RCCC Presidential Search Continues,
Six Finalists Selected

            SALISBURY, N.C. -- From a candidate pool of 43 applicants, the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees has chosen six finalists in the ongoing search for RCCC's next president.

            An expanded presidential search committee of 27 members met three times between Feb.19 and March 19 to evaluate applications and narrow the number of candidates down to six. From a group of 43 qualified applicants, the committee chose 12 candidates and asked each to respond to a number of specific questions via video. From these video presentations and responses, the committee selected six finalists.

            RCCC trustees and its search consultant are now gathering additional information on each of the six finalists, including educational transcripts and reference checks. Arrangements also are being made for the candidates to visit the RCCC campuses, meet faculty and staff members and be interviewed by the trustees. The visits and interviews are planned for April 23-30.

            Sometime before April 23, once reference checks are completed, the board will release the six candidate names and biographical information. The college will post the information on its website.

            "The visit and interview phase, of course, is an extremely important part of the overall search process," explained Pat Fulcher, RCCC trustee and chair of the core search committee. "After the interviews, the board will choose at least three of the six candidates and will submit their credentials to the North Carolina Community College System for its approval. After that, the process of hiring one of the candidates will begin.

            "The board thanks the expanded search committee for its work in achieving the important milestone of selecting six, well qualified candidates," Fulcher added.

            In April 2007, RCCC President Richard Brownell announced his plans to retire in June 2008. Brownell has led the college as president for 30 years.

            The RCCC board is working with National Search and Education Associates of Cary, N.C., as a search consultant.

           Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is a comprehensive, community-based institution of higher learning, serving the citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus Counties. RCCC offers approximately 40 programs of study in business, health and human services and engineering technologies at multiple campus locations. RCCC annually provides more than 2,000 course offerings, serving an enrollment of approximately 20,000 adult students. RCCC programs include an associate degree in arts and sciences, an associate degree in applied science, and diploma and certificate programs focusing on workforce training, continuing education and basic skills education.

           In addition, RCCC provides the education and job-training programs needed to meet many of the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus, under construction in Kannapolis, N.C.

           For complete details, see the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu.