The College of the Atlantic Board of Trustees has charged a presidential search committee, chaired by Trustee Cynthia Baker, with conducting a national search for COA’s next president. Diversified Search Group has been chosen as the firm to assist COA with the search. Diversified Managing Director Dr. Ruth Shoemaker Wood is leading the team.
Updates about the search will be provided via email to the campus community and published on this webpage.
I want to begin by sincerely thanking Darron and acknowledging the incredible impact that his leadership has had on College of the Atlantic. In August when Darron decided to step down as president, I accepted his resignation with sadness. In over 12 years as president, Darron has transformed the College and we have all benefited from his many years in that role.
Darron will continue as president until the end of this 2023-24 academic year. He leaves us in excellent shape. Under his leadership and with the help of many on campus, we have dramatically increased student housing; had two wildly successful capital campaigns; constructed our new Davis Center for Human Ecology and two other buildings; launched a successful Summer Institute; and brought Andy Goldsworthy and his Road Line to campus — to name just a few highlights. As chair of the COA board, I along with all my trustee colleagues, owe a debt of gratitude to Darron.
Our attention now turns toward our search for a new president. Overseeing a presidential search is the responsibility of our Board of Trustees. I have nominated one of our many talented trustees, Cynthia Baker, to lead the search committee and she has graciously accepted that position. Together, and with insights and nominations from many, we have selected the following 12 members to round out the search committee:
Trustees:
Beth Gardiner, ex officio
Cynthia Baker, chair
Michael Boland (alum)
Amy Geier (emerita)
Marie Griffith
Tony Mazlish
Chandreyee Mitra (alum)
After reviewing three potential search firms to advise the search committee, we have hired Ruth Shoemaker Wood, who comes highly recommended and is a managing director at the national search firm, Diversified Search Group. That process will start immediately and we will be back in touch shortly with a more precise timeline and additional information.
As you all know, we will also be working together to complete our strategic plan — COA2030 — which takes into consideration the arrival of a new president during summer 2024. Our Strategic Plan has been a campus-wide effort and the new president will benefit greatly from all the effort we have put into it. Sarah Strickland, our consultant, returns to campus for more strategic planning work on October 25th.
I will be in touch periodically with updates on the presidential search.
Sincerely,
Beth Gardiner
Chair, COA Board of Trustees
Dear COA community:
I wanted to follow up on the news from last week that Darron will be stepping down at the end of this academic year.
COA has never been stronger and we are in an excellent place to welcome a new president.
The board is now in the process of hiring a firm to oversee our presidential search. We will also be putting together a search committee which will consist of trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni. I expect that process to unfold over the next month and will get back to you in October with a timeline.
Moving ahead, we have an excellent team working together. I will be working closely with cabinet — Bear Paul, Heather Albert-Knopp, Shawn Keeley, Jamie McKown, Kourtney Collum, Josh Luce, Rob Levin, Kara Daul, and Ken Hill. The Board and the cabinet have asked Ken to remain in the position of provost and he has agreed to do so. As chair of the Board, I will be working closely with each member of the cabinet during this transition period.
I will continue to give you regular updates and I look forward to overseeing the search for a new president of COA.
Click here to view the Position Profile for the 7th President of College of the AtlanticIn August 2023, COA’s 6th president, Darron Collins ’92, announced that he will be stepping down after the 2023-24 academic year, having served for 12 years at the helm of the college.