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Provost search narrows to five

Candidates set to visit UH in coming weeks

By Ed De La Garza
The Daily Cougar

Trying to repair a relationship with the faculty and working within budget constraints are some of the challenges facing the new provost. And, after a four-month search, UH is one step closer to finding that person.

The Provost Search Committee released a list of five candidates who will visit the University from Sunday through Feb. 13. Richard Edwards, a distinguished professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Cristina González, senior adviser to the chancellor at the University of California-Davis; Charles Louis, vice president for research at Georgia State University; Luanna Meyer, assistant vice chancellor at Massey University in New Zealand; and David Young, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University will participate in open forums during their respective visits.

"We were looking for someone who could provide academic leadership — someone to work with the president, deans and faculty to engage in academic planning and set priorities for the University," Ted Estess, chairman of the search committee and dean of The Honors College, said. "We were certainly looking for someone who is committed to shared governance and working with the faculty."

That idea of shared governance, and any potential candidate's willingness to welcome it, could be crucial in the selection process. In a 2002 Faculty Senate Climate Survey, the Senate blasted then-Provost Edward P. Sheridan for not working with the faculty or soliciting input. In the survey, 73 percent of UH professors said they disapproved of Sheridan's performance.

However, working within a limited budget may be the most pressing concern for the new provost.

"Anyone working in higher education today in the state of Texas must deal with the financial side of things," Estess said. "We need to make good use of the resources we have."

When the state fell $1.8 billion short of balancing its budget in 2003, all state agencies were required to cut their budgets. UH was faced with cutting $8.9 million. A state budget crisis coupled with diminishing funds means any potential provost will need to have experience in dealing with finances.

"Like all universities, the challenges relate to budgetary issues," Edwards, who will visit the University from Feb. 3-5, said. "It includes responding to challenges to a diminishing percentage of budget coming from external sources."

The list of five candidates will be pared down to three before being presented to President Jay Gogue. There is no specific timetable for Gogue's decision, although it could come as early as March, Estess said.

"Each of these candidates brings with him or her credentials of the highest order," he said. "We feel very enthusiastic about their coming to the campus and look forward to getting to know them in much more detail."

González will visit the campus Tuesday through Thursday; Meyer from Saturday to Tuesday; Louis from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11; and Young from Feb. 11 to Feb. 13.

Louis, Gonzalez and Young had not returned phone calls as of press time. The Daily Cougar was unable to reach Meyer.
 

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