By NICK DUNN and DEBS FRANCISCO
A search for the next President of The King’s College is underway, following the Oct. 28 announcement by the Board of Trustees that President J. Stanley Oakes will take a sabbatical effective immediately and lasting through December 31, 2009.Chairman of the Board Andrew Mills made the announcement at a meeting of the staff and faculty, followed by an all-student gathering.
Mills, who served as interim President in 2007-08, will once again assume that role until the replacement is found. A search committee is currently being formed, and will contain representatives from the various constituencies of the college—the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students. Mills hopes for the search process to conclude by the summer of 2010, with the new President installed before the beginning of the 2010-11 academic year.
“We’re looking for someone with credibility, influence, and not just starting from scratch but who brings a lot of things with them,” Mills said. “Whether that’s an academic person or business person, we’re looking for a person who will lead the institution forward.”
According to Mills, freedom from the daily activities of the college will allow Oakes to write a book describing the ideas that define The King’s College. The Board will support Oakes in this process by providing him with the expenses to travel and do the necessary research. It will be a collaborative effort with Oakes and the Board, both of whom are largely committed to the vision of King’s. Both parties recognize the importance of codifying these ideas in a founding document that will guide the Board, faculty, and students in the future.
Following Oakes’ sabbatical, he plans to return to The King’s College, where he will serve as Chancellor and focus on the vision of the college.
Oakes has served King’s from its re-founding. In 1999, Oakes, along with Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, re-opened The King’s College in Manhattan.
In addition to the announcement regarding the presidency, Mills also relayed several announcements from the Board of Trustees regarding the future of the college. After considering the amount of short-term tasks, the Board has decided not to pursue a Rugby program yet. In addition, Chief Operation Officer Bret Schundler will focus primarily on acquiring a property to be used for student housing. With the goal of enrolling as many as 200 freshmen in the fall of 2010, the college has made the acquisition of a residence building a high priority.
Looking ahead, Mills encouraged the students: “You are what the King’s College is all about. This is an amazing adventure that we’re all on.”
