MSU presidential search under way

Missouri State University's presidential search committee has launched the search for the college's 11th president.

The 20-member search committee, which is led by Chairman Joe Turner, president and CEO of Great Southern Bank, and Vice Chairman Jim Anderson, president of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, held its first meeting May 11, according to an MSU news release sent out this morning.

“The other members of the presidential search committee and I are honored to be working on your behalf,” Turner said in the release. “We are determined to attract a strong and diverse pool of candidates, and we are committed to providing three outstanding finalists to the [MSU] Board of Governors for on-campus interviews later this fall.”

Applications are being accepted until July 13. The search committee is working to identify three finalists and hold on-campus interviews in mid-October, and to name the school's new president by early November, according to MSU Board of Governors Chairman Gordon Elliott, who also is a member of the search committee and is the CEO of Elliott Lodging.

The top post at MSU became vacant after former President James Cofer resigned suddenly in summer 2011 after less than a year on the job. MSU General Counsel Clif Smart has since served as interim president. Though he originally expressed some trepidation at taking the position, Smart has said he will be a candidate for the permanent position.

University officials are aiming to have the school's next president start in early 2013, according to the release.

MSU also has launched a presidential search Web site to provide information on the search and other resources, such as the university's presidential history. Candidates for the position also can be nominated through the site.