A national search for a provost/vice president for Academic Affairs
has begun, with completion targeted for the end of the 2008 fall
semester and a new provost to be welcomed to Metro State in the spring.
“It’s essential that we recruit and select the best candidate, a
scholar and a leader who will fit into Metro State’s culture and help
us on our journey to preeminence,” said President Stephen Jordan.
Jordan has named Carrie Besnette, vice president of Institutional
Advancement and executive director of the Metro State Foundation, chair
of the Provost Search Committee, and 12 others as committee members.
“The members are a diverse group and highly representative of the
College community,” said Besnette. “They honor the College’s shared
governance structure.”
According to Besnette, the process already has been collaborative
with the Faculty Senate leadership, the essential components of the
position description having been decided upon within the shared
governance structure.
The search firm of Storbeck/Pimentel and Associates has been hired
to “perform high-level, robust screening and recruiting, whittling the
first cut down to 20 top candidates or fewer from which the committee
will determine a group of finalists,” said Besnette.
Alberto Pimentel, Storbeck/Pimental managing partner, said that his
firm will go to institutions around the country that are of
a comparable size and mission to identify sitting provosts or
successful deans. “We’ll be personally inviting them to apply. We’ll
also be asking members of the Metro State community to make
nominations.”
Pimentel said that having done quite a few provost searches in the
last year, he knows the field well. “I know who’s out there and can
access them, and will learn even more about Metro State to
know if any of these people would be a good fit for the College.”
The other committee members are:
Andrew Bateman, president of the Student Government Assembly
Dennis Boyd, director of New Student Orientation
Marilyn Coming, assistant budget director
Ken Engelbrecht, chair of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
department; professor of geography
Raj Khandekar, professor of management
Aileen Lucero, professor of sociology
Jacqueline McLeod, associate professor of African and
African American studies and history
Hal Nees, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology
Eric Peterson, president of the Metro State Alumni Association
Luis Torres, interim deputy provost
Shawn Worthy, associate professor of human services
Pat Yarrow, president of the Classified Council
Faculty and staff can follow the search’s progress at http://www.mscd.edu/committees/provost_search/index.shtml. In addition, @Metro will publish the search’s major milestones as they are reached.
