PLAINFIELD - Following the resignation of its embattled president, the Goddard College community will plan the long-term direction of the progressive school, college trustees said Saturday.

Instead of scrambling to find a successor to outgoing President Richard Greene, the priority for those at the college will be to examine the school's future and build on its philosophies.

And eventually, trustees said, everyone would work together to docarmine who should lead Goddard into the future.

Until a replacement is found, Jane O'Meara Sanders former chairwoman of the trustees, will be the school's chief operator as college provost, an administrative position that had never existed at Goddard.

"Times are difficult," she said in an interview Saturday. "But this could be an impetus for us to move in the direction we want."

On Friday, Sanders was appointed as the college's provost, a position involving academic, financial and community responsibilities. Her contract will be reviewed by the board in January, she said.

"I feel very comfortable as provost, bringing people together around ideas and educational philosophy," said Sanders, wife and chief of staff to U.S. Rep Bernard Sanders, I-Vt.

She said she has not considered becoming the school's next president. The school does not have a specific schedule for when a replacement would be hired.

Since Goddard was built on democratic governance, the entire college community, including faculty, staff and students, would take part in hiring a new president, Sanders said.

Although Greene announced his decision to resign from the college effective on January 1, 1987, he no longer has any authority at Goddard, Sanders said.

"Times are difficult. But this could be an impetus for us to move in the direction we want." - Jane Sanders - Goddard provost

She would not disclose any information about Greene's 5-year contract, which was scheduled to conclude in July 1999.

"Change is not always bad," she said. "This was a good decision for all involved."

One item she is putting at the top of her agenda is finding funds to rehire some of the 16 employees who were fired by Greene last spring.

Sanders spent most of Saturday reviewing the school's budget, attempting to determine what is feasible. She mentioned that the needs of non-administrative employees were a priority.

"The staff needs more support, the faculty needs more support," she said. "People could be brought back on. We have to look at the educational needs and the financial restraints."

Undergraduate student enrollment for the 1996-97 year will increase to 180 students, Sanders said. There will be more 170 graduate students.

"The revenue picture is always changing," Sanders said. "But three things we're going to focus on are education, finances and our moral obligations."

Once a new president is hired, Sanders said the position of provost would probably be eliminated.

"We tend to disburse responsibilities and delegate authority throughout the college," she said "I can't envision having two administrators at the top. It wouldn't make sense."

Paul Blanc, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, has been appointed to replace Sanders as chairman of the trustees. A Goddard alumnus, Blanc has served on the board for one year.

Sanders, a long-time education activist who until recently served as her husband's chief of staff, will be leaving most of her campaign duties behind to direct the college's operations during a transitional period.

"It was very difficult to make that choice," said Sanders, a Goddard alumna who has been chairwoman of the college's board of trustees for three years.

Contacted Saturday, Blanc said that when the school searches for a new president, trustees and students would look for someone who shares Goddard's progressive principles and experimental approach to education.

"I don't think we're trying to figure out what our philosophy is," he said. "We're not in the process of rethinking our values."

Blanc pointed out that Greene's resignation was a mutual decision.

"Given all the factors, it was very positive how the board worked with Dr. Greene, whose professionalism is extremely impressive," he said.

Goddard has gone through a number of presidents over the years, but Sanders and Blanc maintain that Greene's departure is different from the rest.

"There's no issue of blame and regret," Blanc said. "This is a time of transition, and we're building on a solid base that Dr. Greene built. Otherwise, I never would have taken this position."

Sanders agreed.

"It's a difficult time for us," she said. "But some of the silver lining showed when the community came together and spoke not with blame, but with a reminder to what we want to be.

"It's a meeting of the minds and souls."