A dozen left

The future president of Williston State College is among 12 final candidates selected from a pool of about 40 during WSC Presidential Search Committee meeting on Friday.

Consultant David Ponitz provided the committee with a summary of the 15 applicants he believed are the best fit for the post. After reviewing each person, the committee moved forward with 10 of the people Ponitz recommended.

“I have a lot of confidence in David, and he has gone through these people pretty well,“ said Committee Chair Dick McKennett on Ponitz’ picks.

Several committee members, however, asked two other candidates be considered for the Interactive Video Networking (IVN) interviews, which begin on Monday.

Initially, the committee agreed no more than 10 candidates would be interviewed through IVN, but Committee Member Wanda Meyer suggested more candidates be considered.

“The only concern that I had was that when we call these people today, it’s possible you could lose half, and when we get to the IVN interviews we could lose another half. Then we have nothing to recommend to the board,” said Meyer, suggesting to interview about 15 candidates total through IVN.

Each interview is expected to last 90 minutes, beginning with a four-minute introduction by Committee Chair Dick McKennett and followed by a six-minute opening statement by the candidate.

There is a six-minute timeframe for each of the 12 questions. Finally, candidates have eight minutes to ask the committee questions or concerns.

The 10 applicants Ponitz recommended to the committee were: Kay Atkins, provost at Columbus State Community College, in Columbus, Ohio; Daniel Blankenship, CEO and campus dean of University of Wisconsin�“Fond du Lac, in Fond du Lac, Wis.; Darla Brown, founding director at the University of Arizona Pima County Outreach Satellite Sites, in Pima County, Ariz.; Verlyn Fick, Southeastern Community College Vice President of Teaching and Learning, in West Burlington, Iowa; Kent Hjelmstad, assistant professor in University of North Dakota, in Grand Forks; John Miller, instructional dean of the College of Southern Idaho, in Twin Falls, Idaho; Guy Mills, University of Texas�“Permian Basin associate provost and school of education dean, in Odessa, Texas; Raymond Nadolny, vice president of extended learning at Lake Washington Technical College, in Redman, Wash.; Vincent Pellegrino, Higher Learning Commission Peers Review Corp at multiple states; and Jeffrey Watson, vice president of academic affairs at East Arkansas Community College, in Forrest City, Ark.

Ponitz based his decision on the qualifications profile he drafted along with the committee a few months ago.

The two applicants the committee added for the interview process are Gregory Timberlake and Thad Anglin.

Timberlake is executive director administrator at Hinds Hospice, in Fresno, Calif. This is Timberlake’s second time applying for the position, as he was considered during the last presidential search in 1999, said Meyer.

“He was a top pick last time,” Meyer added.

Timberlake withdrew last time to take another job offer.

Ponitz said he did not suggest Timberlake to the committee because he had been out of the community college environment for eight years, and much had happened in the industry since then.

Thad Anglin is assistant vice president for student life studies at Tarleton State University, in Stephenville, Texas.

The committee used colors to rank the final 17 candidates. Green indicated approval, yellow was used for possibility and red meant rejection.

“I’m very happy with the process and the committee �“I think the committee did a great job,” said McKennett. “I have a very hopeful, positive, optimistic feeling about this.”