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Millikin University Searching for a New Leader
Trustees at Millikin University spent months conducting a nationwide search to find President Harold Jeffcoat. Jeffcoat became the 14th president of the University on April 1, 2011. Now, less than two years later, Jeffcoat announced he is ready to retire.
In a release to the media, Jeffcoat said he had been considering his resignation for the past six months. He noted the university needs to recruit a long-term president, but he is ready for retirement.
"He hasn't been here that long but he's always friendly in the hallway and knows everyone," Millikin senior Melissa Gillis said.
Board of Trustees Chairman Van Dukeman wanted to emphasize that the university is grateful for the time and work Jeffcoat put into Millikin. He emphasized this move is a retirement, not a career move.
"He's not going
to another job or seeking another presidency or anything like that," Dukeman said. "He's at
retirement age and he decided that the time was right for him and the time was
right for Millikin that he retire now."
For the next 90 days, Rich Dunsworth, currently the Vice President of Enrollment at Millikin, will serve as interim president. However, Dunsworth recently accepted a job as president of another college and will start there this summer. When he leaves, a temporary president will likely be selected from the Registry of College and University Presidents, a database kept for situations like this one. Millikin’s Board of Trustees will then conduct a second nationwide search for a president, at the university’s expense.
"We typically--I think most universities for that matter, many in the private sector, when you're looking to hire these high level executive positions you typically use a search firm to help you collect the possible candidates for that position and obviously you pay the search firm," Dukeman said.
Students at Millikin said Jeffcoat and his wife spent a lot of time on campus with students and at campus events during their time at Millikin University.
"He likes to come to
the cafeteria and around Christmas time they had a big Christmas Dinner and he
seemed really nice," freshman Brittni Johansen said.
University officials would not comment on whether or not Jeffcoat will receive a pension or retirement from the university. They also did not have a dollar amount for the cost of using a firm to help search for his replacement.
Jeffcoat’s predecessor held the position for about seven years.
