Coastal Carolina knows who it wants to be the school’s next president. What we know
Coastal Carolina University’s Board of Trustees has identified the person it wants to be the school’s next president and will authorize the school’s compensation committee to negotiate a contract with the favorite.
The board announced the determination of a finalist at a special meeting on Tuesday. The school has said a new president will be announced in October, and the next scheduled board meeting is Oct. 23. Another special meeting could be called to announce the new president, however.
President David DeCenzo announced in December 2018 his plans to retire at the end of his term next June.
The university planned to name a new president this past spring but the search was delayed because of the coronavirus.
DeCenzo had planned to work with the new incoming president for a year to assist with the transition.
The incoming president will be arriving during a challenging time, particularly with regard to enrollment and finances.
Coastal made budgetary cuts in the 2019-20 school year due to decreased enrollment, and was forced to make further cuts this summer that included eliminating 36 jobs and requiring furloughs across the university.
The cuts last school year were largely frozen unfilled positions across departments and university functions, according to Chief Financial Officer David Frost, to make up for what was a $6.4 million budget shortfall.
Fall enrollment as of Wednesday has decreased 4.7 percent in 2020 compared to 2019 from 10,484 to 9,992 students, including a drop of 3.9 percent in undergraduates to 9,381, according to the university. Enrollment data is usually finalized in late October, however. Enrollment decreased 1.5 percent in 2019, including less than 0.4 percent among undergraduates.
DeCenzo began his tenure in 2007, and CCU has seen significant growth in terms of enrollment, number of majors available and athletic prominence since then, though enrollment took a downturn in 2019.
Buffin/Baker, a Nashville-based global executive search firm, was retained to assist in the search process, vet candidates and determine finalists along with candidate interviews with the Search Advisory Committee.
DeCenzo’s annual salary is $214,451, according to CCU Senior Vice President and university counsel Carlos Johnson, with an additional $40,000 housing allowance and $150,000 in supplements from university-affiliated foundations for a total of $404.451 annually.
A salary for the incoming president has not been announced, according to CCU Associate Vice President and Chief Communication Officer Martha Hunn.
This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 3:19 PM.
