Teddy Zamora-Mills speaks to search firm representatives as fellow senior Gordon Ruan looks on. The reps visited Uni in September to get input from students and faculty before launching the search for the school's next director.

The two search firm representatives who visited in September: Don Hugho (left) and Paul Drury. Four finalists for the director position have been selected; they will visit Uni during the next two weeks. Gargoyle photos by Katherine Allen (click to enlarge)

URBANA — Director Steve Epperson has worked as Uni's interim director for the past year and a half, announcing snow days, planning retreats, and giving administration updates, among other things.

But at the end of this year, the Uni community will have to bid him goodbye, as it will be his last.

He stepped out of retirement in August 2007 to succeed Kassie Patton temporarily while the search for a more permanent director progressed.

Now the search committee has narrowed the list of candidates to four finalists, one of whom will likely be Uni's new director next year.

Over the next two weeks, students and faculty will have the chance to meet each of the possible future directors.

During their visits, candidates will address questions concerning the position. Due to University of Illinois privacy requirements, no information regarding the candidates may be released yet. Here are the dates of their visits:

• Friday, Feb. 6
• Monday, Feb. 9
• Tuesday, Feb. 10
• Thursday, Feb. 12

On his or her respective day, the visiting candidate will meet with the curriculum committee from 8:15 to 8:50 a.m. followed by a meeting with the executive committee from 8:55 to 9:20 (faculty and staff are welcome to sit in). Both meetings will be in Room 312.

Assistant Director Sue Kovacs and Director of Development Karen Cooley will have a private conference with the candidate from 9:30 to 10:15. The visitor will receive a grand tour of Uni — including classrooms, office spaces, gyms, and other facilities — until 11:35.

Finally, Student Council members and anyone else who desires to will be able to meet with the candidate over lunch in Room 109.

Student and faculty opinions will be taken into consideration when choosing the new director. What are students looking for in the next Uni leader? A recent Gargoyle schoolwide e-mail soliciting student opinion on that question generated just a few responses.

Laura Dripps, junior class representative on the Student-Faculty Advisory Committee, said the new director should be "someone who can work really well with other people and isn't a complete control freak."

Junior Jasper Maniates-Selvin added, "This may sound simple, but we need someone who is willing to enforce rules."

The search committee, announced in early January, consists of:

• Craig Russell (chair) — elected faculty representative (math), current Uni parent
• David Stone — elected faculty representative (science), former Uni parent
• Billy Vaughn — elected faculty representative (social studies)
• Renee Baillargeon — U of I professor of psychology, former Uni parent
• Rita Black-Morocoima — local resident, former Uni parent
• Robert Coverdill — Parent-Faculty Organization president, current and former Uni parent
• Michele Crockett — U of I assistant professor of education, K-12 researcher
• John Hedeman — former director/principal (1998-2003), former Uni parent

The search as a whole has been managed by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates. Representatives from the firm visited the school in September to get input from faculty, staff, and students in preparation for launching the search.

A Profile of Qualities Sought in the Next Director

Director Steve Epperson sent an e-mail to Uni students and parents on Sept. 5 that included a document listing the qualities that a potential director should have. Here is the profile.

The director of Uni High should be a person who:

• Champions the needs of the school to the community and to the provost of the University of Illinois.
• Understands and has experience in fundraising.
• Collaborates with faculty members to achieve the mission and vision of the school.
• Demonstrates personal and intellectual integrity.
• Values the school’s university campus location and the freedom and responsibility given to students.
• Communicates openly and transparently with all those associated with the school.
• Understands excellence in high school education and supports the academic freedom of a talented staff.
• Represents the school faculty to the University of Illinois on matters of salary and benefits.
• Respects the current culture of the school while bringing new ideas for productive change.
• Focuses on the educational needs of the students of the school and makes decisions in collaboration with the school staff based on these needs.
• Implements staff development programs aimed at individual growth, collaborative school efforts, and high student achievement.
• Promotes the school’s athletic and fine arts programs.
• Recognizes and enlists the talents of graduates of the school for the good of the current students and program.
• Appropriates work time based on the need to maintain good order in the school while also representing the school in the community.
• Delegates appropriately to school staff based on the talents and skills of others.
• Demonstrates strong organizational skills aimed at effective and efficient management of the school.
• Supports students with special needs in a high school of high achievers.
• Demonstrates a clear understanding of the developmental needs of gifted and talented students and support services needed to meet these needs.
• Understands the value of a multicultural and diverse student body reflective of the diversity of the community.