After two separate closed meetings totaling almost 10 hours, the board of trustees for Collin College Board finished discussions Oct. 27 related to the qualifications and selection of the next college president.

The board has tentatively agreed on a timeline to name a sole finalist by late February or early March, assuming the right candidate applies for the position, board chairman Mac Hendricks said.

"The only thing you can be sure about on the timeline is the starting date," he said.

The board also discussed what goals and vision for the college the next president should address.

Collin College President Cary Israel will step down by the beginning of next year. Israel is the college's second and longest-serving president, beginning his presidency nearly 16 years ago.

Hendricks said only one board member has been through the presidential search process at Collin College before, but other board members have participated in other searches.

During the Oct. 28 meeting, the board will decide who will take over as interim president after Israel leaves.

The board will also announce the new board member for Place 7, the position once held by now-retired founding board member Tino Trujillo.

"[The new board member is] going to be drinking through a fire hose for a while because they're brand new, first to the board and secondly to a presidential search," Hendricks said. "But since a lot of us have been drinking from a fire hose for the last several weeks, they'll catch up."

Hendricks said he is optimistic about the upcoming presidential search.

"There's still a lot of work for us to do, but we think we can do it timely," he said.