Virus delays presidential search at Shawnee College

ULLIN, Ill. — The search for a new president at Shawnee Community College has been slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing statewide order that Illinois residents stay at home until at least early April.

The college’s presidential search committee was scheduled to meet for the final time this week to review candidate submissions and work through a final selection process.

However, with the recently-announced “shelter in place” restrictions ordered by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the committee is unable to meet again until after April 7 when the stay at home order is scheduled to expire, according to a statement from the college.

The college’s board of trustees will announce a new date for candidate review at its next meeting scheduled for April 6, at which time the board will also discuss necessary adjustments to the presidential search timeline. Once the new timeline is approved, the search committee will select up to six candidates as finalists for submission to the board which will, in turn, schedule interviews with the recommended candidates.

More than 60 applications have been received by the search committee. Kathleen Curphy currently serves at the interim president at the community college, which has an undergraduate enrollment of about 2,400.