Purdue faculty, staff enjoy
provost forums
By Laura Pelner
Campus
Editor
Overall the response from the Purdue faculty and
staff who attended the provost candidate's open forums was positive,
said the chair of the Provost Search Committee.
Richard Borch, the head of the medicinal chemistry
and molecular pharmacology department and the chair of the committee,
said that they've gotten positive and constructive feedback.
Borch estimated that more than 200 people attended
the first forum, which was for Stephen Leslie from the University of
Texas at Austin.
Borch said about 150 people attended the second
forum for Gary Schuster, from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and
150 people also went to the third forum for Joan Lorden, from the University
of Alabama.
Borch said well over 200 people went to the forum
for Sally Frost Mason from the University of Kansas.
"I was delighted to see the big crowds," said Borsch.
"We were really space limited (at the forums). We basically had standing
room only at all the sessions."
Sheila Curl, the engineering librarian, attended
all of the provost forums. "I thought having a forum that was open to
the whole community was excellent," said Curl.
"(The provost) is the first academic officer of
the University (and the position) touches all of our lives," she said.
"So I think having the open forums was great."
Curl said the format of the forums, where the candidate
spoke and then answered questions from the audience, was also good.
"It gave me insight into what (the candidates) were thinking about,
what's important to them as university faculty and administrators."
Andy Weiner, a professor of electrical and computer
engineering, attended all four of the sessions as well. "I like the
idea of having these open forums," said Weiner.
"The provost is obviously an influential person
at Purdue," he said. "It was nice for the faculty and staff to have
a preview of the people being considered and feel that they have a chance
to submit their comments and be part of the process."
Borch said the faculty's opinions will be considered
through the evaluation forms they filled out at the forums. The forms'
content will be taken into account when the search committee makes its
proposal to President Martin Jischke.
"I will review (the candidate evaluation forms)
over the weekend and put together a summary of feedback," said Borch.
"These forms will also be reviewed by the search committee. They will
clearly form a part of our recommendation to the president."
Borch said the next step in the selection process
will be to give Jischke a list of the candidates who the committee thinks
is acceptable for the position.
"(Jischke) will ultimately make the decision,"
said Borch. "It's in his hands after next week."
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