Dr. Phil Schubert will receive an external review of his performance after having served three years as president.

When Schubert, president of university, accepted his position in 2010, he agreed with the Board of Trustees to undergo review approximately every five years, with the first one to be completed after three.

The board has outsourced the review to Penson Associates, Inc., a firm specializing in higher education research and consultation.

Penson Associates has selected Dr. Madeleine Adler, a former college president, provost, and faculty member, to conduct a comprehensive review. She will be on campus Oct. 8-9. About 100 people, both within and outside of ACU, have been invited to interview with Adler either individually or in small groups.

Barry Packer, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said this practice of the president being reviewed periodically by an outside company is one that is common in the higher education industry.

“This process does not replace the evaluation of the president’s performance that we conduct annually, but rather is an added dimension that helps presidents in their growth as leaders in higher education,” Packer said.

Packer said there would be an opportunity for any member of the ACU community to send a letter by mail to Adler and that all signed letters would be considered part of the review.

In addition to the external review every 3-5 years, Schubert completes an annual performance review by the board which consists of the president writing a self-assessment and then the board discussing it and writing back.

“Sometimes it’s good to have external perspective and to make sure we are providing people with the opportunity to give their opinions about what they think is going well or how to shift our focus,” said Schubert.

Schubert said he is looking forward to the recommendations that Adler might have.

“She will be a great individual because of her experience and background,” Schubert said.