The search for the new dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management is drawing to a close, as the final list of candidates is now under review.

Thomas Lumpkin, vice chair of the search committee, said in an email that four candidates have been interviewed for the position: Ken Evans of the University of Oklahoma, Urton Anderson of the University of Texas, Ken Kavajecz of the University of Wisconsin and Donna Rapaccioli of Fordham University.

Each of the candidates made campus visits that were two days long, Lumpkin said. While on campus, each candidate made a public presentation to the Whitman board and held two days of meetings with faculty members.

“The final decision now rests with the provost,” said Lorraine Branham, chairwoman of the search committee and dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. “I would not be surprised if a candidate is revealed in the coming weeks.”

The search committee submitted a list of recommended candidates to Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina last week, Branham said. She said Spina will interview each candidate and make a final selection.

The search to replace current Dean Melvin Stith, who will leave his position at the end of the semester, began last spring with the appointment of a search committee. The committee consists of administration, faculty members and students.

Student meetings were also conducted to provide written feedback about the candidates. Student representatives Carly Getz and Willie Reddic, both Whitman students, hosted the sessions.

“We had two really terrific student representatives in the committee,” Branham said. “I was very impressed by how seriously they took the process. They were not shy about making their opinions known in a respectful way.”

Branham said the board valued the opinions of the student body, and added that the chosen candidate will also value the opinions of Whitman students. Budgeting, setting priorities and expanding global opportunities are all qualities to expect of deans, she said.

Before the list of candidates was submitted, Spina said he spent time with the search committee and listened to what its members had to say about each of the potential candidates.

“The board has done a really good job assessing the candidates,” Spina said. “I always tried to pay careful attention to all recommendations, whether they were from students or faculty.”

Spina said he also made phone calls to candidates’ references to see what each one brings to the table. Based on all of the sources, Spina said he has formed his own opinions on what strengths and weaknesses each candidate has.

After Spina hears the final review by the board and personally interviews each candidate, he said he will choose one individual to be hired. Although the committee’s job is over, Spina said, he plans to remain in communication with them.

The Whitman school has improved during the last decade in terms of its undergraduate program, Spina said. He said the next challenge is to build on that and improve its national ranking.

Said Spina: “We’re going to continue to work toward strengthening both the undergraduate and faculty programs to make Whitman the best that it can be.”

apalme05@syr.edu

–News Editor Casey Fabris contributed reporting to this article. 

Published on March 24, 2013 at 11:28 pm

Contact Annie: apalme05@syr.edu