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Provost candidate to speak in forum

Cougar News Services

Luanna Meyer, a candidate for UH provost, will meet the University today in an open forum at the University Hilton.

Meyer is assistant vice chancellor-academic at Massey University in New Zealand, a position similar to the American provost. The Oshkosh, Wis., native received her bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin and her doctorate at Indiana University.

At UH, the provost — who also holds the titles of senior vice chancellor and senior vice president for academic affairs — oversees faculty, curriculum development, graduate and international studies and various aspects of classroom life.

Throughout her career in academia, Meyer has fostered teaching and research partnerships between universities and schools. Before she left the United States, Meyer's federal research grants totaled $11 million, and she served on grant review panels for the U.S. departments of Health & Human Services and Education. Those ties to federal research could be attractive to UH, which is trying to increase its research stature.

Meyer was most recently one of six finalists for provost at the University of Iowa, but UI announced Friday it had selected Michael J. Hogan of The Ohio State University for that position.

The hour-long forum, open to the entire UH community, will begin at 4 p.m. in the University Hilton's Waldorf Room. Meyer will make a brief introductory statement followed by a Q-and-A session with the audience.

The other four candidates for provost will participate in similar forums during their visits, all at 4 p.m. on their respective dates at the University Hilton:

Cristina González of the University of California-Davis, Wednesday, Waldorf Room;

Richard Edwards of the University of North Carolina, Feb. 4, Shamrock Room;

Charles Louis of Georgia State University, Feb. 10, Waldorf Room;

David Young of Arizona State University, Feb. 12, Waldorf Room.

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