Searching For the One
Three candidates go through final steps

By Stephanie Mostaccio

The search for a new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs is nearing its end.
After reviewing 97 applicants and nominees since October and recently interviewing eight of the candidates who best met the position criteria, the Search Committee, led by President Mordechai Rozanski, has chosen three finalists.

The three remaining candidates — Jay Harper, Donald Steven and Alexandra Logue — each participated in an open forum in the Bart Luedeke Center Theater in which they delivered a speech and answered questions from audience members.

Harper, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology at Rowan University, spoke to the Rider community on Friday, Feb. 24.

Harper addressed the topic of Rider’s strategic planning, specifically student centeredness. In order for students to be successful, they need to bring the motivation and their institution needs to bring the rest, he said.

“Motivation is the most important aspect of a student’s makeup that will determine his or her success,” said Harper. “If they have that motivation and they come to an institution that is student-centered and caring, then we guarantee the rest of it will give them success. The formula is very simple: motivation, assistance, opportunity equals success.”

Steven, provost at the Citadel, dean of the college and professor of education, spoke to the Rider community on Tuesday, Feb. 28. He also addressed the topic of Rider’s strategic planning, which he said is essential to a university.

“It is vital that the University knows where it is going, how it will get there and how it will know along the way that it is meeting its goals,” he said.

Steven added that strategic planning is an issue that is central to the future of Rider.

“You’ve made a commitment of faith to work together and to develop plans,” he said. “You need to see as the next two, three, four, five years unfold that these actions will actually take place and that the students will be enriched for it.”

Alexandra Logue, special advisor to the chancellor at the City University of New York, will address the Rider community today, Friday. She will also speak about Rider’s strategic
planning.

Rozanski said the presentations allow the finalists’ potential colleagues and student body to meet and critique them.

“The provost, as Rider’s academic leader, will work with members from all of our campus constituencies,” he said.

“Therefore, the public presentations allow students, faculty and staff to meet the candidates, ask questions and through subsequent feedback help assess the candidate’s fit for the position of provost.”

In addition to their public presentations, the three finalists also had one and a half days of scheduled interviews with numerous faculty, administrators and students on the Lawrenceville and Princeton campuses, according to the president.

Rozanski noted that in addition to the 11 faculty and administrators on the Search Committee, including: John Buschman, professor and chairperson, Moore Library; Lindsey Christiansen, professor, WCC Piano & Voice Department; Susan Denbo, associate professor, Business Policy/Environment; Bonnie Dimun, member Rider Board of Trustees; Julie Drawbridge, associate professor, Biology; Lauren Eder, associate professor and chairperson, Computer Information Systems; Ira Mayo, associate dean, Student Affairs; Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan, chairperson, Rider Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee; Jonathan Millen, professor and chairperson, Communication Department; Joe Nadeau, professor and dean, College of Liberal Arts, Education and Sciences; and Nancy Westburg, professor, Graduate Education; an additional 50 faculty, staff, administrators and student leaders assisted in the search.

According to Rozanski, the search was so complex because the provost plays a vital role in Rider’s academic program.

“The provost is the academic leader for our entire University community,” he said. “For that reason, we have dedicated many hours to developing the position description and in searching out the strongest candidates to interview for this position.”

A provost should be a successful academic leader with excellent administrative, analytical and planning skills, as well as a deep abiding interest in the mission of a student-centered university dedicated to teaching excellence and active learning, Rozanski said.

The president added that a provost must also demonstrate an interest in and support for Rider’s mission and goals, the ability to work in collaboration to articulate and implement an academic vision consistent with the University’s strategic plan, and excellent communication and listening skills, among other things.

The Search Committee chose Harper, Steven and Logue as the final three candidates based on their ability to meet the criteria.

“We were impressed with their experience, intelligence and leadership skills, as well as their enthusiasm for joining with us to take Rider to the next level of excellence,” Rozanski said.

According to the president, the new provost will be chosen this spring and will assume the position in the summer. He or she will replace Phyllis Frakt, the current provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, who is retiring after 31 years of service at Rider, 10 of which she was the provost.

Rozanski is pleased with how the search has turned out so far because of the candidates’ concern for the University.

“We have had strong candidates who demonstrated a sincere interest in joining our community to help Rider advance its mission of being a student-centered university,” he said.