An end in sight?
The end of the search for the new Vice President of Off-Campus Programs is visible — after seven candidates and upwards of $50,000 spent on finding permanent head of the department.
But it still is not over yet.
Despite forums being conducted almost two weeks ago and two of the five candidates dropping out (one after her trip to CMU), officials remain silent on the subject.
No one wants to talk until a decision is made.
The search has been going on for a long, long time.
It lasted through the summer and brought two candidates to forums — before rejecting them both.
Four more candidates have sat before students and faculty this semester. The university has spent money on their travel and boarding while they were on campus.
So what is the status of the decision?
The fact that officials won’t talk about the process — and that so much time has passed — raises suspicion.
Are these candidates going to get refused just as the last two were?
Why it matters
The university should wrap-up its months-long search for the off-campus VP
This search already has cost the university in time and money, and ProfEd still is without a permanent leader.
Officials need to speed up the process.
Obviously the off-campus VP search committee knows the candidates well. It has their resumes. It has interviewed them in person.
It’s time to put this search to rest and make a recommendation so University President Michael Rao and Provost Tom Storch can hire someone.
Granted, the decision is an important one and officials should take the time they need to decide.
But its been nearly three years since this department had a permanent leader, and the university has spent plenty of money.
Enough time has been lost.
Enough money has been spent.
Filling a single position in a public university can’t be this difficult.
Of the five candidates the university has had to choose from to date, a suitable option should be available.
And if this search should start over again as it did in July, the university will need explain itself a little better than by saying the candidates didn’t possess the “total package.”
