COAS dean might leave University

IU College of Arts and Sciences Dean Kumble Subbaswamy was named one of two final candidates for provost at the University of Kentucky Thursday.\nUK President Lee Todd announced the two final candidates in a campus-wide e-mail. He said both candidates will visit with faculty members and students. Subbaswamy will visit Dec. 12.\n"We feel fortunate to have two outstanding candidates, with impeccable credentials," said Jeannine Blackwell, dean of the UK graduate school and co-chair of the provost search committee. "They have excellent reputations, both as scholars and academic administrators, and have a proven record for engaging the communities their institutions serve."\nThe search committee spent several months working with an executive search firm to find qualified candidates for the position. The committee found 10 candidates, and after interviews, chose four to recommend to Todd. Todd chose two finalists and invited them for campus visits. \nThe new UK provost will replace Mike Nietzel, who left UK and became the president of Missouri State University in July.\nSubbaswamy was one of several final candidates for the position of IU-Bloomington chancellor and University-wide senior vice president for academic affairs, but was turned down by IU President Adam Herbert after the chancellor search committee named him a finalist. Herbert decided to continue the chancellor search after a 10-month search yielded three finalists, none of whom Herbert found to be acceptable.\nBlackwell said it can be difficult to find leaders with the right skills.\n"The ability to help manage and lead, in addition to articulating a compelling vision for the future, is essential," she said.\nThe announcement to continue the IUB chancellor search marked the beginning of a Bloomington faculty uproar and lead the faculty to hold special meetings and eventually pass two resolutions to be sent to the board of trustees. One resolution asks for a special review of Herbert by the board, and the other asks for the Bloomington campus's best interests to be the primary factor in selecting a new IUB chancellor.\nIU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said Herbert has no comment on Subbaswamy's candidacy for UK provost. Herbert has never acknowledged that Subbaswamy was a candidate for IUB chancellor.\nThe other candidate, Terry King, is the dean of engineering at Kansas State University.\nSubbaswamy was not available for comment by press time.