Piedmont University says it is moving swiftly to identify a successor to President James Mellichamp, who announced his retirement on Monday. Board of Trustees Chairman Gus Arrendale appointed Barbara Strain as chair of the search committee. Strain is a lifelong Habersham County resident and a longtime supporter of the university. She joined the Board of Trustees earlier this year and is said to be a close personal friend of Dr. Mellichamp’s.
“I am honored that Chairman Arrendale appointed me to serve in this role of bringing a new chapter to Piedmont University – and our community. I am committed to a prompt, collaborative, transparent search that will result in the selection of our ideal next president,” Strain says in a news release issued by Piedmont.
According to that release, Strain began forming the search committee Monday afternoon, June 20, shortly after Mellichamp’s announcement. The committee will include representatives from the faculty, staff, administration, alumni, student body, and the community at large.
“In addition to recruiting a diverse cross-section of the university community to serve on the committee, we’re also going to build in numerous opportunities for our various constituents to have their voices heard throughout the search process,” Strain says. “We will be conducting surveys and listening sessions to gather input on the characteristics and qualifications Piedmont needs in its next president.”
Strain says she has retained legal counsel to ensure the search process is conducted “in accordance with all applicable laws and university policies and procedures.” The university has added a Presidential Search section to its website to keep the community informed.
“This is an exciting time for Piedmont University as we mark the end of President Mellichamp’s leadership and prepare to welcome his successor,” adds Strain. “It is vital that we hire a president who can continue Piedmont’s growth and success. To identify the ideal next president, we all need to get involved.”
She encourages those with a stake in the private liberal arts school to stay informed and share their opinions.
“We must do this together.”
Cloud of controversy
Mellichamp has served forty years in various positions at Piedmont University, the last 10 as president. He is credited with bringing in tens of millions of dollars in capital improvements and expanding the university’s academic and athletic programs. Piedmont was elevated from a college to a university in 2021 and underwent a major rebranding effort. Still, as he prepares to leave after four decades, Mellichamp finds himself under a cloud of controversy.
Multiple past and current employees and students have accused President Mellichamp and others within his administration of misconduct. In recent years, the institution has been involved in a number of lawsuits.
The Piedmont University Faculty Senate passed a no-confidence resolution in May expressing strong dissatisfaction with Mellichamp’s leadership. Last week, faculty leaders asked the Board of Trustees to suspend and remove the President and his spouse, Dr. Daniel Smith, from campus while allegations of misconduct against them are investigated. It’s unclear whether the board considered that request.
Critics of the board of trustees’ handling of the matter point to Strain’s relationship with Mellichamp and his husband, Daniel Smith, as more reason for skepticism. Photos of the three socializing were sent to local media. Publicly, Strain and Mellichamp performed together in a highly-publicized local charity event.
Mellichamp says he will step down as president once a permanent successor is named. The Faculty Senate Executive Committee has asked the board to install an interim president. The university has not publicly released a timeline for when a decision about a new president will be made.
