GODDARD TRUSTEES HAVE SETTLED ON A CANDIDATE
PLAINFIELD - An administrator at a small California university
could become the new president of Goddard College.
Goddard's board of trustees has voted unanimously to offer
the job to Barbara Mossberg, interim dean of the school of arts
and sciences at National University in San Diego.
The board also asked Jane O'Meara Sanders, Goddard's provost and
one of six finalists for the president's job, to stay on for the
coming academic year.
Mossberg, who is also a special advisor to the president at
National University, previously served with the American Council
of Education in its Office of Women in Higher Education.
She earned a doctorate in literature from Indiana University and
later founded the University of Oregon's interdisciplinary program
in American studies.
"I'm extremely pleased with Dr. Mossberg's candidacy and I know
that Jane Sanders and the rest of the Goddard community are
equally excited and eagerly looking forward to working with her,"
said Paul Blanc, the chairman of Goddard's board.
"The likely possibility of a Mossberg presidency with a continued
institutional presence of Sanders is quite powerful and I know
the board of trustees is in complete agreement with this," Blanc added.
A 10-person presidental search committee, which included faculty,
students, staff and board members, has been seeking a replacement
for Richard E. Greene since last October.
Greene resigned last August following
months of intensive criticism about his "corporate management style."
Sanders, the former board chairwoman, has essentially
run Goddard since Greene departed.
The search committee recommended that Goddard's board offer the
president's job to Mossberg last week. The board, meeting Saturday,
voted to accept the recommendation.
Board members expect Sanders to stay on as provost and work
with Mossberg in a role that is being developed to "maximze
Sanders' many recognized talents."
Sanders said she was excited about her new role at Goddard.
"I look forward to a creative, collaborative and vibrant working
relationship with Mossberg," she said. "I've had an opportunity
to talk with her at length and feel very confident that her academic
vision will serve the college extremely well."
Board members thanked Sanders for her work over the past year.
"Her work as provost took Goddard from a turbulent and divisive
period one year ago to a time of stability, growth and healthy
transition," they said in a statement.
