Wayne State College President Curt Frye announced in December his plans to retire in summer 2015. Now the process is underway for hiring a new president.

The Nebraska State College System revealed on Jan. 13 the members of the WSC advisory committee that will report to Chancellor Stan Carpenter, who will make the final decision.

The committee is made up of Joni Backer, Secretary to the President; Leslie Bebee, Foundation board member; Ken Chamberlain, Mayor, City of Wayne; Phyllis Connor, VP Development & Executive Director of the Foundation; Tammy Evetovich, Interim Dean, School of Natural & Social Sciences; Angie Fredrickson, Vice President for Administration & Finances; Kevin Halle, Director of Admissions; Brooke Jech, Office Assistant III, Education & Counseling; Gwen Jensen, professor, Communication Arts; Branis Knezevic, assistant professor, Counseling & Special Education; Mary Mercier, student; Lisa Nelson, Service Learning Coordinator; Anne Nolte, community member; Chuck Parker, professor, Business & Economics and Dave Peitz, professor, Physical Sciences & Mathematics.

The selection will start at the end of January, and a president will be selected by April.

The NSCS has hired the firm Storbeck/Pimentel, with Dr. Charles Bunting as the lead consultant, to help with this process.

The first meeting for the search committee will be held Jan. 27.

On the next day, Jan. 28, Bunting and Carpenter will visit campus to receive feedback on which leadership qualities to look for when selecting candidates for the position. Meetings are scheduled for 8:30 and 10 a.m. at Gardner Auditorium.

Wayne community members are welcome to attend these meetings and are encouraged to give input. If unable to attend, interested persons can email Lynne Olson at [email protected] with their opinions for candidates.

However, the 15 members of the WSC search committee were forbidden by Carpenter on Monday from talking with Wayne Stater reporters and others concerning the presidential search.

Carpenter’s email, sent to committee members late Monday morning, was in response to a message from a Wayne State reporter to the committee that asked for information about the search.

“If you are questioned by a student reporter or anyone else about the search, now or in the future, please advise them that I serve as the spokesperson for the search process, and that they should direct their questions to me,” Carpenter said in the email.

Carpenter, who was attending the NSCS Board of Trustees meeting in Lincoln on Tuesday, did not return any phone calls. Because there was no further clarification at press time on Tuesday, it is not known whether the chancellor’s policy affects media beyond the Wayne Stater.

“This is micromanaging the college press at a level we should not be comfortable with,” said Dr. Max McElwain, WSC mass communications professor and faculty advisor for the Wayne Stater.