Montgomery College Board Chair Michael J. Knapp Announces Search Process for New President, Welcomes Interim President Dr. Charlene Dukes

This morning, Montgomery College Board of Trustees Chair Michael J. Knapp issued a memorandum to all MC employees and students regarding the search process for the College’s new president. Chair Knapp also welcomed the College’s interim president, Dr. Charlene Dukes. Chair Knapp’s memo, in its entirety, is below:

Today marks an important turning point for Montgomery College. First, I want to recognize Dr. Charlene Dukes, who begins her first official day at the College as our interim president. She has already been engaged with MC work over the past month, attending meetings and preparing for her new role. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Dukes to this role.

This day also marks the beginning of the search process for a new, permanent president. Announcements and advertisements are being posted in numerous publications, and a College webpagenew window is devoted to the search. At our June meeting, the Board of Trustees appointed the search firm of Greenwood/Asher & Associates to provide recruitment services. Greenwood/Asher has already begun its work and we expect to have a robust pool of candidates with applications and interviews this fall with a goal of announcing a new president before winter break.

The board will seek input from the College community—your input—during this process. In September, open forums will be held to hear your thoughts and ideas about the qualities most important in a new president, and what we should look for in candidates. I encourage you to attend a forum and participate in the conversation.

A Presidential Search Advisory Committee will be composed in September as well. I have appointed the board’s First Vice Chair, Dr. Michael Brintnall, to serve as chair of the advisory committee. We will seek students, faculty, staff, administrators, and representative stakeholders from our community to serve on the committee through an invitation and nomination process in consultation with constituent bodies. Dr. Stephen Cain, chief of staff/chief strategy officer, is working with the board to manage the search, and will provide more information about how you can express your interest in serving on the committee in a separate memorandum.

Finally, I will speak at the collegewide Fall Opening Meeting on Monday, August 23, to share an update about the search.

I recognize all that we have been through this past year, and sincerely thank you for your service to Montgomery College during these challenging times.