After one full semester without a permanent executive vice chancellor and provost, administrators say they are close to a final selection of candidates for the position.
Search committee chair and history professor Karl Roider said the group is waiting for credentials of possible candidates from Heidrick and Struggles, the search firm hired to accumulate and sort through applications.
“We hope to go through [the credentials] prior to the Christmas break and have 10 finalists ready by the time school resumes in January,” Roider said.
Chancellor Mark Emmert said although the University has not seen materials from Heidrick and Struggles, he is confident of the prospective results.
“I feel quite positive we have a lot of strong candidates in the pool,” Emmert said. “I’m confident we’ll have a very good provost.”
The 10 finalists, once selected, will be flown to the New Orleans International Airport for quick interviews in mid to late January 2003. From information acquired in the interviews, the pool of candidates will narrow to three or four possibilities.
Emmert said the airport interviews are important because committee members can get a quick sense of what the candidate could bring to the University.
Committee member and Faculty Senate President Laurie Anderson said she will take part in airport interviews and hopes potential candidates have considerable experience.
Roider said the final three or four possible candidates likely will visit campus in February.
The candidates are expected to visit with University leadership organizations such as Faculty Senate and Student Government as well as open forums for the entire campus community.
Emmert said he hopes the candidates realize the high quality of work that goes on at the University and understand its goal to become one of the top universities in the nation.
Once students and administrators have a clear idea of the candidates’ capabilities, Emmert will choose the next executive vice chancellor and provost.
“Chancellor Emmert will gather comments from all constituents on campus, but he will be the one to really make the final decision,” Roider said.
Although Roider could not give an exact date for the final decision, many people are hoping for a permanent provost by the end of the spring semester.
Interim Provost Laura Lindsay will remain in her position until transition of the new provost, Emmert said. Once the new provost arrives, Lindsay will return to her previous position as Manship School of Mass Communication faculty member.
Emmert said the search has progressed well in terms of the importance of the position.
“It’s not uncommon at all that it would take more than one semester,” Emmert said.
Student Senate Speaker Jay Buller feels the committee has done a thorough job with the search.
Buller hopes campus members take advantage of the candidates’ visits to campus next spring.
“This is a very good opportunity for any student to have their concern voiced to someone who could have the power to make changes in the future,” Buller said.