The Board of Regents’ Search Committee unanimously approved James Purcell on Wednesday for the Commissioner of Higher Education position following a public interview with the candidate.
Purcell, who is currently serving as director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, will seek approval by the full Board on Thursday during its regular meeting.
Purcell must be approved by two-thirds of the Board’s membership.
The Regents received approval from the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget on Purcell’s compensation package last week, according to a news release. The Commissioner’s salary cannot exceed $275,000.
Greenwood/Asher and Associates Inc., the search firm hired by the Regents in September, selected Purcell as the final candidate out of five total applicants.
Representatives from the firm said they are pleased with their selection and the amount of time it took to find him.
Purcell said he is qualified for the position because of his extensive experience working in higher education in the South.
“Just like many other states across the country, Louisiana is asking its colleges and universities for more than ever before,” Purcell said. “There has to be a reason for your decisions and priorities, and I know I can help Louisiana create the road map to get there.”
Purcell said he has experience with performance-based funding, the creation of a seamless credit transfer system in Arkansas and merging institutions in Alabama.
He said one of the biggest issues facing higher education to date is the “access to success,” or the access to higher education.
Louisiana has been without a higher education commissioner since Sally Clausen resigned in June. The Regents were set to name Tom Layzell as interim commissioner in July, but his salary package was not approved.
 
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Contact Sydni Dunn at [email protected]