Dean search shrinks to 4

As March Madness dwindles to the Final Four, so does the search for the next vice provost for student affairs and dean of students.

The search committee has narrowed the field to four candidates, one of whom will replace current Dean of Students Dick McKaig, who will retire at the end of the year.

Each candidate will visit campus during the next two weeks to meet with students, faculty and other members of the IU community.

Hutton Honors College Dean Matthew Auer is the chairman of the search committee. He said the candidates have many meetings planned in each of their 36-hour visits.

“There are so many different constituents this dean will want to meet,” Auer said.

In addition to talking to administrators and student leaders, four open forums will give the candidates the chance to introduce themselves to and answer questions from students.

The forums will be discussion-based, Auer said, and a reception will follow each one.

Auer said students have been the focus of the search. He said they will have more opportunities than faculty members to meet the applicants and that the search committee has five student representatives.

“I can’t remember a search committee that had this many students on it,” Auer said.

The search started in November 2008, and Auer said the committee is essentially finished with its job. The final decision is up to Provost Karen Hanson.

Interfraternity Council President Colin Nabity, a junior, said he plans to attend the meeting between student leaders and each of the four candidates. He said the discussions will offer the chance to learn about who will replace McKaig.

“This is obviously one of the most pivotal times in IU history,” Nabity said. “McKaig’s been around forever. He’s been one of our biggest advocates.”

Nabity said McKaig is approachable and “does not run the campus from behind the desk.”

Panhellenic Association President Annie Raeder, junior, said she hopes the new dean has similar qualities.

“Our relationship with Dean McKaig is really good,” Raeder said. “We can call him up any time. We want to make sure we can open those lines of communication with the new dean.”

Meet the candidates
FRANK SANCHEZ
Current Position: Associate vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Colorado Denver
When to meet him: 5 p.m. today at the Whittenberger Auditorium

PETE GOLDSMITH
Current position: Vice president for enrollment management and student affairs at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio
When to meet him: 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Wells-Metz Theatre

LORI REESOR
Current position: Associate vice provost for student success at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan.
When to meet her: 5 p.m. April 6 at the Whittenberger Auditorium

GENEVA WALKER-JOHNSON
Current position: Dean of students and chief student affairs officer at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.
When to meet her: 5 p.m. April 8 at the Maurer School of Law, room 123