Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Three finalists named for university’s top job
FAYETTEVILLE — The three finalists for the chancellor’s job at the University of Arkansas each work at large public universities as a provost, a high-ranking administrative position often described as a school’s top academic officer.
Finalists for the UA top job announced Friday are: April Mason, provost and senior vice president at Kansas State University; Joseph E. Steinmetz, executive vice president and provost at Ohio State University; and Jeffrey S. Vitter, provost and executive vice chancellor at the University of Kansas.
UA System President Don Bobbitt selected the finalists from a group of seven people interviewed Sept. 25 in Dallas by a search committee appointed by Bobbitt. The finalists are seeking to replace David Gearhart, who stepped down at the end of July.
Through a spokesman, Bobbitt declined comment Friday. But in a statement released by the university, he said he’s “very excited about introducing these individuals to the campus.”
Each finalist will visit Fayetteville for two days of activities, including a public talk on the morning of the second day of their time on campus.
Mason will visit Tuesday and Wednesday. Steinmetz is set to visit Oct. 12-13 and Vitter on Oct. 14-15.
After the visits by the finalists, Bobbitt will recommend a single finalist for approval by UA System trustees.
Mason and Vitter weren’t included on a list of 15 applicants for the job released in August by UA nor in response to a public disclosure request submitted Sept. 18.
Laura Jacobs, UA’s associate vice chancellor for university relations and chairman of the chancellor search committee, said there have been 17 applicants for the job. She declined to confirm whether any of those the committee met in Dallas were not among the official applicants.
John Rupe, past chairman of the UA Faculty Senate, said he’s glad the candidates have strong academic backgrounds, noting that, at most universities, provosts are in charge of the academic side of an institution.
“That means they’ve been involved in the nitty-gritty of running their institutions, so that’s very important,” Rupe said, explaining the finalists likely have experience in faculty hiring and evaluation.
The theme of each candidate’s public talk will be Moving the Needle: Thoughts on Taking the University of Arkansas Into the Future. Each talk will be held at 10:30 a.m. on the second day of the finalist’s visit at the Faulkner Center for Performing Arts.
Classes will continue as normal during that time period, Jacobs said. It likely will be up to the candidates whether their presentations are recorded, Jacobs said.
Rupe said he’s interested in hearing ideas about how to move UA to become a top 50 public research institution, a longstanding goal for the school. In one such ranking, put together by U.S. News & World Report, it’s listed as 62nd, in a tie with several other public universities.
While Rupe said leadership is important, he noted the candidates don’t know the ins-and-outs of the Fayetteville campus.
“I’m hoping they don’t come with real detailed specifics, because it’s going to — I hope, will be — a partnership with admissions and faculty on what we will be and how we get there,” Rupe said.
Trish Watkins, chairman of the university’s Staff Senate, said she hopes to meet with the candidates to discuss concerns among staff members about a lack of pay increases, especially with rising health care costs.
“What I want to know from them is, what sort of commitment they will have to the staff,” Watkins said, praising Gearhart and Interim Chancellor Dan Ferritor for listening to staff concerns.
Mason, who joined Kansas State as provost in 2010, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Mount Union College, then a master’s degree in plant physiology and a doctorate in foods and nutrition from Purdue University.
Mason, 59, previously held a dean’s post at Colorado State University and was an associate dean at Purdue University in Indiana. She was honored by Purdue University as a member of that school’s Distinguished Women Scholars, a honor given to alumni of the school.
Steinmetz, named provost at Ohio State in 2013, earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in experimental psychology from the same school. He also earned a doctorate in physiological psychology from Ohio University.
Steinmetz, 60, joined Ohio State in 2009 as a vice provost. Before that, he was a dean at the University of Kansas and prior to that a professor at Indiana University. In February, Steinmetz was linked to what at the time was the vacant University of Texas presidency, with the Austin American-Statesman, citing unnamed sources, reporting he was included on a list of finalists for the job.
Vitter, who joined the University of Kansas as provost in 2010, earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame and a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University. He later earned a master’s in business administration from Duke University.
Vitter, 59, previously was a professor at Texas A&M University, where he served as provost from 2008 to 2009. Before that, he served as a dean at Purdue University, and he has held faculty posts at Brown University and Duke University. Vitter is chairman of the Council on Academic Affairs, a part of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.
The advertisement for the UA job released in July noted experience at a “landgrant, flagship, research university is desired.”
Rupe said he appreciated the candidates having experience at such schools, adding the candidates would be required to get along with state leaders if chosen to be chancellor — something Bobbitt also emphasized during a March meeting with UA’s Campus Faculty group.
“I’m hoping they have some ideas about how we relate to the state, not just how we rate nationally, and what our role is in the state,” Rupe said. “I think that’s going to be very important for the success of this campus.”
“I’m hoping they don’t come with real detailed specifics, because it’s going to — I hope, will be — a partnership with admissions and faculty on what we will be and how we get there.”
John Rupe, past chairman of the UA Faculty Senate