W. Va. Code § 18B-1-6
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Board of Governors (“Board”) is responsible for the oversight, selection, and evaluation of the President of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (“WVSOM”). This policy outlines the guiding principles for the selection, employment, and evaluation of the President by the Board.
The President is the chief executive officer of WVSOM and the official advisor to and executive agent of the Board of Governors (“Board”). The President, as educational and administrative head of WVSOM, shall exercise such powers as are inherent in the position and/or delegated by the Board in promoting, supporting and protecting the interests of WVSOM and in managing and directing its affairs. The President is the spokesperson for WVSOM and shall bring such matters to the attention of the Board as are appropriate to keep the Board fully informed in meeting its policy-making responsibilities.
In accordance with the West Virginia Code, the Board shall select the President of WVSOM, and the selection must be approved by a majority vote of the Board.
The Board shall conduct the search for a president using a committee-led search process. This is one in which a search committee reviews the initial candidate pool, conducts any initial interviews, participates in any potential campus visits of selected candidates, and recommends candidates for final interviews and selection by the Board. In exigent circumstances, the Board may choose to utilize an alternative method to conduct a presidential search. If the Board utilizes an alternative method, the reasons for such decision must be documented by the Board and made publicly available.
A search committee composition and membership shall be determined and selected by the Board, in its sole discretion. However, its membership shall include representatives of the WVSOM community, including Board members, faculty, staff, and students. No candidate for the position of President may serve on the search committee.
A position announcement shall be prepared detailing the characteristics and qualities sought in a new President and be distributed to appropriate sources for advertising. Feedback from members of the WVSOM community shall be solicited in determining the characteristics sought in the new President. Candidates may be considered through their own application or by nomination.
The search committee is a recommending body only. The Board maintains ultimate authority over of the process, including the final approval of candidates selected for final interviews. Moreover, the Board may reject or suggest additional candidates at its discretion throughout the process; provided, however, that any candidates the Board suggests must be reviewed by the search committee prior to final selection.
During the search process, members of the Board and its appointed search committee shall not disclose the names and/or backgrounds of any candidate, without the candidate’s express consent, to those outside of the Board, search committee, and/or authorized agents or staff. The Board Chair shall dismiss from the search committee any search committee member if there is evidence that the member has breached confidentiality.
The Board shall establish and publicly announce the process and timeline the search committee will follow for the selection of the President. In determining the process and timeline, the Board shall consider a process and timeline that is consistent with the values and mission of WVSOM and will attract the most qualified candidates and other factors that may impact the recruitment and retention of high-quality candidates. The Board’s Officers may modify the process and timeline at any time if the Board’s Officers determine that such modification is in the best interest of WVSOM. Any change to the timeline and the reasons for said change must be made publicly available.
At its election, the Board may retain a consultant(s) and/or an executive search firm to assist in the search process.
A background and reference check shall be conducted of the final candidates prior to contract finalization; however, the Board may conduct background checks at its discretion at any stage in the process. Such checks shall comply with current WVSOM procedures and at a minimum include confirmation of degrees, past employment, and a criminal and credit check.
The Board Chair, in consultation with the full Board, shall negotiate a contract with the individual selected by the Board to serve as WVSOM’s President. The Board may agree to a reasonable notice of intent not to renew the contract. The President’s contract and any renewal or termination thereof must be approved by a majority vote of the Board.
The President shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Board.
Any contract shall include a provision that the President may be discharged for “cause” and that such a discharge nullifies any commitment to continued employment.
In accordance with the West Virginia Code, the Board shall determine and approve by a majority vote of the Board the compensation, including any non-cash compensation paid using state funds such as vehicles, memberships, and deferred compensation, to be received by the President for duties and responsibilities performed as President. In determining the compensation, the Board may consider the performance of the President, presidential salaries at peer institutions, relevant market data, and any other information deemed relevant by the Board.
The Board Chair shall provide the President a written performance evaluation each year in a manner and form determined appropriate by the Chair.
In accordance with the West Virginia Code, the Board shall conduct a formal, written performance evaluation of the President, at minimum, at the end of the initial contract period and then in every third year of employment as President thereafter.
In doing so, the Board shall appoint a committee of its own members to conduct the evaluation. Any evaluation shall include appropriate feedback from Board members, administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, community members, and persons knowledgeable in higher education matters who are not otherwise employed by the Board.
The evaluation shall assess the President’s performance in his or her duties and responsibilities; the success of WVSOM in meeting the goals, objectives, and priorities outlined in the West Virginia Code recognizing the unique characteristics of WVSOM; and other criteria as determined by the Board.
The Board shall use the report of the committee to review and finalize the President’s formal, written evaluation and to make determinations regarding continuation of employment and compensation, if applicable, for the President as outlined in Section 5 of this policy.
In cases where urgent action is required by the President, but the President is unavailable to act, the following executive officers in this order of priority are authorized to act on behalf of the President:
Vice President for Finance and Facilities/Chief Financial Officer
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean
Vice President for Community Engagement/Chief Operations Officer
For continuity of operations, in the event of the President's death, disability, or unavailability for an extended period of time, the Board Chair shall be notified of action taken under Section 7.1. That person shall serve in that role until an interim is appointed by the Board.
The Board may appoint an interim president to temporarily fill a vacancy in position for a term of up to one year with the option to extend the appointment for additional periods. The Board is not required to follow the search process outlined in Section 4 of this policy when appointing an interim president. The appointment of an interim president must by approved by a majority vote of the Board. When appointing the permanent president, the Board must follow the process outlined in Section 4.
This policy supersedes the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (“HEPC”) Series 40 (W. Va. Code R. § 133-40), any other rule of HEPC which relates to the subject matter contained within this policy, and any conflicting provisions within the WVSOM Employee Handbook, the WVSOM Faculty Handbook, or any other WVSOM policies or procedures. This policy also repeals and supersedes WVSOM Institutional Policy GA-01: Governance & Administration (effective September 13, 2021).