Pitt affiliates address needs before Provost Search Committee

More than 150 candidates applied or have been nominated to be Pitt’s new provost so… More than 150 candidates applied or have been nominated to be Pitt’s new provost so far, and the Provost Search Committee will have the difficult task of finding someone to meet the needs of the various departments, graduate schools and branch campuses.

The Provost Search Committee assembled last Friday to discuss finding a replacement for current Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor James Maher, who announced his retirement plans in November. The committee, led by Vice Chancellor for Research Conduct and Compliance Randy Juhl, met in 2700 Posvar Hall, and invited students and faculty to voice the qualities they would like Maher’s successor to have. Representatives from each of Pitt’s four regional campuses attended by videoconferencing.

“We need a good person … Someone who’s demanding but fair,” Juhl said.

Many University leaders from Pitt’s main and regional campuses agreed that it will be difficult to find a replacement who can live up to the standards of Maher, who served as provost for the past 15 years. Some expressed apprehension about the transition of power.

The Provost Search Committee relies on the higher education search consultant, R. William Funk & Associates, to determine which candidates are most qualified. Juhl said he expects more candidates to apply by the end of the month.

The provost works with Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and the rest of Pitt’s administration to enhance academics and research at all Pitt campuses, according to Pitt’s website. The provost’s office oversees academic affairs, including education, research and faculty and student life.

All former provosts focused on different improvements, but some University leaders who attended the meeting thought that Maher exceeded his predecessors. Maher improved fundraising to allow for the construction of several academic buildings, such as Biomedical Science Tower 3, which is located on Fifth Avenue, next to Scaife Hall, Juhl said.

Some people who attended the meeting voiced their opinions on what kinds of projects they hoped the new provost would undertake.

Faculty members said they would like to see departmental growth similar to the new office and classroom buildings built for the natural sciences.

“We’re getting students into the top engineering schools, and we must send them away,” Christopher Drew Armstrong, director of the architectural studies department, said.

Armstrong urged the University to consider the importance of space and facilities, which he said often determine the success of academic programs at Pitt. He also said the new provost should be open to developing graduate programs so students can continue their studies in architecture, and some of the other small-scale programs at Pitt.

Faculty at the regional campuses voiced similar ideas.

“I would hope that the new provost would have a sensitivity to the role and the mission of the regional campuses,” Titusville Campus President William Shields said.

Some faculty members from Pitt’s Greensburg campus agreed and said the new provost will need to make decisions reflective of the times.

One woman who attended said she hoped the next degree she earned “would have a woman’s name on it” and that having a balance of men and women would better reflect the student population.

Jean Ferguson Carr, director of the Women’s Studies Department at Pitt, agreed and spoke about the need for diversity. Carr also said having too many adjunct faculty, as opposed to having tenured staff, was a problem.

“It’s very difficult to change the curriculum regularly,” Carr said.

Each member of the Provost Search Committee looks for certain qualities in the candidates for provost, qualities which are found in the current provost.

“I myself on this committee am going to look at his ambition,” Rosemary Natale, president of the College of General Studies Cabinet, said.

While committee members seek to find a new provost worthy of replacing Maher, they plan to do so realistically.

“We can’t expect to hire a provost who comes in with 60 years of experience,” Juhl said.

Dennis Looney, chair of the Department of French and Italian Languages and Literatures and an elected member of the Provost Search Committee, said that the chancellor “will be the structure in place.”

Some committee members said the new provost is fortunate to have the chancellor as a mentor. Nordenberg told committee members he will take on some of Maher’s responsibilities until the new provost is acquainted with the position.

Maher will step down and return to a faculty position for the 2010 academic year or when a successor is appointed.