Hiring factors of a two-year public college president in the State of Ohio

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the hiring factors of a two-year public college president in the State of Ohio are changing. Selected college presidents and trustees at two-year public colleges were interviewed regarding key factors in hiring presidents, and how their views of these factors were changing. Nine Presidents and seven trustees of two-year public colleges in Ohio participated in the study. Nine themes emerged from the study on the categories of administrative, financial, advocacy, and other hiring factors. Four themes were consistent over time and five themes were changing. Themes consistent over time. (1) Personnel matters, strategic planning activities and providing overall leadership. (2) Budget development, monitoring and adjustment were skills needed by presidents, especially with a reduction in state support. (3) Advocacy had always been part of the president\u27s job, especially for partnership building. (4) The skills needed by a two-year college president cannot be prioritized as they are all crucial for success, with leadership being the key ingredient that holds them together. Themes indicating change. (1) More emphasis on adapting to the changing mission and priorities of the college. (2) A new hiring factor was that of being an educational leader interested in teaching and learning, hiring other leaders and communicating a culture of change. (3) Presidents need to be more skilled in fund raising and philanthropy by being more entrepreneurial. (4) Fund raising experience and being astute financial planners were identified as skills of increased importance. (5) A change had occurred with an increased emphasis on advocacy with good communication skills to garner support internally, and be an effective advocate with external constituents