Provost Search Consultant Plans Campus Meetings Thursday

University of Wyoming employees and students have an opportunity Thursday, Jan. 28, to voice their opinions on the search for a new provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Alberto Pimentel of Storbeck Pimentel, the consulting firm assisting with the search, will hold focus group meetings throughout the day with various campus constituencies.

“These sessions are to draw comments from faculty, staff and students about their perceptions and thoughts for the provost position and what it entails,” says Vice President for Research and Economic Development Bill Gern, who heads the search committee. “Comments from these sessions will help the committee members as they examine the credentials of applicants.”

While the meetings have been scheduled for specific groups, people are invited to attend any sessions that fit their schedules. All will take place in the Energy Innovation Center’s BP Collaboration Center, Room 209.

Here’s the schedule for Thursday’s meetings:

-- 10-10:45 a.m., College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

-- 11-11:30 a.m., UW staff.

-- Noon-1:15 p.m., deans and directors.

-- 1:30-2:15 p.m., College of Business, College of Engineering and Applied Science.

-- 2:30-3 p.m., UW students.

-- 3-3:45 p.m., College of Education, College of Health Sciences, College of Law.

Earlier in the day, Pimentel will meet with UW’s Executive Council.

The 17-member search committee met for the first time Jan. 14, and advertising for the position has begun. The objective is to have a new vice president for academic affairs in place by Aug. 1, to succeed current Vice President David Jones, who will return to his position on the College of Health Sciences faculty. The vice president for academic affairs is the university’s second-ranking leadership position.

The search process will be similar to that used by the UW Board of Trustees in its selection of incoming president Laurie Nichols. The committee is expected to seek input from campus constituencies and discuss desired qualifications and characteristics before reviewing candidates; consider applicants; and pass along a list of finalists to the president, who will recommend a selection to the Board of Trustees.

As with the presidential search, the names of candidates will be confidential until the list of finalists is released. The finalists will come to campus for public forums, likely late in the spring semester.