SHAWNEE'S YEAR-LONG SEARCH ENDS AS NEW PRESIDENT NAMED

ULLIN, Ill. -- After almost a year of searching, Shawnee Community College has a new president.

Dr. Jack Hill, who was one of the original three finalists for the job last May, will become the third president in the 22-year history of the college, which is located a few miles east of Ullin.

Hill, who is currently vice president for Instructional Services at John A. Logan College in Carterville, recently signed a three-year contract with Shawnee.

"After applying for the position during the first round of the search earlier this year, I had to withdraw my application for some personal reasons," said Hill. "The situation has changed now, and when I heard that the vacancy still existed, I notified the college of my interest."

Hill said he was "tremendously excited" about the new position, and had already started on a part-time basis.

"I'm still working at John A. Logan full time, and working at Shawnee during the evenings," he said. "I'll be doing this until about Feb. 8, when I go full time at Shawnee.

"The people at John A. Logan have been great. They asked if I would stay on 30 days, which will be up Feb. 8."

Hill added that he had worked with Shawnee officials on several occasions, and was anxious to start full time.

Hill and his wife, Mary, currently live in Marion. They are parents of three children. The Hills plan to move into the Shawnee College district within the next few months.

"We'll be looking for housing as soon as the weather get better," he said.

Bob Cross, chairman of the Shawnee College Board of Trustees, who announced the selection of the new president, said: "Jack Hill was one of our top choices throughout this search process. We are delighted to have as our third president. He brings outstanding credentials to our institution and we look forward to working with him."

The search for a new president has been a lengthy one at Shawnee.

It started in February of 1990, when Dr. Barry Gowin announced his resignation, effective at the close of the school year in June. The candidate list (85 applications) was narrowed to three which included Dr. Hill by May 6, and a new president was expected to be appointed in June.

It didn't work out that way.

"Things just didn't work out with any of the finalists," said Marti A. Clarke, public relations coordinator at the college. "At that time, we reopened the search."

In late November, Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, of Galveston, Texas, who was vice president and dean of instruction at Galveston College, was selected as new president.

Recently, Dr. Nigliazzo informed the board he would be unable to fulfill the position, due to some family obligations, according to Cross.

"After Nigliazzo's withdrawal, the board moved very quickly in getting Hill for our president," said Cross.

Hill, 52, has been responsible for the supervision and administration of all instructional programs, program planning, evaluation of programs, curriculum development, administration of programs under the Job training Partnership Act, economic development, and services to business and industry in his position at John A. Logan.

He has worked with John A. Logan College in various capacities since 1969, and as served in some key positions within the state community college system. He was president of the Illinois Council of community College administration in 1990; he was a member of the Task Force on Articulation of the Illinois Community College board; member of the Illinois Community College Board; and past chairman of the Instructional commission, Illinois Council of Community College Administrators.

Other professional and civic affiliations include Phi Delta Kappa; a community college delegate in People's Republic of China, Citizen's Ambassador program in 1987; member of executive committee, post doctoral academy of higher education; veteran of the U.S. Army and Reserve,.

He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, with B.S. in elementary education, a masters degree in education, and a doctorate in higher education.

Dr. Loren E. Klaus was the first president of the college, serving in that position almost 20 years since the school was founded in 1968 to March of 1987, when he announced his resignation. Gowin served as president of the college three years, from 1987 to 1990.