A 14-member committee led by Board of Governors Vice Chair R. Benjamin Wiley will lead the search for a new chancellor to head the State System of Higher Education.

The search committee will meet for the first time March 16 at the Dixon University Center to establish a timetable for conducting the search for the State System’s next chief executive officer.

Dr. James H. McCormick, who has served as the State System’s only chancellor since the System’s founding in 1983, will leave the post June 30 to become chancellor of the Minnesota State College and University System (MnSCU).

Wiley, who will lead the search committee, is chair of the Board’s human resources committee. Other Board members who will serve on the search committee are state Sen. Vincent J. Hughes, Kim E. Lyttle, David M. Sanko, B. Michael Schaul, state Rep. Jere W. Schuler, John K. Thornburgh and Christine J. Toretti. Board Chairman Charles A. Gomulka will serve as an ex-officio member of the search committee.

Other members of the search committee are Raymond Bazylak, associate director of admissions at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, representing the State College and University Professional Association (SCUPA); Patrick Geho, president of the Pennsylvania Council of Alumni Associations, representing alumni; Dr. G. Terry Madonna, professor and chair of the government department at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, representing the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF); Dr. Diane L. Reinhard, president of Clarion University of Pennsylvania, representing the Commission of Presidents; and Brian Sowa, president of the Student Senate at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, representing students.

Dr. Jan Greenwood of AT Kearney of Alexandria, Virginia, has been hired to serve as a consultant to assist with the search process.

Edward P. Kelley Jr., vice chancellor for employee and labor relations; Karen B. Holtzman, secretary to the Board of Governors; Robert A. Mulle, chief counsel; and Kenn Marshall, media relations manager; will provide staff support to the search committee and consultant.

With more than 96,000 students, the State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. More than 360,000 System alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. The regional centers are part of the Educational Resources Group, which is responsible for coordinating statewide programming.