The Board of Trustees announced and approved 17 people who will serve on Eastern’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee to assist in finding Eastern’s next president at Friday’s meeting.

The committee includes members from the Board of Trustees, staff, student, faculty, alumni, community and administrative bodies of Eastern.

The committee will work with a national search firm to recommend presidential candidates to the Board of Trustees. The board will make the final decision.

Board chair Leo Welch said the committee will most likely meet in late October or early November to do introductions, become acquainted with the search firm and set a timeline for the search process.

“Wish us luck,” Welch said after the meeting.

Also at the meeting, the Board of Trustees hired the search firm Academic Search Inc. in a unanimous vote to help in the search.

The search firm, based in Washington, D.C., will collaborate with the search committee during the next year to find a replacement for current President Lou Hencken, whose contract expires June 30, 2007.

The Board of Trustees interviewed two search firms Friday and voted in favor of Academic Search after hearing from its senior consultant, Elaine Hariston.

“We will make sure we are diligent in the work that we do and ends are not left dangling,” Hariston said during the interview.

She said the basic criteria a university president should include good judgment, communication skills and a focus on students.

“Most importantly, someone who really cares for students,” is what makes a good president, Hariston said.

She added that Eastern is in a good position for a search because of its long-term stability and lack of critical problems and should expect many good applicants during the search process.

“You are in an enviable position,” she said.

During discussion among the board members, Welch said there is one problem the new president must be willing to deal with: the budgeting problems Eastern is experiencing.

“The state support for higher education has not been as great as we would like it,” Welch said.

Committee member Roger Kratochvil said Eastern has to find someone with a good personality for public relations and fundraising.

“That’s one of the things we have right now,” Kratochvil said. “You have to be able to talk to people and get them to open their pocket books.”

“This university is in good shape, we’re ready to go to the next level,” said board member Donald Yost. “It’s just a wonderful time for someone to take us to the next level with our foundation and their leadership. EIU is up there, and we want our president to be the best.”

Welch said he was confident that the board chose the right firm to help with the search.

“I’m comfortable with the decision the board made today,” he said.

Academic Search commented that Eastern is beginning the search at a good time of the year and should have enough time to find a candidate by the time Hencken’s contract expires. However, Hencken has said he will stay in his position if a replacement is not found until after his contract expires.

In other business, the board also announced a five-year, $1.8 million grant to be awarded to Eastern by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant will be used to implement a Student Success Center aimed at helping at-risk students for academic failure after their first year in school. The grant will include an expansion to Ninth Street Hall.