• Board of Trustees appoints committee to begin nationwide search for 12^th President of Providence College
• Rev. Philip A Smith, O.P. will complete his final year as College President on June 30, 2005

Providence, RI – The Providence College Board of Trustees, acting at a recent meeting, initiated the process that will be used to recruit and select the next President of the College. The term of the current President – Rev. Philip A. Smith, O.P. – will conclude on June 30, 2005 .

The charge of the Search Committee is to present suitable candidates for the office of College President. Corporation by-laws require that the President of the College be a Dominican Friar.

The Board of Trustees will recommend a candidate from those presented to the 12-person Providence College Corporation, which makes the final appointment. The Search Committee intends to proceed so that the appointment of the next president can be announced in conjunction with the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees scheduled in February 2005. The term of the 12^th President of Providence College would begin on July 1, 2005 .

Since assuming the presidency of Providence College in 1994, Father Smith has worked to advance the College’s academic reputation and transform the campus environment. During his tenure academic merit scholarships were introduced, enrollment in the Liberal Arts Honors program grew significantly, and the academic potential of incoming students has increased in each of the last eleven years.

In the fall 2004 semester, the College will open two new buildings: a suite-style residence hall and the Smith Center for the Arts, a performing arts venue named in honor of Father Smith. Other campus infrastructure improvements initiated during his term as the college’s 11^th President include the construction of St. Dominic Chapel, refurbishment of the Raymond Hall dining facility and the Phillips Memorial Library, the opening of McPhail’s student entertainment center and major advances in classroom instructional technology.

The 11-member search committee appointed by the Board of Trustees includes representatives from the Board and various campus constituencies. Chaired by Trustee Michael T. Smith, vice chairman of the Board of Trustees and retired chairman of Hughes Electronic Corporation, the committee is comprised of the following individuals:

• Joseph F. Amaral, M.D., President and CEO, Rhode Island Hospital (Trustee)
• Rev. Albino Barrera, O.P., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Theology (Dominican Faculty)
• William F. Concannon, President, Trammell Crow Global Services (Trustee)
• Patrick J. Doherty, Class of 2005; Student Congress President (Student)
• Francine Newth, D.B.A., Assistant Professor, Management; Department Chair (Faculty)
• Rebecca Ramos, Assistant Vice President, Information Technology (Administrative Staff)
• Very Rev. Kevin D. Robb, O.P., Prior and Pastor, St. Vincent Ferrer Priory and Church (Trustee)
• Joanne Speroni-Woody, Vice President, Citizens Bank (Alumni/ae)
• Edward M. Sullivan, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley (Trustee)
• Katherine Tellier Murray (Trustee)
  

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