Editorial: Will the new provost bring fresh ideas?

When selecting a new provost, Chancellor Mark Nordenberg kept it in the family by choosing… When selecting a new provost, Chancellor Mark Nordenberg kept it in the family by choosing previous vice provost, Patricia Beeson, for the job.

Out of six final nominees for the positions, Beeson was the only applicant holding a current position at the University. The other five final candidates came from institutions and positions outside of Pitt.

According to a 2009 Chief Academic Office national census by the American Council on Education, internal hiring for provosts is not uncommon. Fifty-two percent of CAOs are promoted to their positions from within their current institutions.

Beeson has replaced former provost, James V. Maher, who is returning to a faculty position after 15 years of service.

Beeson, however, has been employed by the University for more than 27 years. Because there is such an even split between the number of internal and external CAO hires according to the ACE poll, it seems that the pros and cons of hiring an insider like Beeson are balanced. But after such a lengthy career at Pitt, we hope Beeson can still contribute new ideas and take a fresh perspective so that she can properly serve and excel as provost.

The results of the census also show that the likelihood of a CAO being promoted internally is dependent on the length of time that individual has spent at the institution.

“Only 39 percent of CAOs three years or less on the job have spent their administrative careers at one institution, compared with 47 percent of CAOs who have served three to six years and 56 percent of CAOs with seven or more years experience,” according to the census.

Claire Van Ummersen, the vice president of the ACE’s Center for Effective Leadership, said there are benefits to both hiring internally and to bringing people in from the outside.

“People from outside have a fresh eye and new ideas, but they have to learn the culture of the institution,” Van Ummersen said. “[When you’re hired internally], you know the culture well. You know the faculty. You have established relationships and partnerships already. You know where there may or may not be problems, so you can hit the ground running.”

Beeson has certainly shown a dedication to the University through her long stay with Pitt, and her familiarity of the school’s workings should be advantageous. But is it advisable to hire internally? Most likely, it will depend more on the individual rather than the individual’s previous position.

“I know people who were very successful who have been hired internally and externally,” Van Ummersen said. “It depends more on the characteristics of the person and the needs of the institution.”

And although outsiders bring a fresh eye and new ideas to an institution, Van Ummersen added that some people are “just good” at coming up with ideas.

Let’s hope this is the case with Beeson. Amid Pitt’s upcoming tuition hike, funding issues with the state and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s earlier proposal to tax students their “fair share,” Pitt’s seen no shortage of obstacles in recent memory. We wish Beeson the best, for her and all of Pitt’s sake.