Three candidates have been selected and are currently being considered for the position of provost. The university is hosting sessions with each of the candidates. The sessions will not be recorded. Students may attend faculty and staff sessions. Information regarding each session can be found below. The Provost Search Committee encourages students to participate in these sessions and share feedback.
Dr. Diane Nell has been serving as Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities at St. Edward’s University since 2012. Dr. Nell has been employed at St. Edward’s University since 2012. Dr. Nell earned a Doctor of Philosophy at Rice University. She has an extensive background in the French language.
Dr. Nell will visit OCU on Feb. 17, 2022. Students, faculty, and staff have been invited by the university to attend zoom sessions with Dr. Nell. The student Zoom session will be at 10 a.m. in Sarkeys Center room 100. Students who cannot attend this session may attend the staff session at nine a.m. or faculty session at 4:30 p.m. Students who cannot attend the session in person may attend virtually at this link.
“I am drawn to the provost role because the mission of Oklahoma City University—to ‘prepare all learners to Create, Lead, and Serve’—corresponds to my values. As the first person to graduate from college in my family, I am committed to excellence, access, opportunity, and equity in higher education,” Dr. Nell said.
“I have served colleges and universities for over thirty years and have more than 16 years of experience in higher education administration. I am a firm believer in providing students with a liberal arts education that leads to a strong professional future. I look forward to conversations on campus later on this week with staff, faculty, and especially students, that will give me a deepened understanding of institutional goals.”
Dr. Michelle Kiec has been serving as the Interim Vice Provost for Extended Lifelong Learning and Dean of Graduate Studies at Kutztown University since 2021. She has been employed at KU since 2012. Dr. Kiec earned a Doctor of Musical Arts at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. She has an extensive background in clarinet. Dr. Kiec will visit the university on Feb. 22. Kiec’s zoom sessions have not yet been announced.
Timothy Pinnow has been serving as the Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at Colorado Mesa University since 2018. He has been employed at CMU since 2010. Mr. Pinnow earned an M.F.A. in Theatre Performance at the University of Florida. He has an extensive background in acting, specifically, stage combat. Mr. Pinnow visited OCU on Feb. 15.
“I’m interested in the provost position at OCU because I believe my background matches a number of the needs of OCU. I’m originally from theatre and a proponent of the liberal arts. My recent administrative experience has been focused on expanding graduate programs, online programs, and allied health programs,” Mr. Pinnow said.
“As Provost, we would put student success and the student experience at the center of everything we do, expanding opportunities for more students and offering greater flexibility in fulfilling students’ educational goals.
“For the students: You will always have an ability to connect directly with me, I hold open office hours reserved for students every week and if I am named Provost will look forward to meeting as many student groups as I can and I’ll bring the pizza.”
According to the search committee, the purpose of the campus visit is to allow the university community to meet the candidates, learn about their experience, and hear their goals if they were to be selected as provost/VPAA.
The provost supervises the academic and administrative aspects of the university. The provost works with faculty to measure the effectiveness of programs and to implement improvements. The provost also serves or selects a representative to serve on many university committees. The full list of responsibilities is extensive.
Melanie Shelley, the Associate Dean of the School of Dance and Entertainment, and Dr. Talia Carroll the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are co-chairing the Provost Search Committee. Dean Shelley was previously the sole chairperson on the committee.
SGA President Reid Powell is representing the student body on the committee.
The search committee hired Summit Search Solutions to obtain candidates for the position of provost. Summit Search Solutions Senior Consultant Jan Asnicar hosted focus groups with stakeholder populations in October 2021. The primary goal of these focus groups was to gain an understanding of what stakeholder groups were looking for in a candidate.
“The search firm, Summit Search Solutions led the identification of a diverse candidate pool based on the position profile. The committee engaged in a thorough process to identify many candidates who, we believe, are student-centered and eager to communicate about how they intend to support students,” Shelley and Carroll said.
The search committee is responsible for narrowing the list of candidates for the position of provost. It will now be up to President Kenneth Evans to select the next provost.
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