The top two administrators at East Mississippi Community College are being interviewed for the president’s job at Meridian Community College.
EMCC President Thomas Huebner confirmed Wednesday he is interviewing for the job. According to a press release from Meridian Community College, EMCC Vice President Paul Miller interviewed for the job Tuesday and Wednesday.
Huebner and Miller are among a group of five finalists to replace MCC President Scott Elliott, who is retiring. Of the five, Huebner is the only president of a community college, with the other four being vice presidents.
Reached Wednesday afternoon, Huebner said he would provide a statement on his decision to seek the MCC job, but he had not sent the statement as of press time today.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise or not a surprise,” said EMCC Board of Trustees President Jimmie Moore. “Me personally, not speaking for the board, I would never attempt to restrain someone from seeking something that’s better for themselves and their family. That said, that two of their five finalists are from EMCC speaks highly of our institution and people recognize that. We are proud of what we are doing from workforce development and the new Communiversity from academic programs to athletics. We have a lot to offer.”
The Communiversity, under construction on Highway 82 in Lowndes County, is funded through a partnership of cities and counties in the Golden Triangle for industrial job training.
MCC Board of Trustees President Alex Weddington said the MCC board will make a decision on its next president no later than its regular June meeting, and that the new president will begin his duties as early as July 1.
Moore said EMCC will move quickly in the event either EMCC administrator is chosen for the MCC job.
“As a board, we have responsibility to be prepared for whatever happens,” Moore said. “We’ll begin the necessary steps to establish search criteria in the even we have a position to fill. We want to be proactive as possible.”
Huebner has been president at EMCC since July 1, 2015, when he was chosen as successor to Rick Young, who had retired after 11 years as the school’s president. Huebner served as president at Shelton State Community College in Alabama before coming to EMCC.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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