Provost candidate Timothy Pinnow visited Oklahoma City University on Feb. 15. Timothy Pinnow is the vice president for strategic initiatives at Colorado Mesa University. He hosted three sessions, each targeted at different stakeholder populations. Pinnow said if selected as provost he would work to improve campus amenities and work to transition programs online.
Pinnow is one of three candidates applying for the position of provost. President Kenneth Evans will make the final decision on the selection of the provost candidate.
Pinnow said the university needs to adapt. “I believe in evolution, not revolution because in revolution people get hurt,” Pinnow said.
He says that the university must be ready to change academic programs as society changes. “We have to be able to modify programs quickly. We have to be faster,” said Pinnow.
Pinnow says that education should be transitioned from a privilege to a resource. He said the university needs to “bring education to the student rather than telling them to come to us.”
He says that the university must be the bridge to the workforce. He said this plan includes “More internships, more education to work programs, more bringing employers onto the campus, not just to approve but actually work with you on projects.”
“I don’t like the words ‘lifelong learning’ that’s not really how life happens. The average person changes jobs or careers five or seven times in their lifetime,” Pinnow said.
He advocates for a high level of student amenities. He mentioned apartment-style dorms and good internet. “Those sorts of amenities are expected now and we have to stay ahead of the curve,” said Pinnow.
He says that the university must be ready to take risks that will sometimes end in failure. “We are going to need to take risks and sometimes we are going to fail. Not every idea is going to be a great one.”
He said that people need to be hired with the expectation that they will make mistakes. “If we are not making mistakes, we are not learning,” Pinnow said.
“Your generation is so good at supporting each other, so incredibly incredibly good. But we’re not all that good at supporting you in terms of your education,” said Pinnow.
“People like me, white males in particular need to learn from you. I am fine with saying it is my people who messed this world up, the white males, it’s your job to fix it sorry,” Pinnow said.
Pinnow says if everything is going smoothly, students should have almost no contact with the provost. In these sessions he would meet with student groups and bring pizza, he would ask students what is working well and what is not.
“When I make a decision, I always need to be able to say why I made it,” Pinnow said.
“Have a sense of humor. I think you’ve got to have a sense of humor in this world because sometimes it’s kinda hard,” Pinnow said.
Pinnow said that the president chooses what his number one priority will be. He said that Evan’s number one priority is to create online programs.
“The thing I would push him is to think on the hybrid space. He thinks about online space. COVID has pulled us apart from each other and disconnected (us) from community. Have the aspects of online but still be face to face at the same time,” Pinnow said.
He said that the university needs to change the Esports management program to an online program fast. “Esports management is a brilliant innovative idea. But I can’t figure out why you are doing it in person,” Pinnow said.
Pinnow says one of the challenges OCU is facing is that it is shrinking. He said this is a common problem with private schools, because “there aren’t as many young people coming to college. You used to be bigger than you were before.”
Pinnow sees a problem with the faculty salaries. “The faculty here have not seen raises here for a very long time. They are intensely dedicated. You see a lot of erosion of moral, there is some, but not as much as you expect for how long it has been,” Pinnow said.
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