Dear Editor:

I have been honored to serve as the chair of the chancellor search advisory committee. A pleasant part of the process has been my interviews with the DE. What I have been reminded of in the last two weeks is the dramatic power of the press to affect public opinion, including the confusion that a tiny incorrect phrase in an otherwise perfect article or a title with multiple meanings can cause (such as the May 3 “Lowest Ranked Finalist�”).

To help the university community understand the process, I wish to explain that the committee, like all committees for a search at this level, operated under a rule of confidentiality up to the announcement of the finalists. That is, we had to keep the candidates’ names confidential, including no ability to contact references or people at other campuses. In addition, the finalist list was entirely unranked. This is the job we all now undertake – to explore their reputations for excellence or areas of concern.

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Based on their vitae, letters of application, information from the search firm and interviews, the committee believes we have brought the four best candidates to campus. All are interesting, experienced and dynamic leaders with differing backgrounds, differing strengths and differing weaknesses. Two are provosts and two are professors who recently chose to step down from deanships. Now is the time for the entire community to evaluate which traits will define the best new leader for SIUC, and to share your views with Dr. Poshard as he makes this important decision for our future.

One common comment from the semi-finalists was that SIUC is far, far better than we think we are. I agree. We have an exciting university with strong, internationally known teacher-scholars, bright and inquisitive students, tremendous staff support and a beautiful campus. We hope that one of the four finalists proves to be the right person to help the world know the great things here at SIUC.

Susan Ford Chair, Department of Anthropology and chancellor search advisory committee