Presidential Search

On February 25, 2022, the Converse University Board of Trustees announced the selection of Boone J. Hopkins, PhD, as the University’s twelfth president. Hopkins was introduced during an all-campus meeting on February 25, and will begin his tenure on March 1, 2022.

Advised by a search committee that included trustees, alumni, students, faculty, and staff, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved Hopkins’ appointment.

Read the full story here.

The Presidential Search Committee continues to work closely with our consultants from Buffkin / Baker to identify our next President. We are in the process of reviewing vetted candidates during the months of December and January. The caliber of interested candidates thus far is impressive and most certainly indicative of Converse’s rich history and promising future.

The Search Committee appreciates the trust of the Converse community as we work towards our goal to announce Converse’s next President in late Spring of 2022.

Kim Kent ’97 and Laura Bauknight ’87
Presidential Search Committee Co-Chairs

The Presidential Search Committee has been busy over the past two months as we continue work on the search for Converse’s next President. We want to thank all of you for your responses to our August survey which asked for your input on Converse’s next President along with the future of Converse University. We received almost 400 responses and the information you provided was used, along with input from faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees, and donors, to shape the position profile for the President of Converse University.

After approval by the Search Committee, the position profile was posted on Buffkin / Baker’s website and proactively pushed out to 800+ individuals who could be potential candidates and/or referral sources. Additionally, our posting outreach is broad and diverse, as Buffkin / Baker has posted the position on multiple higher education websites, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, American Association of Blacks in Higher Education, and Inside Higher Ed.

It is our goal to find the best and most qualified candidates for this role, and the Buffkin / Baker team is currently in the time- and labor-intensive confidential sourcing phase of the search as they develop and follow-up with interested and referred individuals to assess their candidacy. It is expected that the Search Committee will begin to review vetted candidates in December.

Kim Kent ’97 and Laura Bauknight ’87
Presidential Search Committee Co-Chairs

The Presidential Search Committee is committed to ensuring your voice is heard throughout the search process for Converse’s next President.

Converse alumni, faculty, staff, students, donors, and Trustees have been asked to provide input on Converse’s new President as well as the future of the University. That survey is now closed.

Thank you,

Kim Kent ’97 and Laura Bauknight ’87
Presidential Search Committee Co-Chairs

Over the past two months, the Presidential Search Committee has reviewed firms to assist with the search for Converse’s next President. After a thorough review, the Committee has hired Buffkin / Baker, an executive recruitment firm that has successfully led the presidential search process for other higher education institutions. The Committee was impressed by the depth and breadth of experience that Buffkin / Baker brings to the search. The firm’s integrity and commitment to not only their clients but also the prospective candidates was especially appealing. The Committee is confident in Buffkin / Baker’s ability to help select a President that will carry forth the unique vision of Converse.

Our Search Committee has gained a new member. Dr. Madelyn Young, Associate Professor of Economics, has joined the Search Committee in place of Dr. Boone Hopkins, who is moving to an Ex Officio role as interim President of Converse.

The Presidential Search Committee is committed to ensuring your voice is heard throughout the search process. A survey will be sent to Converse alumni, faculty, staff, students, donors, and Trustees in mid-to-late-August 2021. This survey will provide an opportunity for input on Converse’s new President as well as the future of the University. Be on the lookout for a link to the survey, which will be sent via email. A link to the survey will also be posted on the Presidential Search webpage on converse.edu.

Kim Kent ’97 and Laura Bauknight ’87
Presidential Search Committee Co-Chairs

The Presidential Search Committee Chairs Kim Kent ’97 and Laura Bauknight ’87 would like to share that 13 committee members have been appointed to help with the search for Converse’s next president. The committee members are comprised of current and former Converse Board of Trustees members, alumni, faculty, staff, and students. In addition to the 13 committee members, 3 additional members have been appointed to serve as ex officio members of the committee.

Trustees

• Randall Chambers
• Phyllis Perrin Harris ‘82
• Ken Howard (Life Trustee)
• Karla Jones ‘85
• Wallace Prestwood ‘89
• Linda Layman Redding ‘88

Faculty, staff, and students

• Mike Kennedy, Assistant Vice President for Philanthropy
• Randy Loggins, Deputy Director of Athletics
• Karen Mims, Student Government Association President, ‘22
• Margaret Moore, Faculty Senate President and Associate Professor of Physical Education
• Madelyn Young, Associate Professor of Economics

Ex officio

• Boone Hopkins, Interim President
• Sandra Shearouse Morelli ’78, Converse Board of Trustees Chair
• Pamela Greenway, Senior Executive Assistant to the President and Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees

An important next step is for the Presidential Search Chairs and Committee to hire a search firm to assist with the hiring process.

Kimberly Varnadoe Kent ’97 and Laura Chappell Bauknight ’87 will serve as co-chairs of our 2021-22 Presidential Search Committee. The next step in the process will be selecting a search consultant.

From Provost Barker, appointed as Converse President during the 2021-2022 academic year, to the Converse Community (April 26, 2021)

Dear Converse Community:

Thank you for your continuing support of Converse.

I want to thank President Newkirk for her years of leadership. She has had the courage and conviction to lead us through dramatic changes that have made us a stronger institution. Congratulations to her on her wonderful new opportunity in California!

Sometimes people say that serving as president of a university during the search for the next president is all about keeping the wheels on the bus. That’s vital but it’s not enough. We also need to keep the bus moving forward in the right direction. Of course, keeping things moving forward means focusing on the full implementation of the Model Change, welcoming all of our new students and working with Dean Chandra Hopkins and the entire community on the implementation of the Women’s College within the university.

Moving forward also means:

• Continuing to develop and improve our academic programs and student life;
• Focusing tightly on undergraduate enrollment, both in recruiting new students and retaining our current students;
• Maintaining our momentum in fundraising;
• Continuing to control expenditures; and
• Building on our efforts and plans in diversity and inclusion.

These are areas where we have made substantial improvements in the past five years and where we need to continue to improve.

Our budgets will continue to be planned and monitored very carefully. Even with projected first year enrollment this fall, every tuition dollar is spoken for in our budget for the coming year, in part because we have budgeted to support the growth that we’ve seen and the growth that is coming. With all that we’ve done and are doing, however, if we keep things going in the right direction, we will have more resources in the future to make our university an even stronger place.

Our marketing consultants found out that almost everyone had the same answer when asked what is most important here—the education of our students. When you begin with that premise and when you have had the advantage of the excellent leadership of Krista Newkirk and the very strong administrative team she has built, plus the support of our faculty, staff, and students, our positive position is a welcome result.

It wasn’t inevitable. Success takes deliberate, systematic planning, focused implementation of plans, ongoing support from donors, and a commitment to mission from every part of the community. On all of these counts, Converse is in a good place. My task in the coming year is to help us stay on track and moving forward. I will need the entire community’s help—from all of you—and I thank you in advance for that help.

Best regards,

Jeff Barker
Provost