The Meinders School of Business has begun the search for a new dean. Co-chairs for the search are Miranda Kitchingham and Justin Wareham. They will lead a committee of eight faculty members and one student representative, junior economics major Tori Permann.
“I was honestly on-board from the first mention of joining the search committee,” Permann said. “I love the School of Business and OCU as a whole, so I always strive to make a positive impact and participate however I can.”
The committee met over weeks to select a firm that will oversee the search. Summit Search Solutions was the firm chosen, a business that has worked in higher education and executive hiring decisions since 2001, with specific experience in faith-based educational institutions. Senior consultants Jan Asnicar and Tammy Townes will provide primary and assistant search support respectively.
According to Wareham, since the committee has selected a recruiting firm, the next step will be for OCU and Summit Search Solutions to map the process, including crafting a job description to advertise the position for potential applicants.
“During this process, it’s important for the search firm to understand the culture of OCU, and also have ample opportunity to seek input and obtain feedback from multiple stakeholder groups on campus,” Wareham said.
Once a job description has been crafted, Summit Search Solutions will compile a candidate pool of individuals who qualify by meeting the established desires. The OCU search committee will then review applicants to identify those who may best fit the role.
“Hopefully by the spring semester, we’ll be able to conduct a first round of interviews, and eventually invite finalist candidates for campus visits,” Wareham said.
According to both Wareham and Permann, the new business dean should embody similar progressive traits to those of retired Dean Agee.
“I’m looking for a dean who is going to carry the torch forward from Dean Agee, our former dean, and Dean Evans who is currently serving as interim dean,” Wareham said. “Both of these Meinders faculty members have set the bar high for bringing thoughtful, effective, and engaged leadership to the Meinders School of Business.”
According to Wareham, having a strong commitment to preparing students to become social responsibility leaders is an important attribute of current and previous deans.
“In addition to that commitment, having existing relationships and connections with the business community and local governmental and regulatory agencies would strengthen the impact, in terms of its scale and scope, of the dean’s academic leadership both on and off campus,” Wareham said.
When asked what she hopes the new dean will bring to the position, Permann said she hopes they will help the business school engage with the rest of campus.
“It can feel like we business students are on a little island apart from the rest of OCU,” Permann said. “ I would love for the new Dean to encourage students to get involved across campus and take advantage of their time here.”
The search committee aims to conclude the search process with the selection of a new business school dean in early Spring 2022.
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