It isn't President Brian Casey, nor even a DePauw administrator, who will conduct the search for the university's next Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
Rather, Professor Wayne Glausser - an English professor - will head the committee to replace David Harvey who has served as the VPAA since the 2009-2010 school year.
Glausser, who wasn't available at press time, has been with DePauw since 1980. He received his bachelor's degree in literature from the University of California at Santa Cruz before earning a master's in philosophy and a doctorate from Yale University.
Glausser and the search committee will work closely with Alan Wichlei of Isaacson, Miller - a prominent executive search firm for not-for-profit organizations. The firm's job will be to actively recruit candidates based on the characteristics defined by Glausser and the rest of the search committee.
As the committee is still being fully formed, no definite characteristics have been named for the future VPAA, but DePauw spokesman Christopher Wells did emphasize that the position is an "extraordinarily important job" and that the vice-president will "serve as a rally point for putting ideas together."
The vice-president is essentially the dean of all things academic at DePauw. The leader works with faculty and students in decisions revolving around curriculum and academic programs.
"This new VP would lead the ongoing discussions on the curriculum, on how to free up more faculty time to work directly with students, and on how to best develop and support our faculty members to ensure they continue to be eminent scholars and impressive teachers," Wells said in an email. "The VPAA will also play a role in helping to steer fundraising efforts connected to DePauw's academics."
Casey told The DePauw last May that he thought the search for the new VPAA would run through the entire 2012 academic year. He said he hopes the new vice-president could start by the summer of 2013.
Casey also said the ideal candidate will have high academic credibility, served as a department chair or dean, been involved in academic planning at an institution and participated in the national discussion on pedagogy, curriculum and faculty development.
In the past, high-level administrations have come from universities across the U.S.
For instance, recently-hired Raj Bellani, dean for experiential learning and career planning, came from the Rhode Island School of Design while Brad Kelsheimer, Vice-president for Finance and Administration, was previously at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Harvey will serve as the VPAA until a new candidate is selected. Then he will return to teaching chemistry and biochemistry.
- Ellen Kobe contributed to this article.