Pensacola State College’s District Board of Trustees will choose the institution’s next president.
PSC Board Chair Zack Smith formally appointed himself and other trustees — George Atchison Jr., Rick Byars, Ed Fleming, Richard Holzknecht, Todd Leonard, Oscar Locklin, Audrey McDonald and Brooke Snyder — as members of the college’s Presidential Search Committee. Smith will also chair the search committee.
The action took place at the board’s monthly meeting Tuesday night on the Pensacola campus.
In April, longtime PSC President Ed Meadows announced he was retiring at the end of the year. Meadows has been the college’s president since 2008.
As search committee chair, Smith was given the authority to retain a search firm and attorneys and hire other professional or other administrative staff as needed for the presidential search. Atchison made the motion that was seconded by McDonald and unanimously approved by the board.
Smith also made a motion to request that the Florida Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) task force perform a comprehensive audit of the college. Snyder seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
The DOGE review, said Smith, would include a comprehensive audit of the college’s finances, policies and procedures along with a report of recommendations.
Smith said Meadows told him at a recent board retreat that when he came on in 2008, he had a comprehensive audit performed.
“I think that would be helpful to go ahead and begin that process started now, so that the new president will have that information available for him or her as soon as they step into their job,” Smith added.
Meadows’ resignation comes after a tumultuous 14 months in which Gov. Ron DeSantis made several conservative appointments to the Board of Trustees, much like he did at the University of West Florida.
In his resignation letter to the PSC trustees in April, Meadows pledged to assist in helping create a smooth transition for the next leader of the college.
“There’s much work to be done with ongoing initiatives between now and then, and the end of the year,” the letter said.
At the end of his tenure, Meadows will have been PSC’s president for 18 years and eight months.
When asked about a timeline for the presidential search, Smith said the board of trustees wanted to honor Meadows’ request to retire at the end of December.
“Given that timeframe, we’ll try to move as quickly as possible. The first order of business will be to retain a search firm to help get the search off the ground. Once we retain the search firm, we’ll have a better idea of the exact timing,” Smith said. “But certainly we’ll like to have someone in place before Dr. Meadows leaves.”
Smith added the search committee will cast the search net as wide as possible.
“We’re grateful for Dr. Meadows’ service. We’re excited for the next chapter for Pensacola State, and I think our focus will be on finding someone who will help take Pensacola State to the next level and continue providing great opportunities for our students and continue to serve our community so well as Pensacola State has done for so well,” Smith added.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola State College trustees to select school’s next president
Reporting by Mary Lett, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mary Lett, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
