Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1994 [PAGE 49]

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1994]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

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women and minority candidates for executive positions. She stressed that she was the member of the group who had experience in higher education through 25 years as an education and academic administrator. She also noted that this firm would bring a freshness to the process of the search. She and her colleagues emphasized that the search would be carefully developed specifically for the University of Illinois. She also indicated that she knew how sensitive the relationship between the Consultative Committee and a search firm would be and also the relationship with the board. She concluded her remarks by stating that she thought that the leader chosen to be president of the University would need to be different from other institutions' presidents and that Carrington & Carrington was uniquely qualified to meet this challenge. Discussion with the trustees followed, with the trustees raising several questions. Confidentiality was discussed and all three representatives spoke to the importance of this aspect of the search. They also indicated that they would not recruit anyone away from an institution for two years after they worked with that institution on a search. Also, the matter of agreement on a definition of the University's mission was discussed. Mrs. Carrington shared the fact that the firm often works with larger search firms, bringing their expertise in identifying women and minorities as candidates. Mr. Boyle then thanked all three representatives of Carrington & Carrington for their presentation. Next, Mr. Boyle introduced Mr. William J. Bowen, representing Heidrick 8c Struggles, Consultants in Executive Search, and invited Mr. Bowen to begin his presentation. He began by describing the firm of Heidrick 8c Struggles as a 40-year-old organization with its corporate headquarters in Chicago and 30 offices around the world. Mr. Bowen indicated that he is vice chairman in charge of higher education recruiting for leaders in academic institutions. He noted that his firm has conducted 250 searches for major academic administrators. He assured the board that he would be the major person engaged in the search and described others who would probably assist him in the search process. He described a search process as having three parts: (1) outreach and identification of prospects; (2) building as large a pool of candidates as possible; and (3) doing good background checks. He then turned to the board and invited their questions. One question concerned how he would work with the Consultative Committee. He explained that each such group must be approached as a new group with specific goals. He noted that he would work closely with this group. He also emphasized the importance of confidentiality in all aspects of working on a search. Mr. Bowen also described the staff resources available to him for conducting searches. These were individuals with whom he works closely. He also discussed his approach to working with the board through a search, describing a buffer role that his firm could provide. He also