Samuel Casey
News Editor
After an extensive search, the College recently hired James Prince as the new vice president for Finance and Business effective June 24 of this year. According to a list provided by President Sarah Bolton, Prince will oversee facilities, grounds, dining and conference services, the business office, purchasing and the bookstore at the College.
Bolton described the search process for the new vice president. “We had a very strong pool of candidates from around the country, and [we] brought three finalists to campus in early December. They met with the staff committee, with those who lead the various departments within their division, and also held open meetings,” she said.
Wayne Webster, vice president for Advancement and chair of the search committee, defined some of the committee’s goals during the search. “The committee … felt that given the current climate and financial pressures facing higher education, it was important to have someone in this role who could help us look at things differently but also within the context of understanding what kind of institution we are,” Webster said.
When asked how Prince exemplifies these standards, Webster replied, “Jim comes with decades of experience at similar colleges, including a GLCA [Great Lakes Colleges Association] peer, and he demonstrated that he understands the importance of communication and collaboration in an environment of shared governance.”
Prince has worked at Kalamazoo College in the same role since 2009 and has over 30 years of experience in higher education administration. Because of this, he was familiar with the College’s reputation before applying.
“I am aware of Wooster’s commitment to a high level of academic excellence,” Prince said. “The fact that you do things centered around student involvement in research projects and involvement on campus is really important.”
When asked what led him to the College, Prince explained that he looks for similarities with Kalamazoo. “I look for an institute that values strong fiscal management and how [the College] treats its employees,” he said.
President Bolton explained what made Prince stand out and why he is a good fit for this role. “He cares deeply about the liberal arts and the ways that we can enable transformative experiences for students,” Bolton said. “At the same time, he is deeply experienced in leading the important finance and business areas of colleges like ours — areas that are absolutely crucial to our functioning and to our ability to make this a good place to live and learn.”
Bolton continued, “[Prince] is wise about how to plan for a strong future, despite the challenges that all colleges and universities face, and thoughtful about ways to steward and invest our resources in the best ways, so that the College is great for current students as well as for students in decades to come.”
Webster added that there are several topics that have come up for discussion in which the finances of the College will play a significant role in the upcoming year. “I’m confident that Jim can carry on the work that Charles Ingram [interim vice president for Finance & Business], President Bolton and others have begun this year in making our budget and our various priorities more transparent to the campus community,” Webster wrote.
Regarding the future of the position, Ingram stated, “I’d hope the College continues to gather data and utilize systems to make informed decisions [and] being open to new ideas and ways of doing business.”
Prince would agree that sometimes change is necessary, but not without first undergoing the due diligence. “I don’t believe in doing radical change for the sake of change, but rather see what areas are opportunities for improvement,” he said. “I think for me what’s important is that I come in there and I listen. How does The College of Wooster operate? What are the key things that it needs to operate? I want to take the time to visit with groups on campus and see how the campus functions.”
Prince concluded that he is excited to begin this new job opportunity. “I believe that the College had choices, and I am honored that they selected me,” he said. “I look forward to getting there at the end of June.”