The search committee for a new vice president of academic affairs is narrowing the pool of applicants. The committee will meet on Dec. 17 to review the applicants and prepare questions for interviews.
Head of the committee, English professor Wayne Glausser, said in an email that this meeting will be very helpful in tracking the rest of the search.
"After this meeting, our search consultants will go back and do further research on the most promising candidates; they will also continue the process of recruiting strong candidates," Glausser said.
The semi-finalists will be selected from the pool of applicants. Then, each finalist will be interviewed on campus in February.
"Then we select three or four finalists, who will come to DePauw in late February or early March for full interviews, with the whole campus community involved. We hope to make an offer shortly after those visits and announce an appointment before the end of March," Glausser said.
Senior Arezoo Nazari, the only student on the committee, provides a different perspective during the search process.
"I thought I was going to be below [all of the faculty and staff] but I'm actually one of them too," Nazari said. "My part is the student perspective. The things that I feel faculty and staff are looking for are much different than what a student is looking for. The issue and goals are a little bit different."
For the VPAA position, the committee has outlined specific attributes they are looking for. Meetings up until now have been dedicated to defining the position.
"A few of the elements we're looking for [are] recognized accomplishments as a teacher-scholar, strong record of leadership, intelligent, imaginative ideas about academic culture in liberal arts institution, and ability to serve as a strong advocate for the faculty and the university," Glausser said.
Nazari has specific goals she would like to see the new VPAA to consider during the search process.
"I think that to get better or to move the university forward is when you can start frazzling things on campus," Nazari said. "Making people feel uncomfortable because change is a good thing. I think people feel too comfortable where they are. We need someone who has a vision and will go for it and is not afraid to make people upset or anger them. Some one who is not always a people pleaser. Somebody that is strong and not afraid to frazzle some people to get the job done."