Roundtable of Executive Search Firms

The ACE Roundtable of Executive Search Firms was established in 1985 as a means of addressing the mutual interests of ACE and executive search firms in the continuing identification of talented leaders for our nation's colleges and universities. Over the years, the primary aspects of the relationship between ACE and individual firms have been the exchange of information related to improving the quality of searches and the discussion of issues related to higher education search practice.

• Purposes of the Roundtable
• Principles
• Understanding Between ACE and Members of the ACE Roundtable of Executive Search Firms
• Eligibility
• Summary
• Members

Purposes of the Roundtable

The Roundtable exists to support ACE in its continuing efforts to improve the quality of leadership in higher education; to diversify that leadership in terms of gender, race, and ethnicity; to promote the highest standards in the process of search and selection; and to educate the higher education community about search processes with or without the use of consultants. The Roundtable offers search firms the opportunity to exchange information and develop relationships that enhance cooperation between competing firms for the benefit of leadership in higher education.

Principles

• Subscribe to the highest standards of integrity and principles of quality, diversity, equity, and ethical practice.
• Affirm commitment to conducting equitable searches to foster diversity and the highest quality of leadership for the educational community.
• Assist candidates in understanding the role of the consultant in the search process.
• Ensure that client institutions provide search consultants and candidates with all relevant and current data, including financial information, that is needed in the search.
• Respect the confidentiality of clients and candidates and obtain client approval before sharing information.

Understanding Between ACE and Members of the ACE Roundtable of Executive Search Firms

ACE established the Roundtable to support its ongoing efforts to improve the quality of leadership in higher education, to diversify that leadership in terms of gender and race, to promote the highest standards in search and selection, to educate the higher education community about effective search practice (whether or not consultants are used), and to provide firms with ongoing information on higher education issues and exchange information with firms about higher education and search issues.

Eligibility

The ACE Roundtable of Executive Search Firms is composed of organizations, both not-for-profit and for-profit, that specialize in higher education executive search. Members of the Roundtable, and the consultants who represent them, serve colleges, universities, and related not-for-profit institutions and organizations by providing executive search, recruitment, and related consulting services to assist institutions in their searches for senior leadership positions.

Summary

ACE seeks to serve its members—colleges, universities, corporate, and other—as well as the greater higher education community by identifying issues, trends, challenges, and concerns that need to be addressed. With respect to the Roundtable, ACE is principally interested in improving and diversifying the leadership in higher education, in improving and enhancing the processes by which leaders are chosen, and in making the search process more widely understood.