The search for the next UVU president is underway, but the hire will be made using a new process.
The same day that Utah Valley University President Astrid Tuminez announced she would resign effective May 1, the Utah Board of Higher Education announced a new procedure for hiring college presidents in the state.
A formal presidential transition team will be assembled with representatives from the state board, the UVU board of trustees and the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, according to a news release.
“This framework reflects the board’s responsibility to ensure strong, well-supported leadership transitions across the Utah System of Higher Education,” Amanda Covington, chair of the Utah Board of Higher Education, said in a statement.
UVU instantly becomes the first Utah public school to conduct a presidential search under the new model.
The UVU transition team will provide a new structure that seeks to sustain the university’s positive momentum, leaders said.
Covington said transition teams are a best practice in higher education and other fields for that very reason.
“This approach is designed to preserve momentum and provide stability during periods of change,” she said.
The search for the next president of Utah’s largest university won’t just begin immediately; it’s already underway, said Scott Smith, chair of the UVU board of trustees.
He anticipated a strong Utah-focused search process.
“There are probably two decisions which will eventually come down,” Smith said. “Is this someone that’s internally within the university or internally within the state of Utah but can take this position?”
UVU’s board of trustees is keenly interested in maintaining the momentum built by two presidents over the past 16 years.
During that time, UVU has grown from 26,000 students to nearly 49,000 today, with expanded degrees and programs and an endowment that has more than doubled.
“We’ve seen in the last two presidents, with Matt Holland and with Astrid Tuminez, that they’re very different,” Smith said. “But they’ve both been extremely, extremely progressive in forwarding the objectives and the growth of the university for the benefit of Silicon Slopes, Utah Valley and the citizens of the state of Utah.”
Covington specifically praised Tuminez in a statement.
“Her commitment to the mission of the university and its faculty, staff, students and broader community has positioned UVU well for the future,” the state leader said. “The board is committed to a search process that builds on this foundation.”
The transition team system is meant to support continuity, according to the news release. The team will be tasked with assessing UVU’s priorities and near-term needs during the presidential search.
One major new feature is that the presidential transition team will remain in place for the first six months of the new president’s tenure.
The goal is to provide additional leadership support to the next president and the university.
The next step in the process rests with the State Board of Higher Education. It will appoint and publicly announce the UVU Presidential Search Committee.
The board’s news release said additional details will be made public within weeks.