Newsroom
Presidential Search Firm Selected
A.T. Kearney, the nationally recognized academic search firm, has been selected as Occidental College's consultant to assist in the search for a successor to President Ted Mitchell, who will step down Sept. 1 to become president and CEO of the San Francisco-based NewSchools Venture Fund.
The 19-member Occidental College Presidential Search Committee chose Kearney on July 27 after examining seven proposals and conducting in-depth interviews with three finalists, said committee chair Dave Berkus '62. Kearney's presidential search clients have included scores of colleges and universities such as Pomona, Williams, Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Smith and Bowdoin.
"Next, beginning in early September, the committee and Kearney will schedule meetings with faculty, students, administrators, staff, alumni, and interested community groups to obtain valued input focused upon the institutional needs of the College," Berkus said. "This will be used to help the committee refine its search during the months to follow."
During Mitchell’s six years as president, applications to Occidental set a new record each year even as the college maintained its status as the country's most diverse nationally ranked liberal arts college, according to U.S. News & World Report. Gifts to Occidental set a new record in 2004-05, rising to $20.9 million, more than twice the amount raised six years ago. Routinely drawing top ratings from national college guides, Occidental was twice named one of the hottest colleges in the country by Newsweek and by the Wall Street Journal as one of a handful of “colleges for a new era.”
"The board believes that Occidental has never been in a stronger position, and looks forward to a successful search for another outstanding president," said Catherine Selleck '55, chair of the Occidental Board of Trustees.
Search committee members are:
Trustees: David Berkus ’62, chair; John Farmer; Gary Findley ’76; Gene Grigsby ’66; Cathy Hagen Pepe ’64; Joel Sheldon ’66; Catherine Selleck ’55 (ex officio)
Faculty: Regina Freer, Politics; Movindri Reddy, Diplomacy and World Affairs; Eileen Spain, Chemistry; Jim Whitney, Economics; Dale Wright, Religious Studies
Alumni: Chris Calkins ’67; Carl West ’73, president, Alumni Association Board of Governors
Students: Two members to be selected when classes resume in August
Parent: Lori Hunter ’79 P’08
Administration: Kim Stafford, Institutional Advancement
Staff: Rose Charelian, Facilities
Eagle Rock community: Hilary Norton-Orozco, The Eagle Rock Association