Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin    Barrett Goldsmith    Zach Lee 
                Jim Parsons            Christian Schmidt           Blake Whitaker

What's a provost?

There are two truths when it comes to students and provosts: first, most students are unaware of what a provost is. Second, few administrators play as large a role in a student's collegiate career. 

Provosts can wield broad, influential powers, such as when former Provost Edward Sheridan combined UH's liberal arts colleges and social sciences colleges into the massive College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in 2001. 

Provosts are also involved in planning graduation ceremonies, as Interim Provost Gerald Strickland was in this year's decision to drop the general commencement.

To use a favorite phrase of UH President Jay Gogue, a provost has to balance the "hopes and dreams" of faculty, staff and students. When a provost fails to do so, it generates tension between the groups and the administration -- tension that faculty say literally disappeared when Gogue took office.

You can understand why we dedicate so much coverage towards the search for UH's next chief academic officer. Whomever is selected will solidify leadership of the campus and the system and can ultimately make or break the Gogue era.

There are six candidates for the position, all of whom have participated in on-campus forums over the last two months, offering myriad qualifications and visions. Every one spoke highly of UH's potential. Certainly, every one could make a good provost.

At the Spring Faculty Forum on Wednesday, Gogue said he hopes to get a final report from the provost search committee later this week and then act with "tremendous haste" to close the process within a week.

Now, the search committee is soliciting input from any member of the UH community as to their feelings about the six provost candidates and how they should make their decision.

The committee needs to hear the University's voice now if it is to be guided in making the right recommendations.

 Send comments to dccampus@mail.uh.edu