New Provost Search Underway

By ALISON THOET

President Rick Hurley enlisted the services of the Registry for College and University Presidents to assist in replacing previous provost, Jay Harper, after he stepped down Friday, March 2, as announced by a faculty-wide email sent by Hurley.

The Registry, founded in 1992, is an interim placement service for presidents and other university administrators, according to Hurley. Registry interims cannot be candidates for a permanent position.

Three candidates for the provost position will be visiting UMW on Tuesday April 3. According to Hurley, there will be an opportunity for faculty and staff to meet with the candidates in Dodd Auditorium at various times during the visits. Information about the candidates will be available on March 30.

“I want an experienced provost with a strong record in academic administration on a college of our size,” said Hurley.

In a faculty-wide email, Hurley wrote, “The final executive decision to select the interim provost will fall to me as president and I will announce the selection as soon as possible following the candidates’ visits.”

John Morello, the associate provost, will fill Harper’s former position due to Harper stepping down after three years as provost. Harper came to the university in July 2009 and was the first to fill the station of provost permanently.

Harper’s departure is effective beginning June 24, 2012.