UO Provost search begins

7/29/2013: Job posting in the Chronicle here. The hiring committee is here, Alec Murphy chairs. The search firm is Isaacson Miller. From what I can tell their most recent prior contract with UO was for the CFO search in 2011, which failed. President Lariviere then made the command decision to give the job to Jamie Moffitt, from the athletics department. A bit unusual, given that Moffitt had been on the hiring committee, participating in reviews and discussion of other candidates.

The search process that the Senate approved in its March resolution to President Gottfredson, in reaction to the fact that Jim Bean was appointed as interim provost and kept the job for 4-5 years without substantial review or faculty input, is here:

3) PERMANENT PROVOST SEARCH PROCESS:

For the permanent search, the goal is to identify a short list of candidates and forward a ranking of these candidates, with commentary, to the University President for consideration. If a professional search firm is hired, the PSC or a subcommittee will be involved in writing the RFP and evaluating firms to the maximal extent legally allowed.

The University President and the PSC shall seek and accept nominations. After receiving nominations and confirming that the nominees are interested in serving, the President and the PSC will ask for statements and conduct interviews as they see fit. The PSC shall consult with the President and identify at least three finalists, and recommend a ranking, with explanation, to the President.

The Senate strongly prefers that all the finalist’s names be made public and that no fewer than three candidates be brought to campus. However, we recognize that there are arguments for maintaining the confidentiality of applicants, and that it may therefore be preferable for campus visits to be done sequentially, stopping with the first candidate to be approved by the President.

Campus visits for finalists shall include a written public statement, meetings with the FAC and the Senate Executive Committee, as well as a public presentation to the university community on the current challenges facing the university and its future direction. Each presentation will include an open Q&A session. Following the interview process, the PSC shall solicit feedback on the candidates from the university community. The PSC will then forward its recommendation to the University President, along with a summary of community feedback.

4) The interim Provost can be a candidate for permanent Provost, but the University President shall not appoint the interim to the permanent post without a full national search.

5) In the event that the President sees a need for changes in the procedures above, he shall work with the PSC, the FAC, and the Senate Executive Review Committee to develop these changes. The SERC shall report the changes and rationale to the Senate.