With the Nov. 1 deadline passed, the chancellor search committeehas received nine formal applications from interested businessmenand academic administrators from across the country.
Joel Tohline, the search committee chair, said the deadline is a”soft” deadline and the committee continues to have anopen door policy for interested individuals.
“We are not cutting off applications at any point,”Tohline said. “We don’t want to close the door onanyone.”
The nine formal applicants come from many different backgrounds,ranging from the business community to LSU administration.
“I am pleased to see individuals come from the businesscommunity,” Tohline said. “The position is not confinedto academia, but we do expect many applications to come from theacademic channels.”
With the assistance of search firm Heidrick & Struggles, thecommittee continues to receive interest from potential applicants.Tohline said he is comfortable with the pace of the search andexpects many more applications in the coming weeks.
LSU System president and Interim Chancellor William Jenkins saidat the Oct. 26 “Chats with the Chancellor” that thechancellor search is very well publicized across the country.
“There is no one in North America that does not know thatwe are looking for a chancellor,” Jenkins said.
Tohline said there are many potential applicants still in needof some committee persuasion.
“A major part of the search committee is to find theseindividuals and convince them to apply for the position,”Tohline said. “The process is ongoing.”
The nine current applicants for chancellor of the University areas follows:
Leonard A. Bollingham of Baton Rouge is an alumnus of LouisianaTech University and currently is pursuing a doctorate in computingscience at LSU. Bollingham currently works as a network analyst atthe University.
Bollingham said in his cover letter to the search committee thathe wishes to bring his “Unbounded Model” concept to theUniversity system. This model is a series of philosophical theorieswhich aid in problem solving. Bollingham is certain this theory”might just bag” the Templeton prize for theunification of religion and science.
David W. Couvillon of Port Allen is an alumnus of LSU with adegree in management administration. Couvillon currently works asthe manager of the claims division for Louisiana Medicare Servicesin Baton Rouge.
Couvillon also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. MarineCorps Reserve as a plans officer for the Marine Forces EuropeanCommand.
Couvillon said in his resume that he is a proven leader,administrator and organizer.
Alan G. Goodridge of Toledo, Ohio holds a doctorate in zoologyfrom the University of Michigan. He currently is employed as aprofessor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University ofToledo, where he has also served as provost and executive vicepresident for academic affairs and enrollment services.
Peter Sloat Hoff of Orono, Maine holds a doctorate in Englishand humanities from Stanford University and currently is thepresident of the University of Maine.
Hoff said in his resume that during his tenure as president ofthe University of Maine, the university’s fortunes reverseddramatically for the better.
“The university now enjoys a much-improved image in thelegislature, in the media, and with the general public,” Hoffsaid.
Under his presidency, the University of Maine has had anenrollment of 30 percent of high school valedictorians andsalutatorians and $175 million in completed or current renovationand construction projects.
Richard Paul Hough of Baton Rouge is an alumnus of Old DominionUniversity with a degree in civil engineering and currently is thevice president of CDI Business Solutions for Baton Rouge, a $1.2billion company.
Hough said in his cover letter that his broad professional andacademic experiences have provided him with the unique qualities torun an institution as large as LSU.
Larry F. Lemanski of Boca Raton, Fla. holds a doctorate inzoology from Arizona State University. Lemanski currently is thevice president for research and graduate studies at FloridaAtlantic University and president of the FAU ResearchFoundation.
Lemanski holds an extensive resume rich in research and hopes tobring his knowledge and experience as a researcher to LSU.
George A. Mollere of Houston, Texas is a member of the firstgraduating class of LSUNO and attributes his entire pursuit ofeducation to the LSU System. Mollere holds a masters in businessadministration from Southern Methodist University. Mollerecurrently is the general manager of Worksuite, LLC of Houston,Texas.
Mollere said LSU needs a businessman who is able to think”out of the box” and is focused heavily on the need forhuman resources at a university.
Michael Sartisky of New Orleans holds a doctorate in Englishfrom Syracuse University and currently is the president andexecutive director of Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, astate humanities council which serves as one of the largest andmost successful humanities councils in the United States.
Kevin M. Smith of Baton Rouge holds a doctorate in organicchemistry from the University of Liverpool and has served as thevice chancellor for research and graduate studies at LSU.
Smith said he is discouraged by the expanded group of viceprovosts and is disappointed the officials of the University nolonger meet as a group. Smith said he wishes to restructure themiddle and upper levels of administration and will restore theabandoned lines of communication.
Smith recently was demoted from his vice-chancellor position byRisa Palm, executive vice chancellor and provost.
Tohline said he is pleased with the applicants and is notalarmed by the few applicants with doctorates.
“It is still very early in the game,” Tohlinesaid.
Tohline said he is not surprised by the lack of femaleapplicants for the position.
“The fraction of women who hold positions as chancellorsand presidents across the country is smaller than the amount ofmen,” Tohline said. “The committee continues topersuade and encourage underrepresented groups to apply for theposition, including women and minorities.”
The committee hopes to have a chancellor before the next fiscalyear, which begins on July 1.