WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Sept. 13, 2022 — West Liberty University met today at 4 p.m. to announce the members of its 2022 Presidential Search Committee. The meeting was held in historic Shaw Hall.
The Presidential Search Committee will lead the search for the 38th president to lead the school and will include representatives from the faculty, alumni, staff, and student body, along with all members of the Board of Governors.
Created in accordance with the WLU Board of Governors Presidential Search and Selection policy, the committee makeup and process also follows the guidelines set by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
Board of Governor members include: Richard “Rich” Lucas (chairman), Wheeling; Jack Adams (vice chairman), McMurray, Pa.; Michael J. Baker, Wheeling; Arlene Brantley, Atlanta, Ga.; Richard Carter, Wheeling; Thomas Cervone, Knoxville, Tenn.; Dr. Jamie Evick (secretary), Glen Dale, W.Va.; Ryan Glanville (WLU staff member), Wheeling; Sydney Burkle, (student government president), Wheeling, W.Va.; David H. McKinley, Wheeling; Jason Metz (faculty member), Pittsburgh; and Stephanie Shaw, Columbus, Ohio.
Other members selected include: WLU Foundation members Chairman John Dolan (alumnus) and Vice Chairman Dr. Daniel “Dan” Joseph (alumnus), along with Interim Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Katie Cooper (staff member).
Cervone was then elected as chairman and McKinley was elected as vice-chairman of the Presidential Search committee by the Board of Governors. Both votes were unanimous.
Also serving as a non-voting, ex-officio member will be Dr. Sarah Tucker, chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. The WVHEPC is expected to vote and approve the new president’s contract once a selection is made.
The date of the search committee’s first meeting was not announced but will be decided soon. Also discussed by the Board of Governors was the possibility of using a professional search firm.
The national search for WLU’s next leader and applications will be accepted through Nov. 1, 2022, per the tentative timeline discussed in today meeting. Current President W. Franklin Evans contract expires on Dec. 31, 2022.
Eleven of 12 Board of Governors attended the meeting, with Evick absent.