The search for the next president of NIU has begun.

The presidential search advisory committee (PSAC) met Thursday to review and discuss search procedures for finding the next president. For Cherilyn Murer, Board of Trustees chair, the search comes at a critical time.

“We are in a transformational period of time,” Murer said. “Not only at NIU. I want to put that in perspective. We are in a transformational time in our world.”

PSAC is staffed by 28 members of the university. Robert Boey, Board of Trustees vice chair, will serve as chair of the committee and Faculty Senate President Alan Rosenbaum will serve as co-chair. The Board of Trustees established PSAC, and appointed Parker Executive Search to provide assistance Thursday.

Rosenbaum said each of the members of PSAC was chosen because they represent a constituent at NIU.

“This is a very good committee, a very strong committee,” Rosenbaum said.

With the help of Steven Cunningham, vice president for administration and human resource services, and Jerry Blakemore, vice president and general counsel, the committee reviewed confidentiality agreements and the Open Meetings Act. Unless the committee announces a closed session, all of their meetings will be open to the public.

When it came to confidentiality agreements, Blakemore told the committee members under state law they could not disclose the names of candidates for the position of president until they are determined to be finalists.

Laurie Wilder, executive vice president and managing director of Parker Executive Search, explained the role of the search firm to the committee. She said the firm was not there to select the next president but to help recruit and advise them on candidates.

“We are a firm that believes in process,” Wilder said.

She said Parker Executive Search favors proactive recruiting and also said recruiting the next president was not going to result from advertising. Toward the end of the meeting, every member of PSAC present listed qualities they wanted in the next NIU president. Andy Small, Operating Staff Council president, said the next president of NIU should have a background in academics and finance, believe in the shared governance system and have skills in conflict management.

“And perhaps one of the best: a good sense of humor,” Small said.

Rosita Lopez, professor in Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations, said the next president needs to be able to help the university with its finance.

“We need someone to bring in the money,” Lopez said.

The meeting ended after more legal instruction from Blakemore and his staff. PSAC will next meet Dec. 6.