The search for the next president of Florida Polytechnic University was officially launched yesterday, after the University’s Board of Trustees approved the presidential position criteria recommended by its presidential search committee. With this Board’s approval, the committee is ready to charge full steam ahead with the search process and subsequent review of candidates.
The approval comes one week after the Florida Poly Presidential Search Committee held its first meeting on Dec. 7. The meeting included introductions of its 15 members, as well as an overview and initial discussion of the search process and regulations.
“I am eager to fully begin the process of finding Florida Poly’s second president, which will be critical to the institution’s future success,” said Beth Kigel, chair of the committee. “I’m confident we will have a robust and fruitful search and that we will complete the process by presenting the Board with very qualified candidates ready to lead the University into another decade of achievement.”
Florida Poly’s founding president Randy K. Avent announced in July of 2023 that he will step down at the end of the current academic year, bringing to a close 10 years of leading the University. He said he plans to return as a faculty member after taking a brief sabbatical.
According to Florida Board of Governors Regulation 1.002, the Florida Poly Presidential Search Committee is charged with multiple important tasks, including creating the presidential position criteria, approving a marketing plan, vetting applicants, interviewing the most qualified candidates, and providing the Board of Trustees with an unranked list of more than two finalists to review.
Once the search committee narrows the qualified candidates to a final few, it will submit the recommendation to the Florida Poly Board of Trustees. The process then moves to a new phase, which includes on-campus meetings or forums with faculty, students, and other stakeholders, as well as additional interviews by the trustees. The full Board of Trustees then makes a final decision on the appointment of the new president. The selection will be subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.
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