October 27, 2009

To the College of Saint Benedict Community and Friends:

The search for a new president of the College of Saint Benedict has begun, and we are writing to provide a report on the search committee’s progress and plans.  We will begin the search immediately, with the intention of completing the search in approximately five months.  This will allow an adequate transition period before the new president assumes office in summer 2010.

We have engaged Academic Search, Inc. of Washington, D.C. to assist us with the search.  Dr. Tobie van der Vorm spent several days on campus recently to better understand the College and our leadership needs at this time.  That visit included conversations with many of you, and we thank you on behalf of the search committee for your time and thoughtful input into the process. Members of the Presidential Search Committee also met with Dr. van der Vorm during her campus visit to discuss priorities for this position, establish a timeline and make plans for the search process.

Based on information shared by all Saint Ben’s constituencies, as well as several members of the Saint John’s campus community, a profile has been prepared which includes a list of leader­ship qualities we believe will be important for the president to possess.  You will find the profile on the College of Saint Benedict Web site.

We hope you will suggest people you know who could serve effectively as Saint Ben’s next president or who might know potential candidates.  Please ­­forward names to Tobie van der Vorm at Academic Search.  She can be reached by phone at (202) 263-7473 or by e-mail at ptv@academic-search.com . The search committee is well aware that the success of our search depends on the involvement of all members of the Saint Ben’s community.  By nominating strong candidates, you can be immediately and critically involved in the search process.

We will generate the candidate pool through nominations received from you, from national educa­tion and founda­tion officials, and from friends of the College of Saint Benedict, as well as through advertising in appropriate sources and the work of our consultant.  In January we will begin to narrow the candidate pool, moving toward a time in March when campus interviews involving the entire Saint Ben’s community will be held.­ We hope you will make time to participate and share your impressions with the search committee.

The search is off to a good start.  We will write to you again as we enter subsequent stages of the process.

Kathleen Cooney & Beth Dinndorf
Co-Chairs, CSB Presidential Search Committee