Representatives from Isaacson, Miller began the search for a new CHABSS Dean by holding a Q&A session for students in the Kellogg Reading Room on January 28.

“Isaacson, Miller is a national executive search firm devoted to recruiting exceptional leaders for mission-driven organizations,” according to the firm’s mission statement.

The Q&A session marked the beginning of the event and the process required when searching for a new institutional leader of the College of Humanities and Behavioral and Social Sciences.

During the session, students were able to voice concerns and questions directly to Isaacson, Miller representatives Deborah Hodson and Courtney Wilk.

Some of the questions presented by students concerned the process that related to length of the search.

Representatives said that, ideally, the beginning of March will bring committee members together to present candidates for the Dean’s chair. In the interim, the goal of the committee is to recruit as many candidates as possible.

This recruitment process extends nationwide and involves many outlets from which to recruit candidates.

According to the representatives, headhunting is one of the methods of recruiting and this task falls on the shoulders of the search firm.

As part of the search process, Isaacson, Miller will reach out to candidates who fit a set of qualifications, and the number of recruits may reach as many as 300.

Other forms of recruitment include advertisements, referrals from the community and nominations of internal candidates.

The Isaacson, Miller presenters emphasized that qualifications for the Dean include a diverse range of skillsets.

Good communication and political skills, as well as the ability to lead are among the qualities listed by the representatives.

While effective leaderships qualities are crucial when assessing a candidate’s potential, there a variety of other skills that the recruiters will look for.

As the leader of an interdisciplinary college, the CHABSS Dean must understand academia and be able to work with other colleges while dealing with administration, according to the Isaacson, Miller representatives.

Following the extensive assessment of candidates, the search committee, also consisting of students, staff and faculty, must work with the search firm to narrow down candidates. Once the candidates have been interviewed, three to four will then be invited to campus to meet with the campus community.

As the search continues, it is important for students to provide any constructive feedback regarding the process. If students are interested in having their voices heard, they may contact Student Life and Leadership and ASI, Inc. for more information.