Chancellor search committee to narrow applicants this month

By Luke Nozicka, @lukenozicka

The group searching for the campus’ next chancellor has sent out about 70 letters of interest, and hopes to have a full-time chancellor chosen by the beginning of summer.

Chancellor Search Advisory Committee co-chair Carl Flowers, director of the Rehabilitation Institute, said the committee may narrow the pool of applicants down to its top eight to 10 candidates at its next meeting on March 20.

Committee co-chair Meera Komarraju, chairwoman of the Department of Psychology, said while the 18-person group—which has met three times—has not started looking closely at applications, it wants to find someone who can build a good relationship with the university’s faculty.

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“Someone… who would be a positive, visionary and engaging leader,” said Komarraju, who, with Flowers, was on the most recent presidential search committee that led to the hiring of Randy Dunn.

Komarraju said the university has advertised for the position, which is still open to internal and external applicants, in: 

  • The Chronicle of Higher Education, a newspaper subscribed to by more than 64,000 academics, according to its website. “The position will be available July 1, 2015, or as negotiated,” according to a Jan. 30 post on the Chronicle’s Jobs on Vitae.
  • Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, a 31-year-old newsmagazine, which provides, “news, information… on the full range of issues concerning diversity in American higher education,” according to its website.
  • The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, a magazine published biweekly, which, “covers events, news, and ongoing trends that affect our multicultural institutions of the 21st century,” according to its website.

Flowers, who does not know how much money the university has spent to advertise for the position, said at least the top two or three candidates will be invited for on-campus, open forum interviews. 

“All nominations and applications will be held in confidence except for finalists,” according to the job posting on the Chronicle. People interested in applying for or nominating someone for the position are encouraged to contact Flowers, Komarraju or John Haller, who is covering duties of the vice president for academic affairs.

Luke Nozicka can be reached at [email protected]

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