The University is searching for two people to help academic departments become more connected.
Provost Risa Palm said she is looking for a new vice provost for Academic Affairs as well as someone to fill the newly created position of vice provost for arts, sciences and engineering.
Palm said the vice provost for academic affairs position is being expanded to include creating innovative plans for undergraduate education.
Pauline Rankin, former vice provost for Academic Affairs, now has become dean of Continuing Education.
“We’re trying to enhance the undergraduate education,” Palm said. “It’s a replacement with new responsibility.”
Frank Cartledge, associate dean for the College of Basic Sciences and chairman of the vice provost for Academic Affairs search committee, said the search is being concentrated on current University faculty members.
Cartledge said the committee is looking for a candidate with a successful teaching career, administrative experience and potential for leadership in academic areas.
Cartledge said the vice provost will have to handle issues such as student recruitment, innovative programs, curriculum issues, support services and outreach to the community school system.
In addition to the vice provost for Academic Affairs, the University is searching for a vice provost for arts, sciences and engineering. That position will be a three-year term, Palm said.
Palm said these three colleges are the largest at the University, containing approximately 60 percent of the University faculty and that the University wants to give those colleges more attention.
Palm said this position also will serve to enhance undergraduate education.
“It’s really trying to enhance those units for undergraduate education and have more inter-college interaction,” Palm said.
Palm said the current deans for those departments will work closely with the vice provosts in matters such as enhancing budgets and having cross-college collaboration.
While this position will be a new one for the University, Palm said the position is “not unheard of” at other similar universities.
Karl Roider, a history professor and chairman of the vice provost for arts, sciences and engineering search committee, said the committee is looking for someone who will be able to lead the three colleges toward the Flagship Agenda.
Roider said this search also will be concentrated among current University faculty members.
Roider said the committee is looking for someone with administrative experience, such as a dean or department head, as well as someone with a strong record of research and teaching.
Both search committees hope to make their recommendations to Palm by the end of the semester.
Palm initiates search for two vice provosts
December 5, 2003