Three veteran SIUC leaders are fighting to take over the top academic post of the entire SIU system.

Three finalists were announced in the hunt to find a successor to Vice President for Academic Affairs John Haller, who plans to step down in December. One of the three will inherit the job of overseeing the national search for SIUC’s next chancellor.

The finalists include: Prudence Rice, associate vice chancellor for research and director of the Office of Research Development and Administration; Paul Sarvela, dean of the College of Applied Sciences and Arts; and David Wilson, associate dean and director of the Graduate School.

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The vice president for academic affairs oversees all academic matters concerning the Carbondale, Edwardsville and Springfield campuses. Haller has held the post since 1990.

SIU President Glenn Poshard has said he hopes to name Haller’s replacement by Oct. 1 so he or she will have several months to work alongside Haller. Haller has said he will continue to help whenever Poshard asks, especially with the search for SIUC’s next chancellor.

The chancellor search is currently in what Haller called a “quiet phase,” used to identify and seek out interested candidates. Poshard has said he wants the search to be an in-depth, careful process that will bring a replacement to interim Chancellor Sam Goldman by fall 2010.

Sarvela, who has led the College of Applied Sciences and Arts since 2002, said his experience on many search committees for department chairs and deans has prepared him to help with the chancellor search.

He said his skills at identifying quality candidates and vetting the choices would help him in the process.

He also said his skills as the leader of a college somewhat immune to the campus-wide enrollment woes show his skills at addressing one of the system’s most crucial issues. While the university has lost students across the board since 2001, the College of Applied Sciences and Arts has seen its enrollment rise roughly 10 percent, Sarvela said.

“If I had to summarize my philosophy, I’d say I’m a pragmatist, I’m a database decision maker, I believe teamwork is the foundation of what I do, and I also think you have to have a good sense of humor,” he said.

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Rice, who has been the associate vice chancellor for research and the director of the Office of Research Development and Administration since 2003, said her passion for SIU’s research mission and a desire for some new challenges led her to apply for the job in July.

She said the university’s commitment to Southern at 150 – a plan to become one of the top-75 research institutions in the nation by 2019 – will help it reach new heights in the years to come.

“I feel like over the past 17 years we’ve seen the university kind of go into a decline and rise again, particularly with regard to the research mission, which is what I’m particularly concerned with in my particular position,” Rice said.

David Wilson, who has been association dean and director of the Graduate School since 2003, could not be reached for comment because he is out of the country on business.

Duane Stucky, chairman of the search, did not return a call for comment Thursday.

In a press release, Stucky said the finalists “have outstanding academic credentials, a thorough understanding of the (SIU) System and have demonstrated strong leadership abilities” in their time at the university.

The search was internal to the SIU System, Poshard has said, because the person chosen should have a strong base of knowledge of SIU and its mission.

Sean McGahan can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 254 or [email protected].