College considers potential cost of president search

No decision has yet been made as to whether or not his contract will be extended.

If a national search is needed, “We would have to budget for that in the upcoming budget,” explained Rob Van Cleave, chief operating officer at the college, who raised the issue at the request of Charlotte Arnold, board chair.

He estimated a cost between $25,000 and $50,000 if a national search is undertaken.

“The question is, should preliminary work begin now, such as placing money in the budget for a president search, should the board need to go down that road,” Van Cleave said.

“It’s easier to stop something than to start late in the game.”

Arnold explained, “It really does take time and a massive effort, if we need to go down that path. We don’t want to have to come up with money for a national search ... we need to think ahead.”

Toda told the board he was not planning to leave in the immediate future.

“All my plans are focused on July, 2018. If I depart before 2018, I would be financially damaged. I’m not seeking retirement or resignation,” he said.

“The difference we make, the services we provides in this community, no other college is engaged as we are in building dreams. This is what I live for.” Van Cleave noted that there could be a “long process, or maybe no process” depending on the board’s decision regarding extending the president’s contract beyond 2016.

“Difficult decisions have to occur on all levels,” he said.

When asked by board member Dr. James Wilcox, Van Cleave said that no decision was required before the board evaluated the president in February.

“The budget build is done over the next 60 days,” he explained.

Board members Wilcox, Dr. Ernest Keller and Charleen Cobb all indicated that they had not considered the two-year extension as a termination date.

“It was never in my mind that two years was a termination point,” explained Keller. “That was just extending it for two years.”

Arnold noted that a one year notice was required for a contract extension.

“We need to keep or extend the deadline, but we have to have this conversation,” she said.

“This is not expressing my opinion of what would happen, this is about board process.”

“We do need a better understanding of what would come as a consequence” if Toda’s contract is not extended beyond 2016, added board member Lee Fairchild.

No decision was made, but the board did reach a consensus to table the discussion until later in the budget process.

They will revisit the issue after the annual performance review of the president in February.