Candidates to visit campus over next two weeks Candidate_4.12_vnd

Factoid:Charles Pinder will visit the campus today and Tuesday, Mary Sumner on April 19 and 20, and Paul Sarvela on April 26 and 27. Open forums will take place for each candidate.

With a large move toward restructuring and degree programs up for elimination, the College of Applied Science and Arts is working through a large transitional phase that extends all the way to the dean’s office.

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Four finalists for the position of CASA dean began visiting the campus Thursday and will continue through April 27, providing open forums for faculty, staff and students to ask questions and give input on each candidate.

Paul Sarvela, one of the four candidates, has been serving as interim dean since October 2002, replacing Elaine Vitello, who retired the position that September.

Thomas Hassell, a professor in the College of Health Professions at Northern Arizona University; Charles Pinder, chairman of the Department of Technology at Northern Kentucky University; Mary Sumner, associate dean of the School of Business at SIU-Edwardsville; and Sarvela will each give two presentations and two one-hour forums to meet with the public during their visit.

Pinder will give a presentation, “A Framework for Developing and Enduring Great Learning Colleges to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century,” followed by an open forum at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Student Center’s fourth floor video lounge.

With the future of CASA up in the air, those affected will have the opportunity to put each candidate to the test and submit a review of their impressions following the question-and-answer session.

Hassell, who was on campus Thursday and Friday, was faced with difficult questions posed by about 35 people at Lesar Law Auditorium regarding his ideals for the future of CASA.

Those in attendance followed his half-hour presentation, “Grantmanship:The Science and Art of Garnering Extramural Funding,” with questions concerning his management style, budgetary considerations and how students fit into that process.

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Hassell said he believes he is a perfect fit for the decision; with a background in health care, 25 years of pilot experience and being a self-described “closet architect” who has designed and built three homes in three states, he has experience in most of the varied areas encompassed in CASA.

“That’s one of the things that attracted me here:the eclectic nature of this department,” Hassell said.

Considering himself inclusive, fair and firm, Hassell said he does not believe in across-the-board cuts in reference to budgets and programs.

“When funds are limited, decisions have to be made,” Hassell said. “This is a participatory decision-making process. I as a dean wouldn’t feel comfortable making these decisions from the top saying, ‘Thou art away.’ It’s not a democratic process, but it should be a participatory process.”

However, Hassell said he had not learned about the possible elimination of programs until immediately before the first session. But he said in any management decisions, the important thing is to be transparent.

“I have to know what you’re doing; you have to know what I’m doing,” he said. “Otherwise, it just breeds mistrust. If we’re not transparent, if we’re not open and honest with each other as colleagues as coworkers, then we’re not on the right track.”

The forums will continue with Mary Sumner on April 19 and 20 and end with Paul Sarvela on April 26 and 27. Presentation times for these candidates have yet to be set.