Iowa State University begins search for new president
Des Moines Register
July 2, 2011
Candidates for the job of Iowa State university president will likely come from within higher education, but selecting someone from outside academia should not be ruled out, members of an 18-person search committee said in their first meeting today.
The person who succeeds ISU President Gregory Geoffory, who is expected to retire by July 2012, should encourage staff to take risks to keep the university relevant for future generations, and build relationships off campus with legislators, business leaders and ordinary Iowans, committee members said.
Encouraging statewide economic development, particularly in science and technology along Interstate Highway 35 between Ames and Des Moines, should be a key goal, said Cara Heiden, co-president of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.
However, the committee should be wary of selecting someone from outside academia, because making the transition from private industry is difficult, ISU chemistry professor Pat Thiel said.
“It could take two or three years before they hit their stride,” she said.
