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MU's crucial posts still vacant

Allie Shultz, Senior Staff Writer

Miami University continues its nearly year-long search for a new dean of the Farmer School of Business. Officials are also looking to fill the positions of dean of the College Creative Arts and vice president of Student Affairs, according to Associate Provost Carolyn Haynes.

With open leadership positions in two out of Miami's six academic divisions, the administration must actively search to fill them.

According to Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Scott Walter, the hiring process starts with the advertisement of an open position and the assembly of a search committee consisting of five to seven campus professionals and students.

Walter said the hiring process begins immediately after a position is vacated. The time it takes to fill the position varies based on the division and requirements for the role.

"I think the reality is, especially when you get to the level of dean, vice president, assistant vice president and even some of our directors, it's a three to six month process," Walter said.

Once a position has been available for about eight weeks, Miami can begin narrowing the pool of applicants and using the search committee to evaluate them, according to Walters.

Haynes said the process could take longer depending on the success of the search committee.

"Most searches are conducted and concluded within one year," Haynes said. "However, occasionally, searches do not reach a successful conclusion, and in those cases the search must be conducted again the following year."

The search to find the next dean of the Farmer School of Business has been going on since January 2013 when former Dean Roger Jenkins retired from the position. Since then, Interim Dean Raymond Gorman has filled the position during the ongoing search to find a permanent dean.

Gorman said he is not involved in the hiring process of the new dean, and that the work is done by a search committee chaired by Carine Feyten, the dean of the College of Education, Health and Society. Gorman also is not in the running for the position. Applications for the position were due in September. The committee is now narrowing their search.

"Everything now is being done quietly because the applicants want to maintain confidentiality," Gorman said. "Sometime, probably by the end of this fall, some finalists should be chosen and then they'll be public candidates."

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According to Gorman, when applicants become public candidates, opinions from any source may be taken into consideration.

"At that point, everyone's opinion matters," Gorman said. "Anyone who meets with a dean candidate will get a form and have the chance to write their comments about the person for the search committee."

Walter said the search for each candidate is unique to each position, but the important thing for all searches is that they are open and give equal opportunity.

"I think when you do a search it needs to be open to everybody," Walter said. "My philosophy is you need to hire the best person. If that person is internal that's great, but I also think if someone outside of Miami is interested and better for the job, they should be brought in."

Haynes said meeting the criteria of the position along with being a good fit for the university are two important qualities in applicants.

"Miami wants to be sure that the finalist is of exceptional quality, fulfills the criteria of the position and is a superb fit for our university," Haynes said.

According to Gorman, the dean of the Farmer School of Business is expected to be selected by next semester, but the search could take longer depending on how the finalist do in interviews and evaluations.