About the Presidential Search Process

The extensive national search for the ninth president of The Sage Colleges that began in 2008 and culminated in March 2009 was a four-stage process: preparation, recruitment, evaluation and selection. The preparation phase included the creation of Sage's Search Committee, and the selection of the search consultant, Storbeck/Pimentel and Associates, a nationally recognized executive search firm that specializes in higher education. With input from constituent groups on both Sage campuses, a formal presidential profile was drafted to serve as the primary search tool for the recruitment phase, which began in late November.

Throughout the process, the Search Committee was committed to regular communication regarding the search effort in order to provide transparency of process while preserving the confidentiality of candidates. A presidential search site was developed and launched to enable the Sage community to access information and updates, interact with the Search Committee, view the final position profile, and to submit confidential nominations or other suggestions directly to the search consultants. Additionally, numerous open forums were held in November to solicit vital input from the Sage community and beyond.

The Sage Colleges president position was advertised broadly in such venues as The Chronicle of Higher Education, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Hispanic Outlook, Women in Higher Education and in several online-only outlets. In addition to advertising, position announcements reached thousands of prospects and sources across the country.

The position communication strategy proved successful, as demonstrated by the caliber, quantity and diversity of the candidate pool. Preliminary interviews with candidates took place in February 2009, and the search concluded in March 2009 when finalists visited campus for formal interviews with the Board of Trustees.