The WSU Board of Regents voted to begin contract negotiations with an unnamed presidential candidate, referred to as “Candidate B,” during a meeting Friday.
“I am sensing that Candidate B is the preferred candidate of the Regents,” said Lisa Schauer, Board of Regents chair. “I ask for a motion delegating authority to me as the chair of the Board of Regents to extend an offer of employment, as state law allows, to negotiate a contract with Candidate B.”
Once negotiations between Schauer and Candidate B have concluded, the contract will go back to the board for approval.
“Any contract of employment will go back to the Board of Regents for approval,” Schauer said. “I’ll be moving forward with working with Candidate B and then we do anticipate an announcement after this board takes action on approving a final contract.”
While the candidate remains unnamed, Schauer said the name of the candidate will be announced after a contract is finalized.
This lengthy presidential selection process occurring behind closed doors at public universities has drawn criticism from some state legislators. A bill, known as HB 1337, has been introduced to address this issue.
“The legislature recognizes that the hiring of presidents at public institutions of higher education is a matter of public interest,” the bill said. “To further this interest, the legislature intends to ensure that the top leadership of Washington’s public institutions of higher education is selected in a manner that reflects principles of academic partnership with faculty, staff, and students, includes opportunities for input from members of the public, and complies with the Open Public Meetings Act.”
Under the proposed bill, public universities in Washington will be required to “provide public notice for up to four priority candidates for the position of president” at least “30 days prior to the date of the public meeting of the governing board at which a final action or vote is to be taken on the employment of a priority candidate.”
HB 1337, which was introduced in the Washington House on Jan. 16, has been referred to the Postsecondary Education and Workforce Committee.
