UALR Schedules Visits for Provost Finalists
Candidates for the position of provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock will start arriving for on-campus interviews beginning Thursday, Oct. 18.
The first candidate, Jerry Herron, Ph.D., founding dean of the Irvin D. Reid Honors College at Wayne State University, will be on campus Oct. 18 and 19. Other finalist visits will be Zulma R. Toro-Ramos, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State University, Oct. 22 and 23; and Laurence B. Alexander, Ph.D., J.D., associate dean of the graduate school at the University of Florida, Oct. 25 and 26.
A fourth candidate, Kevin Truman, Ph.D., dean of engineering at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, has withdrawn, according to Academic Search, the firm that has assisted UALR in the search.
The interview schedule for each candidate includes two open meetings for faculty and staff, one on the main campus and one at the UALR William H. Bowen School of Law. The candidates will also meet with a variety of other stakeholders including the search committee, deans, department chairs, students, the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, chancellor, interim provost, community representatives, and members of the Alumni Board, UALR Foundation Fund Board, and the UALR Board of Visitors.
Everyone who attends a session with a candidate will be encouraged to provide input through an online survey. The responses will be available to the search committee and the chancellor.
Chancellor Joel E. Anderson said that once the on-campus visits are completed, the appointment announcement will probably be within three to four weeks. He said that after the visits, the search committee and the chancellor will review survey results, make final background checks and reference calls, and begin negotiations with the top candidate. Dr. Anderson said he hopes the new provost can be on the job in January.