Beaufort County Community College is on the search for a new president.

At a Board of Trustees meeting Thursday, board members met with Dr. James Williamson, North Carolina Community College System president, to discuss their options and gain advice.

Only a handful of the 13 members were present four years ago when they went through the hiring process for current BCCC President Dr. Barbara Tansey, so the board was able to ask questions and fill in newer members on the process.

Several board members expressed their desire to avoid hiring an interim president, although there is a list of candidates ready to go. Williamson said the transition into new administration would go smoother if this step was avoided.

He said the tenure of community college presidents in the state varies, and in this situation, it’s important to look at quality over quantity.

“You’ve only had Dr. Tansey about four years, but that’s not bad. I know personal things came into play,” Williamson said. “Even though it was only four years, it moved you to a different level.”

BCCC has had three presidents during its 60 years of operation.

“When we hired Dr. Tansey, we were looking for something different,” board member Russell Smith said. “She was fresh and she had what we needed, and she’s done what we hired her for.”

Vice chair Betty Randolph said the board will also have to consider the funding role played by the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners, as the commissioners are an important source of monetary support. The commissioners currently fund about 5 percent of Tansey’s salary.

“We’re going to have to get a feel for what the body that is going to have some say in the end, what they’re thinking,” Randolph said. “I think if we openly admit that the uniqueness of this component will have the greatest impact on the best person we can ever bring to this school as the president.”

Williamson said a president’s salary is based off of full-term enrollment, and because BCCC has seen a drop in enrollment, the next president’s salary will likely be less than Tansey was offered. He said that while enrollment determines the salary range, the board would have autonomy in determining the exact number.

Board chair Laura Staton said she also wants to have feedback from BCCC staff on who they want at the helm, likely by distributing surveys.

Member Amy Sasnett agreed with Staton, but said she thinks a survey should be a minimum when it comes to staff feedback. Sasnett said the board received a lot of backlash four years ago for not including the staffs’ opinions more.

Randolph said she hopes the college can hire a new president before Tansey leaves, so that the two can work together and ease the transition.

To select the new president, the Board of Trustees appointed a search committee at its last meeting, including Bill Wall, Mitch St. Clair, Russell Smith, Kathleen Simpson, Cornell McGill, Betty Randolph and Laura Staton.

Staton said the committee hopes to start interviews by the beginning of 2017, and Williamson recommended the board make a selection by March or April.

Tansey is set to retire May 31, 2017.