Ellspermann 'a top candidate' for Ivy Tech presidency, board chair says

Former Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann is one of two finalists for the Ivy Tech presidency, though another finalist eliminated from consideration said he was told she has been selected as the next leader of the statewide community college system.

Ivy Tech Board of Trustees Chair Paula Hughes told IndyStar on Monday that the statement by finalist James King of Tennessee’s technical college system was “purely conjecture” but acknowledged that Ellspermann is "a top candidate and maybe even the top candidate at this point.”

Hughes would not confirm who would be recommended as Ivy Tech’s next president to the college’s board of trustees at a meeting scheduled for later this month. She also wouldn’t confirm the other remaining finalist aside from Ellspermann.

“We have a lot riding on this decision,” said Hughes, who stressed the board has been “very careful to follow the process.”

“It is conjecture to say that we have a firm commitment. We clearly don’t.”

Ellspermann’s selection is widely anticipated after her unusual decision to step down as lieutenant governor to apply for the college’s top job. Gov. Mike Pence, who appoints the members of Ivy Tech’s board, has said he believes she’s an “ideal candidate” for the position.

But King told IndyStar on Monday that he has “no doubt” what he heard from Hughes when she called Friday to tell him he was no longer in the running.

“I was told that Sue had gotten the job. … I didn’t conjecture that. I was told that,” King said.

King, who oversees Tennessee’s 27 technical colleges as a vice chancellor for the state’s Board of Regents, said he did a final interview with board members for about an hour Thursday and received the call from Hughes a day later.

He said he was “surprised to hear it that quick” but thought the process followed to choose the next president was fair, despite rumors that Ellspermann was the favorite from the beginning.

“I felt pretty good about the process,” King said. “I really did. … I really felt that I was going to be given a fair shot.”

Earlier this year, the presidential search committee of Ivy Tech’s board narrowed the pool of more than 30 applicants to nine people for interviews. Then the pool was narrowed again to three finalists, who were interviewed privately by board members last week.

At the interview, King said he was asked numerous questions, including what he would do in the first days of his presidency and how he viewed accountability.

Throughout the process, the college has declined to release a list of candidates.

The board is expected to publicly vote and name the next president on May 18. The base salary for Ivy Tech’s current president, Tom Snyder, is $300,000, plus other benefits. The college launched the search process last fall after Snyder announced his retirement.

Ellspermann has a doctoral degree in industrial engineering and was the founding director of the Center for Applied Research and Economic Development at the University of Southern Indiana.

King also had been regarded as a candidate with a proven track record in higher learning. Snyder has described him as a mentor for Ivy Tech, which is grappling with students' low college completion rates.

IndyStar reporter Stephanie Wang contributed to this story.

Call IndyStar reporter Chelsea Schneider at (317) 444-6077. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyStarChelsea.