Campus Announcement (Feb. 8, 2022)

Dear Concordia Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni, and Friends,
 
As you know, we announced in mid-December President Craft’s decision to retire effective July 1, 2023. A great deal of organizational work has gone on during the past six weeks. We write today to share some important developments regarding the plans for recruiting a talented new leader. 
 
The Board of Regents met on January 27-28 and gave direction to many critical organizing elements for the presidential search. First, and most important, we are pleased to let you know that the Regents have endorsed the appointment of the following persons to serve on the Presidential Search Committee: 
 
Shontarius Aikens, Faculty, School of Business
Greta Almlie, Student
Rachel Bergeson, Staff, Athletic Director
Dan Biebighauser, Faculty, School of Arts and Sciences
Kristin Bortnem, Staff, Advancement
Troy Butner, Regent
Jeff Cadwell, Alumni, Alumni Chairperson
Gary Henderson, Regent & Search Committee Chairperson
Rachel Hollstadt, Former Regent
Mark Jordahl, Regent
Eh Lar, Student
Kristi Loberg, Faculty, School of Health Professions
Megan Myrdal, Alumni
Mary Peschauer, Regent
Harold Pope, Regent
Mary Ranum, Board of Regents Chairperson
Beth Renner, Regent
John Tunheim, Former Regent
John Ydstie, Regent
 
We are so pleased that each of these persons is willing to serve Concordia for this important work. Moreover, we believe we have people from many different backgrounds and all with a deep commitment to serving Concordia in the sacred work of discerning who will be called as our next president. Each of these persons has made commitments to the time and work that will be required of the committee. 
 
The Board of Regents at its January meeting also met with representatives we have engaged from Academic Search, who will serve as our partners to facilitate the search process. The team from Academic Search will be led by its president Jay Lemons along with Sharon Herzberger and Jennifer Kooken. More information about Academic Search and these individuals can be found at academicsearch.org. They will be on campus for listening sessions in early April. More details will be shared as we get closer to their visit, but we hope very much that as many of you as possible will be able to attend these listening sessions as this will be a critical way all members of our community can contribute to this important search process. 
 
The Board of Regents, after thoughtful and deliberate discussion, has made the determination that the search will be done in a confidential manner. This means that there will not be open sessions with finalists at the end of the process. A confidential search provides candidates the opportunity to explore and pursue the presidency of Concordia College without risk of compromising their current positions. It enables Concordia to attract the most talented, highly qualified candidates, most of whom we anticipate will hold key leadership positions at other institutions or organizations. This approach is essential given the pervasiveness of social media and instant communications of today’s world. 

We continue to be grateful for President Craft’s service and his generous advance notice to the Board of Regents. He is eager and anxious to advance many initiatives during the next 17 months so as to position the College to be in the best shape possible for his successor. We are confident that this can be a time where the very best of Concordia will lift us all. 
 
The words made famous by William Carey speak to us in this moment, and we offer them to you now: “Expect Great Things From God – Attempt Great Things For God”.  Let us do just that.  We hope you will contribute to the listening sessions and to raising up nominations for Concordia’s twelfth president. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Mary Ranum                                                   Gary Henderson
Chairperson, Board of Regents                       Chairperson, Presidential Search Committee