The Presidential Search Team (PST), comprised of nine members of the Biola Board of Trustees, has been working with the search consultants at People Management International (PMI) to refine the group of more than 100 candidates and nominees.  Some of these were candidates who desired to submit their names for consideration, and others were people who were nominated by third parties, either by letter or email. 

As names were received, the search consultants from PMI contacted the candidates and nominees.  Some of the nominees respectfully asked that their name not be included in the process, and others indicated that they wanted to be part of the process.  As a result of this activity, the list of candidates was reduced to approximately 50 names.

During January and February, the PST met to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider resumes and answers to the questions posed at the end of the Opportunity Profile.  As the members of the PST reviewed the material, they had a deep sense of gratitude for the quality, the passion, and the spiritual commitment of the candidates.  Truly God had answered the prayers of the Biola community.

Now, as the process moves to the next phase, the 18-member Search Advisory Committee (SAC)—comprised of faculty, staff, student and alumni representatives (who have nearly 400 years of involvement with Biola)—is becoming more closely involved.  In the coming months, the SAC will be meeting with the PST to review the resumes and responses of a select group of candidates.  Eventually the PST and the SAC will meet together to interview a group of final candidates.  The members of the PST have been given the responsibility of identifying that group of final candidates and eventually one single candidate, but they will rely heavily on the input of the SAC.

From the beginning of the search process last July, the goal of the PST has been to identify a final candidate by the end of the current school year.  However, this process is contingent on many factors, so we would ask that the Biola community continue to pray for God’s wisdom, direction and timing in the process.  We have a strong sense of the Lord’s leading to this point, and we are confident that He will continue to guide us through the process.   At the same time, we do not want to be so tied to a particular schedule that we fail to follow God’s timing and direction.