The College of Music and Dramatic Arts began a second attempt to recruit a dean. Search committee members are unsure of a timeline to fill the position.The original search began in spring 2007 with former dean Donald Ross’ retirement, said David Cronrath, dean of the College of Art and Design, search committee chair.At the end of the search this past year, “[The committee] felt none of the candidates were robust enough,” Cronrath said. While all of the candidates met the base criteria, the committee felt the College of Music and Dramatic Arts deserved a “strong, assertive, and large” leader,” Cronrath said.The process restarted in spring 2008 with one major difference: the committee hired a national search firm, Russell Reynolds Associates, Cronrath said.The benefit of hiring a firm to contact other deans without them having to necessarily apply allows them to keep their anonymity, said Interim Associate Dean Jane Cassidy. A dean must do a lot of fundraising, Cassidy said, so applying for another position may affect how much a donor would contribute. Allowing candidates to keep their interest private may lure a higher quality of applicants, she said.Applications are being accepted until Sept. 10, but there is no official installment date for the new dean, Cronrath said.”We’re hoping to be finished up by the end of this semester,” Cassidy said. Cassidy is hopeful to have a new dean to help with the move into the Music and Dramatic Arts Building when renovations are completed in Spring 2009.Interim dean, Sara Baird, will stay in her position until a permanent dean is found for the college, Cronrath said.”Dr. Baird is performing 100 percent of the job,” Cassidy said. The College of Music and Dramatic Arts is involved with three capital projects: renovating the Music and Dramatic Arts Building and the Union Theater, and constructing a new band hall, said Sara Baird, Interim Dean. While the work is time-consuming, Baird said she is thoroughly enjoyed acting as the college’s head officer.The goal is to create a list of three to seven candidates to invite to campus to meet with faculty, students, and administrators. Afterward, the committee asks anyone who met with the candidates for input and makes a recommendation to the provost who then makes a final selection, Cronrath said.Three candidates made it to the final round this past year but the committee and provost thought that there was a better possible candidate, Cassidy said.”You have to find somebody that’s the right fit for you,” she said.—-Contact Olga Kourilova at [email protected]