Aug. 25, 2011
Search efforts on track for leadership posts
by Anne Krapfl
Iowa State will welcome new leaders to several key positions in the next 10 months, and search committees either continued or began their work over the summer break. Here's an Inside update on the status of five leadership posts:
President
The search passed a key date this week: Aug. 23 is the preferred deadline for nominations and submissions. An 18-member search committee, appointed by the state Board of Regents on June 23, has met monthly since then with consultant Daniel Parker of Parker Executive Search, Atlanta. More than 120 individuals have either been nominated or expressed interest in the ISU presidency, a figure that Parker said exceeds the norm at this stage in a presidential search. The committee's next meeting is scheduled for next week; details and an agenda will be released 24 hours previous.
President Gregory Geoffroy announced in March he will step down as president by July 31, 2012. The committee expects to submit information on three to five finalists to the board of regents sometime this semester. The board will select the next president.
Committee co-chairs: Business dean Labh Hira and ISU alumnus Roger Underwood
Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences
The search committee has been working since early April to recruit candidates and pursue nominations submitted by faculty and staff. The group met most recently on Monday. Sept. 1 is the preferred deadline for applicants. The committee will begin reviewing and evaluating applications next week. Campus interviews tentatively are planned for the last week of October and the first week of November. The start date for the next dean will be negotiated, but no later than July 2012.
Former dean Michael Whiteford retired on June 30; associate dean David Oliver began serving as interim dean on July 1.
Committee co-chairs: Associate provost David Holger and Engineering dean Jonathan Wickert
Associate Vice President for Human Resource Services
The search opened Aug. 9, and the preferred application deadline is Sept. 30. The executive search firm of Witt/Kieffer, Atlanta, is assisting the search committee.
In June, associate vice president Carla Espinoza publicly announced her plans to begin a two-year phased retirement by Jan. 1, 2012. The goal is to name her successor by the end of the calendar year.
Committee chair: Associate vice president for business and finance Pam Elliott Cain
Dean of Students
James Dorsett, director of the international students and scholars office since 2006, will become interim dean of students on or around Oct. 1. Until then, student affairs staff members will continue to share the dean's various responsibilities. During the workday, members of the university community should call 4-1020 and they'll be connected to the appropriate staff member for assistance. After hours, including weekends, they should call 231-6483.
Vice president for student affairs Tom Hill said a national search for a dean of students will begin in spring 2012. Former dean of students Dione Somerville left Iowa State June 30 for a position at Bloomsburg University, Pennsylvania.
Committee: To be appointed in November
Concluded search
As announced in March, Cathann Kress became Iowa State's vice president for extension and outreach on July 1, succeeding Jack Payne, who left Iowa State in May 2010. Agronomy professor Gerald Miller served as interim director for 13 months.
