Teddy Zamora-Mills speaks to the search firm reps as fellow senior Gordon Ruan looks on. Gargoyle photos by Katherine Allen (click to enlarge)

The two representatives: Don Hugho (left) and Paul Drury.

URBANA — The search for the new director is moving forward.

On Friday, representatives Paul Drury and Don Hugho from the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd. visited the school to get a sense of Uni’s atmosphere and gather input on what students want in a new director.

Drury and Hugho spoke to Director Steve Epperson, met with teachers during lunch, and had a private meeting during fifth period with five students: freshman Christina Harden, sophomore Amanda Hwu, junior Rachel Harmon, and seniors Gordon Ruan and Teddy Zamora-Mills.

Finding the right person

In their conversation with students, Drury and Hugho raised questions about school life and wanted to know what made Uni special; they were especially curious about the open lockers.

According to the five students, what makes Uni special is its small and talented student body and its connection to the University of Illinois.

They said that the self-motivation of students for learning and the resources available to them allow opportunities such as independent studies and enrolling in college courses that many other schools cannot provide.

In addition, the strong trust and understanding that students demonstrate toward each other allow Uni to have its open atmosphere.

The person to lead Uni would have to be able to continue these traditions. In comments after the meeting, Zamora-Mills said he would like someone “who will be able to become a part of how Uni already works, with [Assistant Director Sue] Kovacs, the teachers, staff, and students, be able to maintain that dynamic, and listen for input on how to make it better. In short, someone who integrates, interacts, and initiates or improves.”

Toward the end of the meeting, a consensus emerged about the qualities the new director would have to possess, including an ability to adapt to and understand Uni's traditions and to interact on a regular basis with Uni students, faculty, and staff.

“I think the most important quality the new director should have is that they should be accepting of both the many different cultures at Uni as well as the open and personal atmosphere it has,” Harden said after the meeting.

The next steps

Drury said “finding a suitable candidate who can fit well into such a unique atmosphere will be difficult but possible.”

The next director will succeed Epperson, who began interim duties in August 2007, when he replaced Kassie Patton. Epperson took the job after retiring as superintendent of the Roselle School District, where he worked from 2001 to 2007.

Due to a number of factors, including the need to make various facility improvements, the search process was delayed last fall, and Epperson decided to continue as director for another year in order to ensure the best candidate.

“Usually after spending a day here and talking to Dr. Epperson and other people we have a pretty good sense of what belongs here,” said Drury. “Our feeling is that the candidate is someplace in Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, or Indiana. Midwest people generally hang out in the Midwest.”

According to Hugho, finding a suitable candidate is a long process. To begin, he and Drury will advertise in national publications that administrators regularly view.

Then after generating a number of candidates who apply online to the Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd, they will do a paper screening to make sure the candidates have the right qualifications.

Once that is done, Drury and Hugho will personally interview the remaining candidates and select a slate of three to five people who meet the criteria.

“Our job ends when we submit that slate to the school and they accept one of those people,” said Drury. “If we submit three and they say no, that’s not what we want, then we go back and do the search. We better clarify what they want and what they didn’t like about those three or four, and once we understand that bit, that sharpens our vision.”

Once Uni accepts the three to four candidates, the last step in the process is waiting for the Provost's Office to put together a local committee to select the final candidate. The intended deadline for the candidate to be named is in late February to early March.

“For us it's fun to help find good leaders for schools because we know how much of an impact they can have on teachers and students for a long time,” said Hugho. “Our goal is to bring someone here and have a positive impact on the school, on the teachers, and all the students.”

Sophomore Amanda Hwu makes a point during Friday's meeting with search firm representatives. Junior Rachel Harmon is at left. Gargoyle photo by Katherine Allen (click to enlarge)