BEMIDJI — Leaders from BSU, Northwest Technical College and the broader Bemidji community painted the portrait of their ideal president Wednesday for the visiting Steven Rosenstone, chancellor of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
The person replacing Richard Hanson, who plans to retire in June 30, will need the versatility to oversee two distinct campuses, the cultural understanding to engage Native American students who otherwise might forego college, and among other qualities, the commitment to stay in Bemidji long term, they said.
The 45-minute forum, attended by about 15 university stakeholders, is among MnSCU’s first steps in a search expected to conclude in April.
“Simply put,” Rosenstone told the group assembled in a Memorial Hall classroom, “there is no ‘one size fits all.’ It’s critical for this university and this community that we get this right.”
Rosenstone listened and jotted into a notebook as the group floated ideas, building upon some and letting others dissolve.
Fulton Gallagher, professor of music and a BSU faculty member since 1963, said the new president will need to appreciate the distinct missions at BSU and NTC, the differences between liberal arts programs and career-oriented programs. Rosenstone said “we can’t turn our back” on technical education, sometimes overshadowed by the university.
Some identified the need for experience working with racial minorities, such as the 20 percent of Beltrami County residents who are Native American (though less than 10 percent of BSU students are Native American). Others noted the income inequality in Bemidji, where many are homeless and not all students come from privilege.
“The kind of person who they are” will be just as important as what’s on their resume, one said of the future president.
Kay Mack, Beltrami County administrator, said the university could do more to help solve local issues, such as aquatic invasive species and mental illness. “I’m not throwing harpoons,” she said. “These are just missed opportunities.”
Rosenstone said a long-term commitment from the new president is key. “I have an allergy to people who job hop,” he said. “I break out in hives.”
Gallagher, the music professor, wondered why someone would accept the BSU job considering
the Faculty and Student senates cast votes of no confidence in Rosenstone last fall, citing a lack of transparency and a misappropriation of MnSCU funds among other faults.
Rosenstone said he met with BSU faculty Wednesday morning, adding, “I think the faculty have moved on. I have moved on.”
But the conversation focused mostly on the vision of a perfect, albeit imaginary, president.
A committee of BSU students, employees and outside community members will convene soon, building and whittling down a list of candidates from a national field. The committee will work with Rosenstone to pinpoint a group of finalists, from which the MnSCU Board of Trustees will select.
MnSCU hopes to announce the finalists in mid-March and hire the new president about April 20.
If the right candidate doesn’t emerge, Rosenstone said, the committee can extend its search as long as necessary. “We won’t be bashful about that,” he said.