Atlanta — October 23, 2014

Board of Regents Chairman Philip A. Wilheit Sr. has announced the formation of the two committees required by regents’ policy to conduct a national search for the next president of Columbus State University (CSU). Last month, CSU President Tim Mescon announced his plans to retire from the University System of Georgia on Dec. 31, 2014.

The Special Regents’ Search Committee will be chaired by Regent C. Thomas Hopkins Jr. and includes Regents Donald M. Leebern Jr., Sachin Shailendra, Kessel D. Stelling Jr., Larry Walker and Philip Wilheit.

The search and screening of candidates is the responsibility of a 17-member Presidential Search and Screen Committee. Members of the committee are as follows:

• Dr. John Finley, associate professor of business administration, executive officer faculty senate and committee chair
• Dr. Kevin Burgess, associate professor of biology
• Dr. Clarence “Earl” Coleman, professor of music
• Dr. Courtney George, assistant professor of English
• Dr. Tim Howard, professor of mathematics
• Dr. Stuart Rayfield, associate professor and director of the CSU Servant Leadership Program
• Dr. Michael Richardson, professor and director of the education doctorate program
• Dr. Ekaterina Strekalova, assistant professor of early childhood education
• Dr. Aimee Vael, associate professor, School of Nursing
• Amber Dees, assistant director of the public administration program and president Staff Council
• Rachel Green, president of the Student Government Association
• Richard L. Holmes, alumni and CSU Foundation Board of Trustees
• Nancy Buntin, Columbus community member and CSU Foundation Board of Trustees
• Dr. John Wesley Lee, Ear, Nose, Throat and Sinus Surgery Center
• Tony Link, CSU Foundation Board of Trustees Chair
• Marc Olivié, President and CEO of WC Bradley Company and CSU Foundation Board of Trustees
• Jimmy Yancey, Columbus community member and CSU Foundation Board of Trustees

The campus-based committee will be charged with its responsibilities in a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the University. These duties include the development of a position description, the placement of announcements and conducting on-campus interviews. The executive search firm of Academic Search, Inc., in Washington, D.C., has been engaged to assist the search committee.

At the conclusion of its work, the campus committee will forward the credentials of three to five unranked candidates to the Regents’ Search Committee. This committee is responsible for recommending finalists to Chancellor Hank Huckaby, who will make a recommendation to the full Board of Regents.

« News Releases