The Senate Executive Committee won’t be involved in the selection of search committee members for a permanent chancellor.
The SEC met in a special meeting Aug. 31, called after leaders received a directive from President Timothy L. Killeen to begin the chancellor search process. Killeen has said he would like to have the search completed and a chancellor named before the end of the spring semester.
SEC members considered and accepted a document prepared by the Committee on Committees outlining the search process, though it was modified after discussion.
Nancy O’Brien, a professor of library science and COC chair, said the committee was aware of the tight timeline when it met Aug. 28 to prepare the search document, which is based on previous chancellor searches.
“We knew it was an important decision the SEC would be making about the process,” she said of the speedy review.
Discussion quickly turned to whether a provision giving the SEC two nominations for the committee should be changed – handing the two nominations to senators for a direct vote.
“I don’t think we should be making that decision,” said Abbas Aminmansour, an SEC member and a professor of architecture. “I believe this is best left to the senate.”
Under the revised proposal, which still must gain full senate support, the search committee would comprise 15 members, nine of them faculty members, including the chair. Faculty members would be selected through a general campus nomination process, with the COC nominating 12 to 14 candidates for consideration.
Membership also would include three students, one dean or director, one academic professional and one staff member, each chosen from their respective governing entities.
In the last search, the SEC was granted two faculty nominations. This time, under the proposed process, senators will select all of the committee spots.
Of those selected, the SEC and COC would each retain the right to make two nominations for chair, with senators choosing two from those nominees. The president would choose the chair from the final two nominations.
O’Brien said the committee would consider diversity and other balancing factors in the nomination selection process. It also will adhere to the rule disallowing more than two nominees from a single college.
Senators’ votes will be conducted electronically to speed the process along.
The electronic voting process involves a five-day nomination period, followed by a three-day voting period. Ties will be settled through a two-day runoff vote.
The senate could finalize the committee selection process at its Sept. 21 meeting.
In other business related to campus administrative searches, Acting Chancellor Barbara Wilson said in a Sept. 1 massmail to campus that she is considering a flood of campus nominations for interim vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.
Wilson said she had consulted extensively with more than 60 campus leaders.
“I am benefiting greatly from these discussions and I hope to name an interim provost in the next few days,” she said.
The search for a permanent provost is expected to begin upon the conclusion of the chancellor’s search.
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