 50 search consultants who can assist along with a list of the firm’s own potential candidates. This process may also include approaching individuals who may be qualified for the responsibilities but who have not yet considered applying.
Once a pool of potential candidates has been formed, the list of questions based on the agreed profile will be used to find the strongest candidates during the semi-final and final interviews, Kim Bobby, AGB Search Principal explained.
“We want the committee to see that the individuals who are the strongest candidates are actually doing the work… what Jackson State has advertised they need the next president to do,” she added.
In an effort to ensure the best candidate is chosen, background checks will be conducted on each candidate who reaches the semi-finalist and finalist rounds.
“That due diligence report is something that we talk to candidates about in the early stages, that if there’s anything out there, you should elevate that yourself because we’re going to find that out in the due diligence process. Put some context around it,” Bobby said.
Those background checks will include court documents, Google background searches, social media reports and anything tied to the candidate’s personal information. Findings will be reported to the chair of the search committee.
Interviews will be conducted in person, when possible, and will include the IHL Board and the search committee. Stakeholders will also be included in the final interviews. Candidates will be encouraged to ask questions during the interview process to gather additional information.
“Their questions are also part of how the committee is able to assess the strength of their candidacy,” Bobby added.
After the presentation, the IHL Board approved the required motions to add the matter to the agenda and form a search advisory constituency as another avenue to gather stakeholder input. The list of potential members of the search advisory constituency will be created by IHL Board Vice President and Search Committee Chair Dr. Steven Cunningham and IHL Commissioner Alfred Rankins.
“We know this is going to be a detailed process and we’re all in to do it correctly and select a person that will be a great leader for Jackson State University and IHL moving forward ” Board President Gee Ogletree said. “I think y’all may realize that this is the first time our Board has done this in a long time and it’s because we’ve heard from many people asking us to broaden this process and we’re listening and you’ve seen the Board act.”
The list of potential members of that constituency is expected to be presented at next month’s IHL Board meeting.
