HSU Provost Search Update

February 17, 2015
The following message was provided by the Office of the President:
To the University community:
In consultation with Dr. Monty Mola, chair of the Search Committee for the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and considering the input from members of the Humboldt State community, I have decided that our best option is to close the current Provost search and restart it in a few months.
I am deeply grateful to the search committee for their outstanding work on this process. They invested countless hours in reviewing materials, interviews, and meetings. In the process, they have helped us understand more clearly the characteristics we need to seek in our next Provost. We all owe them our thanks. I hope that we will have some continuity with the next committee, and I am pleased that Dr. Mola has offered to be available to advise the next committee, even though he will be on a sabbatical next fall.
In a situation like this, I always ask myself, "What will be different next time?" In this case, a number of things will be different, including: (1) my increased understanding of the University community and its members; (2) an earlier start to the process; (3) a completely revised advertisement that reflects the new future for HSU; and (4) increased outreach by members of the University community (particularly me) to colleagues around the country to develop a strong and diverse pool of candidates.
I share the disappointment that this process did not result in the conclusion we had hoped for, but I do not consider this a "failed search." In my experience, a search process is often the best way to develop clarity on the characteristics in a leader that the University needs most at a particular moment in its history. I believe that what we have learned will serve us well as we renew our search in a few months.
With appreciation for the broad participation in the process,
Lisa A. Rossbacher, Ph.D.
President
Humboldt State University
 

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