Search firm holds meetings about hiring new VP

Meeting with the executive firm that will aid the search for a vice president for Inclusion and Equity, Grand Valley staff members made it clear they have high expectations for the new person.

Greenwood and Associates conducted numerous meetings July 18 with campus organizations, students, and faculty and staff members. Jan Greenwood and Marion Frenche prompted participants to describe leadership qualities, work styles, and how the vice president would impact Grand Valley and the area. About 50 people attended a late afternoon meeting in the Kirkhof Center.

“I want this person to have a lot of visibility not only on campus, but in the community,” said Dante Villarreal, regional director of the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center.

Liz Eubanks, computer operations supervisor, said the new vice president needs a lot of heart. “You have to have a lot of heart to work with people,” she said. “It’s one thing to have book knowledge, but another thing to apply wisdom to that knowledge.”

Kate Stoetzner, director of international students and scholar services at the Padnos International Center, said she hopes the new vice president has a background in international education.

“Too often I see diversity defined as a black-and-white issue or one centered on religion,” Stoetzner said. “We need someone to guide the university... Someone who is open to what diversity is and will help Grand Valley define it.”

Greenwood said it’s unique for a regional public university like Grand Valley to seek an executive who specializes in diversity and interculturalism. Her firm has led searches for chief diversity officers, a relatively new profession, at larger institutions like the University of Michigan, University of Georgia, University of California-Berkeley and University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Candidates for the position will be brought to campus for interviews in the fall and the new vice president is expected to join Grand Valley in January.