There have been some media reports regarding the recent Council of Trustees meeting at which we discussed the presidential search process.

While the council did not reach consensus regarding candidates to move forward in the process, we are all committed to ensuring a successful search and to identify the next leader of Slippery Rock.

During the meeting, however, there were some troubling discussions that need to be addressed.

In particular, a letter was crafted by a member of the search committee and council of trustees suggesting that two members of the Presidential Search Committee may have had a conflict-of-interest because those members had an existing professional relationship with one of the internal candidates.

I want to make it clear that there was no conflict of interest whatsoever.

In a letter I received from the Search Committee Chair Jeff Smith, he states that on several occasions in the process, both Molly Mercer and Scott Albert discussed with the committee their existing professional relationships with the presidential candidate in question.

The search committee was well aware of the circumstances. In addition, the search committee sought a determination from the Office of the Chancellor whether the relationships constituted a potential conflict. The Office of the Chancellor determined that there was no inherent conflict involving the two committee members.

Furthermore, those employees — who disclosed their professional relationship with the internal candidate — are just two of more than a dozen members of the search committee that was tasked with narrowing the list of candidates to make a recommendation to the entire Council of Trustees.

They did their job with integrity. Ms. Mercer and Mr. Albert acted ethically and took every action necessary to ensure the integrity of the search process.

What’s more, it is important that you know this too. These are our colleagues and friends, and they have given selflessly of their time to advance the university. Their integrity is above reproach. They deserve our thanks and respect.

As we continue to work our way through this process, we will do it by working together. That is our commitment to you and everyone at The Rock.

William McCarrier is a former Butler County commissioner and the current chairman of the Slippery Rock University Council of Trustees.