I write to inform you that I am starting the process for a search for a Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs as I outlined in my letter to the campus dated Tuesday, June 3, 2014. I have retained the search firm “Academic Search” to assist us with the process, and its president, Jessica Kozloff, will personally oversee the CSI search. Academic Search has a reputation of high integrity in the Academy and is well known for assisting campuses in attracting a diverse and highly qualified pool of applicants for positions in academic affairs. Jessica was the consultant who worked with Lehman College in their provost search a few years ago, so she understands the nuances of a CUNY search.
Academic Search will work closely with and assist the search committee. The committee will make final recommendations, not the search firm. To be formally considered, applicants will be required to submit their application materials via CUNYfirst. Thus, the final pool may contain applicants brought to our attention by the search firm as well as any interested applicants who apply through the normal process. All applicants will be treated and evaluated on an equal basis based on objective criteria that will be presented in the advertisement and endorsed by the search committee.
Here is how I see the process unfolding:
I have asked Dean Alex Chigogidze to lead this process and to serve as chair of the search committee. During September, Dean Alex and Jessica Kozloff will meet with many campus constituents (chairs, governance leaders, town hall assemblies, etc.) to develop a list of attributes that will be used to evaluate candidates. At the same time, as per our Governance Plan, I will consult with the Executive Committee of the College Council on the composition of the search committee, which should be diverse and representative of the campus.
I anticipate that the full search committee will be named and the position widely advertised by late September or early October. I will ask that Dean Alex keep the campus fully informed as to the progress of the committee. I anticipate that applications will come in through the first of the year and the search committee will start its screening process in January and February. Telephone, Skype, and neutral-site interviews will take place in late February and early March with campus visits of the public finalists taking place in April. The goal is to have a new Provost in place by the end of summer 2015.
We will be developing a public Website to archive all official communications regarding the search as well as milestones, a timeline, the CVs of the campus finalists, and any additional pertinent material. I will also send Dean Alex to a number of national meetings this year where he will promote CSI and the search in order to recruit and meet interested candidates.
I also want to take this opportunity to again thank Provost Naider who has done an outstanding job. As I said to the CUNY Board of Trustees at the time of his appointment, “Dr. Naider has a long and distinguished career at the College of Staten Island” starting in 1973. He has also “served with distinction, honor, and integrity” as a senior leader at the College of Staten Island and within The City University of New York. As soon as a new Provost is in place, Fred will take a well-deserved study leave and sabbatical and then return to his scholarship, teaching, and service to the College.
Please feel free to write either to Dean Alex or me about the process.
