DO YOU ONLY DO SEARCHES IN TEXAS?
No, we are available to do national searches.  But our primary focus is Texas where we offer the best service available to Boards charged with finding the best fit.

HOW LONG HAS YOUR FIRM BEEN IN BUSINESS?
We began doing school executive searches in New England in 1993.  Since 1996, we have proudly and professionally served school districts throughout the state of Texas.

DO YOU HAVE REFERENCES AS TO THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK?
Absolutely. We are pleased to have any Board contact any District where we have worked.  We recognize that our business is based largely on satisfied Board members telling other Board members.

WHAT MAKES YOUR FIRM DIFFERENT?
Most importantly, we have the philosophy that the Board should maintain control throughout the entire process. We don’t come with any preconceived notions about your specific needs, nor do we have a “stable” of candidates that we move in and out of jobs.  We customize each and every search to meet the specific needs and unique challenges of every community and district. We are a full-service search firm.  We will provide everything for the Board to ensure the process is smooth and professionally executed.  Also, we do not take on more searches than we can effectively handle.  We are a three person firm, and we do no more than two searches at any one time to ensure prompt, personalized service to the members of the Board. Our goal is total satisfaction—and that starts with being available.

WHAT IS YOUR FEE FOR SERVICES?
We do not tie our fee to the Superintendent’s salary.  We pledge to work with Boards to provide the highest quality service at a reasonable rate.  We understand high community expectations and budget constraints.  We will tailor the search and the expenses to meet the board’s needs and budget.  And when we quote a price, it is guaranteed.

DO YOU GUARANTEE YOUR SEARCH?
Yes we do.  We offer an 18 month guarantee—among the longest in the search business.  We are confident in our ability to attract high quality applicants. We feel so strongly that we will provide a good fit for the District and the community that we guarantee the final results…or the search will be on us, for expenses only.  And we pride ourselves on not running up costs after the contract is agreed upon.  If we spend more than we agreed to, it, too, is also on us.

WHAT ABOUT BACKGROUND CHECKS?
No Board or community wants to have a superintendent with an unwholesome past. University Associates carefully screens and researches all semifinalists who are brought to the Board.  The finalist is submitted to an even more rigorous background check—employment history, academic credentials, credit history and criminal background data are gathered from a national database.  We promise…NO SURPRISES.