Provost announces finalists for dean of largest college

by Jeremy Hunt

Daily Lobo

Now that UNM has chosen a president, it has another decision to make.

Interviews begin today for dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Provost Reed Dasenbrock announced five finalists for the position Thursday.

The finalists are:

Patrick Maney, chairman of the history department at the University of South Carolina.

David Madigan, dean of the mathematical and physical sciences department at Rutgers University.

Michael Mares, professor of zoology and curator of mammals at the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma.

Brenda Claiborne, director of the University of Texas-San Antonio Institute for Aging Research.

Vera Norwood, interim dean of UNM's College of Arts and Sciences. Norwood has been the interim dean since 2005.

Joseph Cecchi, dean of the college of engineering, was chairman of the 15-member search committee.

Cecchi said he could not release how many people applied for the job.

Cecchi said the provost chose qualified applicants.

"It was seen as a very popular, attractive position, and we got a lot of applicants," he said. "It's a very strong pool. It's a diverse pool in every way, including disciplines. We're all looking forward to hearing from the candidates."

Each candidate will have two days to interview with faculty, staff and students.

Dasenbrock said it's not necessary for the next dean to be from New Mexico. People from outside the state bring new ideas, he said.

"It's important for us to continue to have an administration that reflects New Mexico," he said. "It's also important that we not become too inbred."

The dean of the College of Arts and Sciences has to improve graduation rates and maintain graduate and research programs, Dasenbrock said.

"To be the dean of (the College of) Arts and Sciences, you need to be able to move in two directions at once, just as UNM does," he said. "The dean has to be balancing two different

imperatives."

Cecchi said the search committee included a graduate student and an undergraduate. The students brought a vital perspective to the search, he said.

"The students are why we're here - why the college exists," he said. "Having student input into the dean of any college is

important."

Students should care who is going to be the next dean of the College of Arts and Sciences because all undergraduates are required to take courses in the college, Cecchi said.

Dasenbrock said he doesn't want to see a low student turnout for the interviews, like there was at the presidential candidate forums.

Students didn't take full advantage of the opportunity they had to meet the candidates, he said.

"There was some student concern about whether their voices were heard for the presidential search," he said. "We take student input very serious in all these searches, and I strongly encourage students to attend the open forum."

Cecchi said the search for a dean shouldn't be taken lightly.

"This is a very important search for the University - certainly the college - but the whole University," he said. "It's very important that we get as much input as we can from faculty, staff and students."