Daily Outtakes: Rebecca Matthews Cannot Chair Presidential Search Committee

The University of West Florida Presidential Search Committee will hold a virtual meeting today from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The agenda lists Board of Trustees Chair Rebecca Matthews as the chair of the search committee, but does not list any committee members. See Presidential-Search-Committee-Meeting-Agenda-082225.

• Problem: The Florida Board of Governors regulations – specifically 1.002 (a) – state: “The Chair of the board of trustees may not serve as the search committee chair.”

What else does Reg. 1.002 (a) state:

“The Chair of the board of trustees, in consultation with the Chair of the Board of Governors, as ex officio member of the search committee for the limited purpose of completing (1)(c)(9), shall appoint the members of a search committee comprised of no more than 15 members, two of whom must be the Chair of the Board of Governors’ designees, which will consist of a member of the Board of Governors and a committee member at-large, and at least three of whom are members of the board of trustees.

Committee members selected to serve on the search committee should consist of individuals from the institution’s faculty, the student body, the institution’s foundation board, and, if applicable, the institution’s financing corporation board. However, none of the individuals selected to serve on the search committee should hold positions that report directly to the president.

In addition, the Chair of the board of trustees should consider appointing alumni, donors, and/or members from the community where the institution is located to serve on the search committee.

The Chair of the board of trustees will appoint, with the concurrence of the Chair of the Board of Governors, a trustee member of the search committee to serve as chair of the committee.”

Maybe I’m Misreading the Agenda

The agenda lists Matthews as chair twice. She may be referring to herself as the Trustee chair. However, there is no agenda item for announcing anyone else as the search committee chair.

The agenda items include:

I. Call to Order and Roll Call…………………………………… Rebecca Matthews, Chair

II. Public Comments

III. Introductions and Search Committee Charge……………………………Chair Matthews

IV. Sunshine Law Overview…………………… Jamie Sprague, Sr. AVP Human Resources

V. Confidentiality Requirements………………………………Lawson Huck and Gonzalez

VI. Introduction of Search Process……………………………Willie Funk, Funk Associates

VII. Attributes Desired for the Next President Discussion….….Willie Funk, Funk Associates

VIII. Questions

IX. Adjournment

Funny Thing on the Way to Fulfilling Public Record Request

Yesterday, I requested the names of the President Search Committee members and will post them once I receive them. The request was made to the UWF Office of General Counsel and Candace Freeman, who signed the email inviting stakeholders to a public forum on the presidential search.

• I noted that the person who handled my previous request had been placed on administrative leave for sending me the calendar invitation for Chair Matthews’ meeting with Lawson Huck and Gonzalez and Funk Associates.

The Office of General Counsel notified me they received my request and added: “Please be aware, our person who handles public records requests has left the university and the position is currently vacant, therefore, we are experiencing delays in any response at this time.”

• Sigh. Who else will Chair Matthews have placed on administrative leave or fired before 2:30 p.m. today?

Want to Watch the Committee Meeting?

Virtual Meeting: Zoom Webinar ID: 872 5280 2470 | Passcode:168907