CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A 13-member search committee has been named to find a new higher education chancellor for West Virginia.
Members of the committee were announced Monday in a news release from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
Current HEPC Chancellor Dr. Paul Hill, who has held the position since June 2012, previously announced his retirement. He’ll stay on until a new chancellor is named.
HEPC Chairman Mike Farrell will chair the search committee. The other 12 members are from higher education, business and community interests. The search committee will get help from a search firm that will conduct a national search.
Farrell said the next chancellor will be charged with continuing an effort to train the state’s workforce and produce more college graduates.
“Selecting our next chancellor is an extremely important task that will help shape the future of West Virginia’s higher education policy and landscape,” Farrell said in a news release. “We’ve made amazing strides in recent years toward student success and record numbers of college graduates; however, our challenge to make college more affordable and to construct a highly educated workforce is tremendous and we must take care to choose a leader who will help our state accomplish the lofty goal to double the number of degrees we currently award.”
The search committee will start its work right way. It hopes to have a new chancellor chosen by this fall.
The search committee members include:
Dr. Jerry Beasley
Former president of Concord University
Athens
Mr. Joseph A. Beeson
Member of the Board of Directors, West Virginia Independent Colleges and Universities, and assistant managing member of Robinson & McElwee, PLLC
Charleston
Dr. Marybeth Beller
Associate professor and director of the Master’s in Public Administration program at Marshall University, and vice chair of the statewide Advisory Council of Faculty
Huntington
Dr. Sarah Denman
Former provost of Marshall University
Huntington
Ms. Kathy Eddy
Former member, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and certified public accountant, McDonough, Eddy, Parsons & Baylous, A.C.
Parkersburg
Ms. Georgette George
Vice chair, West Virginia Regional Technology Park Board of Directors, and CEO, Monarch Family of Hotels
South Charleston
Mr. Michael Farrell
Chair, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and founding member of Farrell, White & Legg, PLLC
Huntington
Mr. Thomas A. Heywood
Managing Partner, Bowles Rice
Former chief of staff and general counsel for Gov. Gaston Caperton
Charleston
Ms. Lisa Moten
Director of the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center
Beckley
Mr. Drew Payne
Secretary of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
Charleston
Ms. Amy Pitzer
Program coordinator senior at Concord University, and chair of the statewide Advisory Council of Classified Employees
Athens
Mr. Kevin Sloan
Current student at West Virginia State University
Nitro
Dr. John Thralls
Former member of the West Virginia State University Board of Governors, and former vice chancellor for administration, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
Hurricane