The names of three finalists to succeed Dene Thomas as president of Fort Lewis College are expected to be released March 21.
The college’s Presidential Search Committee has recommended three finalists to the Board of Trustees. Trustees are reviewing information the search committee presented, according to a news release issued Wednesday by Mitch Davis, FLC spokesman. After the trustees’ review, the names of the finalists will be announced March 21, according to the news release.
Trustees wanted to announce the campus visit schedule for the finalists as soon as possible to allow people time to plan, Davis said.
The following are the schedules for the finalists’ visits:
The first finalist will visit March 29-30. An open forum will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. March 29 in the Student Union Ballroom. A public reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. March 29 at the Durango Arts Center. A second open forum will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. March 30 in Room 130 in Noble Hall.The second finalist will visit April 2-3. An open forum will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. April 2 in the Student Union Ballroom. The second open forum will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. April 3 in the Student Union Ballroom. A public reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. April 3 at the Durango Arts Center.The third finalist will visit April 4-5. An open forum will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. April 4 in Room 130 of Noble Hall. The public reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. April 4 at the Durango Arts Center. The second open forum will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m. April 5 in the Community Concert Hall.The Presidential Search Committee interviewed a dozen applicants for the presidency earlier this month in Denver. From those interviews, committee members choose the three finalists now under review by the Board of Trustees.
The search committee met in private to protect the identity of applicants.
The next FLC president is expected to be named April 15.
Thomas, the school’s current president, will retire at the end of the academic year. Her successor is expected to assume his or her duties July 1.
Thomas currently earns $260,000 annually and is provided with the use of a house and a car.
The executive search firm Witt/Kieffer led the recruitment process, and 120 applicants exceeded the firm’s estimate that 80 total applicants would seek the position.
parmijo@durangoherald.com
