Following Dr. Bill Greer’s emotional announcement that he would be retiring from Milligan presidency during chapel last April, Milligan’s Board of Trustees announced a Presidential Search Committee would be formed to find the university’s next president.
“It was a very bittersweet day, because I’ve been here for a very long time,” said Greer. “I’m now in my thirtieth year, tenth as President, and this is a special place to me.”
‘I’m now in my thirtieth year, tenth as President, and this is a special place to me.’
President Bill Greer
The presidential search process started over a year ago, when Dr. Greer approached Dick Phillips, Board of Trustees Chair and eventual Presidential Search Committee Chair, with his intentions to retire from the presidency.
“When Bill approached me, the Board of Trustees immediately formed a committee,” said Phillips. “ We nicknamed it ‘The Committee for the Future of Milligan’ and layed out what we stand for and what we expect.”
The committee’s responsibility is to identify and assess candidates according to the leadership criteria and requirements established by the board. Based on their evaluations, the committee will then make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, suggesting the candidate best suited to assume the role of Milligan’s next president.
“The committee consists of people who are all looking for different things, which makes for a great balance,” said SGA President Evan Magness. “As the student representative on the search committee, I feel an obligation to the student body to work hard to help find a leader who will prioritize students’ needs.”
The Presidential Search Committee is made up of members on the Board of Trustees (including a minister), a member on the Board of Advisors, two faculty members, one staff member, and the president of the SGA.
“Initially, we had thirty eight applicants, which we quickly reduced down to twelve,” said Phillips. The committee then formed eleven KSA (knowledge, skills and ability) questions, and quite frankly, they were very difficult and complex.”
The committee met and reviewed the twelve applicants’ answers, some spanning over thirty pages in length. In that same meeting, every member of the search committee was asked to score and rank each applicant on a twelve hundred point scale (up to one hundred points for each question, with one hundred possible points of wiggle room built-in if needed) and then send in their scores individually to Phillips.
“When we have our next meeting, which will be later this week,” said Phillips, “we will try and narrow our list of applicants down to seven or five and then re-review their material.”
After that cut, the presidential search committee will reconvene on Friday, Oct. 27, with the hopes of further narrowing down the remaining candidates to three. From there, their hope is to bring those final three finalists in for individual interviews the week after Thanksgiving, which will look like a series of meetings with faculty and staff, further testing, and separate dinners with the committee and Dr. Greer.
“Even though he isn’t on the search committee officially, we are very fortunate to have Bill stay on as Chancellor,” said Phillips. “Milligan is in his heart, and he’s eager to help transfer his knowledge over to whoever fills his place.”
During his announcement of retirement last spring, Dr. Greer said that he would be taking the role of chancellor for at least three years, following the end of the academic year in May 2023.
“As the chancellor, my goal is to come beside the next president,” said Greer. “I want to build a bridge between the new person and the well-established constituency groups that Milligan has, and help them get to know the lovely people here.”
‘I want to build a bridge between the new person and the well-established constituency groups that Milligan has, and help them get to know the lovely people here.’
president bill greer
The presidential search committee is hopeful to come to a final decision before the end of the fall semester, and expect to make an official announcement of their choice at the beginning of the new year. The new president is expected to begin work around Aug. 1, 2024, before the next semester begins.
The following list are the individuals who are serving on the search committee:
Representing the Board of Trustees
- Dick Phillips*, Board of Trustees Chair, Presidential Search Committee Chair, retired higher education administrator
- Eric Deaton*, healthcare executive
- Brenda Green*, businesswoman
- David Hamilton*, businessman
- David Hamlin*, minister
- Lottie Ryans, businesswoman
- Cal Wilson*, retired investment banker
Representing the Board of Advisors
- Brian Talty*, minister
Representing Milligan Faculty and Staff
- Jeff Bourn*, Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach
- Angela Hilton-Prillhart, Associate Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Education and Associate Professor of Education
- Andy Hull*, Area Chair and Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies
Representing Milligan Students
- Evan Magness, Student Government Association president, 2023-2024
*Alumni