Goodbye UVSC

Goodbye UVSC. These words apply not only to the institution, but likely to our president, William A. Sederburg as well.

There is currently a position available, according to the Web site www.utahsbr.edu for Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education.
The job listing was posted Aug. 14, 2007, with the ending date set as “Until Filled.” All signs point to this position being filled by Pres. Sederburg. He’s been extremely busy in the UVU transition, effectively helping to qualify him for his own transition into Utah’s commissioner of higher education.

Now, as things of this nature go, the tendency is that nothing is official, nothing is confirmed, et cetera. But it does deserve notice that this job has been available for nearly a year now, and by all means it could have been filled in that amount of time.

This position basically has Pres. Sederburg’s name on it.
This is, of course, if he is considered to be a finalist for the position and if he is even considering it. These are things that should be announced in the upcoming weeks or months. The job will have an essential need to be filled by the end of August, when the school year starts, though.

The qualifications for the job can be found in the informational boxes on the page.

No scathing words will be found here about the president. He is a capable leader more than ready for the new position. No loyalty will be lost if he goes through his own individual transition from UVSC president to Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education. In fact, he has my vote for whatever it is worth.

Pres. Sederburg has spent much of his academic life in the pursuit of excellence in education. This has carried over well for UVSC, as he has catapulted the school into university status, effective tomorrow, July 1. He has cleared many hurdles, including a former UVSC president’s worry that the new status would diminish the trades and technology courses. His recent accolades certainly help to bolster his candidacy for the job — namely, his being selected as CEO of the Year by Utah Business Magazine, and also as the 2007 Communicator of the Year, by the Public Relations Society of America.

When UVU REVIEW asked him directly if he was fielding any offers from elsewhere after boosting his resume, he politely answered, “Looking for scoop, are you? You know, it is nice to be thought of like that. I’ve tried very hard for the last 6 months or so — I get asked this all the time — and I keep trying to say, let’s just celebrate the moment. Don’t bring me into this thing.
I’m going to dodge the question totally. Let’s come back, get August first and second out of the way, and see where it goes.”
Sounds like a tactful way to say “yes” without officially saying “yes.” And credit should be given for his candor in wanting the focus to be on the celebration of the transition. As to whether the stating of August was a Freudian slip he made speaking of the job, or whether it was an honest mistake instead of saying “July first and second,” it seemed to be another arrow pointing toward his exit.

Though nothing is official regardless of what Pres. Sederburg says (or doesn’t say), it stands duly noted that Sederburg is heavily qualified for the position of Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education. His moving into this position would still give him domain over UVU (as well as among other institutions of higher education in Utah). His resume and accomplishments notched on his belt ought to cement his name at the forefront of the finalists.

If he is, in fact, staying on board at UVU, then I will admit I was wrong over a round of tennis (his forte) with him, if he’ll have me. But you don’t need to read the ingredients to know that cookies are in the oven. I think something is baking here, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who can smell it.