SEMO partners with national firm, establishes search committee to find 19th university president

Southeast Missouri State University announced Monday afternoon, Sept. 9, that the Board of Governors finalized a contract with Greenwood Asher and Associates (GA&A), and assembled a Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) to aid in its search for the 19th president of the university after Carlos Vargas’ contract was not renewed.

GA&A is a national firm touted by SEMO as having “extensive experience in higher education presidential searches.”

“GA&A has successfully completed hundreds of presidential searches for higher education institutions across the country, and the Board is confident in their ability to help identify the University’s next president,” Board of Governor president Tina Klocke said in a news release.

In addition, the university appointed Board of Governors vice president Jim Limbaugh as the chair of the PSAC, and 15 other members were also appointed, including:

• SEMO Board of Governors president Tina Klocke;
• SEMO Board of Governors member Lloyd Smith;
• SEMO faculty Senate chair Jenny Cropp;
• SEMO chair/professor of Engineering and Technology Brad Deken;
• Former SEMO Faculty Senate chair and current member Erin Fluegge;
• SEMO Professional Staff Council chair Dustin Hopkins;
• SEMO head football coach Tom Matukewicz;
• CTS Staff Council chair Dayna Northington;
• SEMO Student Government Association president Lydia Pobst;
• Southeast Missouri University Foundation Board chair Maureen Clancy-May;
• SEMO Alumni Association Board president emeritus and formal federal judge Abbie Crites-Leoni;
• SEMO Alumni Association Board president emeritus and BNSF Railway director of State Affairs Jeff Davis;
• Baker Implement Company Alumni and Community representative Charles “Bud” Hilburn III;
• Reinsurance Group of America Inc. vice president of Global Security and Privacy Risk Management Erica Wilson;
• SEMO General Counsel and ex-officio Board of Governors secretary Chris Martin.

“It was important to the board that the committee include as many representative groups as possible; specifically, faculty, staff, students, Foundation, alumni, and the external community,” Klocke said.

The PSAC will “assist in reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and making finalist recommendations to the Board of Governors.”

“I look forward to working with the entire committee during this process,” Limbaugh said. “In identifying potential committee members, the Board of Governors made intentional decisions to identify individuals that could represent multiple constituencies and geographic locations to ensure a good cross-section of our SEMO community is represented.”

According to the release, GA&A representatives will be on campus during the first week of October to conduct a listening session to “gather feedback from internal and external constituents regarding qualities and characteristics they feel the next president should embody.” Details of the session are expected to be released soon.

The release states that SEMO plans to keep the community informed about the search’s progress through emails from Limbaugh and by establishing a presidential search webpage to serve as the primary source for information regarding the search.

“Under president Vargas’ leadership, Southeast Missouri State University has achieved many successes and many more opportunities lie ahead,” Klocke said. “From affirmation of institutional reaccreditation, new innovative academic programs, the successful launch of the Transforming Lives capital campaign, the celebration of the University’s 150th anniversary, and much more. SEMO is on solid ground, and we are well positioned to continue soaring to new heights. We look forward to moving ahead together as we write the next chapter for Southeast Missouri State University.”

During the board’s meeting Sept. 3, SEMO’s Board of Governors unanimously voted to open negotiations with an executive search firm and establish a Presidential Search Advisory Committee not to exceed 15 people. The university anticipates its 19th president will begin their term Tuesday, July 1, 2025.