Search Committee Script 75 Pages < 2027 >

Final committee vote. No Vance present. Martha confesses: Vance promised to “clear her name” with the board in exchange for a unanimous vote. She’s been his inside agent. James: “You sold us out.” Martha: “I thought he could save the college. I was wrong.” Helen: “Unanimous vote to withdraw the candidacy and report to the board?” All raise hands. Even Martha. Trevor: “What happens now?” Helen: “We start over. But clean.” Claire, from the doorway: “I’ll make coffee.” Small smile. ACT IV – AFTERMATH & THE REAL VOTE (pages 71–75) Scene 14 (71–73): Two months later. Same room. New candidate list. Helen chairs a new committee (two new members, Trevor graduated but returns as alum rep). James is sober. Martha is on leave (voluntary). Amir is lead investigator now. Helen: “We have three strong candidates. No shortcuts. No secrets.” Claire passes out binders. Clean.

Private room. Vance and Martha. Martha: “They have documents. Withdraw.” Vance: “No. You’ll vote for me. You know what I have on you, Martha.” (Reference to her past scandal—he implies evidence she falsified data, which she didn’t, but the rumor exists.) Martha: “You’re bluffing.” Vance: “Try me.” Martha leaves. In hallway, she vomits into a trash can. Lisa sees her. “Martha. Come back to the committee.” Martha whispers: “He’ll destroy me.” Lisa: “Only if you let him. Tell us everything.”

Vance arrives early for his “campus visit” (scheduling change by Martha without notice). Vance in the hallway, charming. He shakes hands. Helen: “Dr. Vance, before we begin, can you explain why your former dean was convicted of fraud?” Vance’s smile freezes. “That’s a serious accusation.” Martha intervenes: “This is inappropriate. Dr. Vance, please follow me.” Vance, to Helen: “You’re making an enemy.” Walks away with Martha. Amir: “He just threatened a search chair in front of witnesses.” Helen: “Record it. Send to legal.” search committee script 75 pages

Interview with Dr. Sandra Owusu (via Zoom, shown on monitor). Sandra is brilliant but direct: “Your endowment is mismanaged. I’d cut three departments.” Martha recoils. Helen respects her. Afterward, James: “She’s not a politician.” Martha: “Exactly the problem.” Vote to advance Sandra? 4–3 no. She’s out. Trevor abstains in disgust.

Final shot. Night. Helen alone in the room. She looks at the empty chairs. Picks up a framed photo of the original committee—taken before the storm. She sets it face down. Turns to a blank whiteboard. Writes: “Integrity is not unanimous. It’s unilateral.” Fade to black. DIALOGUE EXCERPT (Scene 8, p. 38–40) JAMES (slurring slightly) You want to know why I vote for Vance? Last year, my wife needed a trial drug. Not covered. I begged the college for an advance. Denied. Vance’s people called me two weeks ago. Offered to fund the entire oncology wing. No strings. Except my vote. Final committee vote

Claire distributes binders. Amir notices a discrepancy: Vance’s publication record has a gap year. Lisa dismisses it as sabbatical. Helen: “We’ll probe in interviews.” Trevor: “Or we could Google.” James laughs bitterly. Martha: “Let professionals work.”

Thriller / Drama Format: 75-page feature screenplay Setting: Prestigious but financially struggling liberal arts college, Upstate New York. February. CHARACTERS (7 main) | Name | Role | Age | Trait | |------|------|-----|-------| | DR. HELEN RIVAS | Chair, History | 58 | Principled, exhausted | | PROF. JAMES KELLER | Senior, English | 62 | Cynical, alcoholic | | DEAN MARTHA CHO | Admin, Business | 49 | Ambitious, strategic | | PROF. AMIR SINGH | Junior, CompSci | 34 | Idealistic, tech-savvy | | DR. LISA MENDES | External, Education | 44 | Empathetic, observant | | TREVOR BANKS | Student rep, Senior | 21 | Angry, perceptive | | CLAIRE DUVALL | Secretary (non-voting) | 55 | Quiet, all-seeing | She’s been his inside agent

I’m sorry. But Vance is a predator. You’d be his tool.