Search committee releases position profile for chief academic officer; New provost expected to be named this spring

Consultants with the firm AGB Search Inc. will use the profile to help the search committee identify and recruit candidates.

The committee and consultants developed the profile after meeting last month with representatives of Marshall’s faculty, student body, staff and the community to gather input about traits and characteristics the next provost should possess. During the meetings, they solicited the constituent groups’ thoughts about Marshall’s strengths and challenges, and the key priorities, experience and leadership attributes they were looking for in the next provost.

“I appreciate the engagement of the entire university community in this process,” said Brandi Jacobs-Jones, Marshall’s senior vice president for operations/chief of staff, who is leading the search committee. “Their input helped the committee define the characteristics needed in our next provost, and those attributes are now clearly outlined in the profile. This is a process and document of which we can all be proud. I look forward to the next steps and bringing this search to a successful conclusion.”

The full profile and additional information about the search are available at www.marshall.edu/provost-search. Suggestions of qualified individuals who fit the profile may be submitted to Dr. Richard A. Wueste at richard.wueste@agbsearch.com or 540-431-5131 or Dr. Thomas Kowalik at thomas.kowalik@agbsearch.com or 607-759-5285.

The search committee comprises 20 members, including faculty, staff and student representatives. It is expected a new provost will be named before the end of the spring 2018 semester.

Dr. Gayle Ormiston, who has served as Marshall’s provost for 10 years, announced last fall that he would be stepping down at the end of the academic year to join the university’s philosophy faculty.