The search for a new provost will continue this semester, after one failed effort to fill the post.
The need to fill the position arose after Dr. Susan Barber, former provost, retired in June 2015. The search committee began looking for a new provost and vice president for academic affairs in December 2015.
Dr. Kent Buchanan served as the assistant provost since 2012 until becoming the interim provost on July 1, 2015. Buchanan applied for the post during the first search, but no one was hired.
“I love being in this position and plan to apply again,” Buchanan said. “OCU is just a great place to be.”
The search committee conducted two on-campus interviews last academic year after narrowing the pool of thousands of applicants. They did not make a hire because they did not think the candidates interviewed were a good fit for OCU. The goal was to have someone in the position by April or May.
“This is an important position,” said Leslie Berger, senior director of university communications. “They have to make sure the person they choose is a great fit for OCU. If that means another round of searching, then that’s what it might take.”
Some of the faculty and staff on the original search committee will not participate in the new search, officials said.
“Since we cannot do a search without a full committee they decided to wait until this semester to start the search again,” Berger said. “This gave faculty and staff a chance to look at their commitments and decide if they would be able to be a part of the committee.”
The search committee membership will be finalized this week, officials said. It will consist of a representative from each school on campus. The Pittsburgh-based executive search firm, Hyatt-Fennell, will continue to guide in the process.
“It seems the university is taking their time to find the right person for the job,” said Jacob Overling, business administration senior. “I think it’s a smart decision not to rush into it. Dr. Barber did an outstanding job, and it’s being made apparent that they want the right shoes to fill the job.”
The duties of a provost vary at every university. At OCU, the provost serves as the chief academic officer, overseeing all schools and colleges, academic programs, student recruitment and retention, and faculty development.
The committee is looking for an individual with a Ph.D. in an academic area offered on campus, significant experience in university leadership, and competence in implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives, officials said. They also want the individual to be dynamic and energetic, with a vision and sense of self.
Leave a Reply