University President George Ross has appointed a 14-member search committee to assist in the search for Central Michigan University's next executive vice president/provost.

Salma Ghanem, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, and Tim Hartshorne, a psychology professor, are the co-chairs of the committee.

In addition to this committee, a national executive search firm will be selected through a competitive bidding process and on-campus interviews to take place later this month.

"A careful evaluation process will include on-campus meetings with up to three firms during mid and late November; the firm that’s selected will be a critical part of the provost search process," Steve Smith, director of Public Relations at CMU, previously told Central Michigan Life.

The search committee will be responsible for posting the executive vice president/provost job opening prior to the December holiday break. Other responsibilities of the committee include processing and viewing all applications and conducting confidential interviews with the most likely candidates.

The committee will then develop a list of finalists who will be invited to campus for formal interviews and open forums.

Maureen Eke, professor of English Language and Literature, is one of the 14 members on the committee.

Eke said the process has just begun, and few specific details were known regarding the selection process.

"Looking at the individuals who have previously held the provost position, I suspect potential candidates will have similar qualifications as past provosts," she said. "(Provost Gary Shapiro) was a tenured faculty member and dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, so I suspect the future provost will have similar qualifications."

Eke said Ross and members of the Academic Senate were responsible for selecting and charging the search committee.

The search began after current Provost Gary Shapiro announced his resignation from his current position in order to return to teaching.

Shapiro has served as provost since August 2010. Previously, Shapiro also served as a professor in the sociology, anthropology and social work departments.

After leaving the classroom, he was appointed to various positions, including: Director of Institutional Research and Planning, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Interim Registrar, Vice Provost, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences and Interim Provost.

While Shapiro is taking a leave before returning to campus to teach in 2014, Associate Vice President of Human Resources Lori Hella previously told CM Life the term “leave” has caused some confusion surrounding Shapiro’s involvement during his transition period.

“It’s called a leave, but the provost will still be actively involved in university business,” she said. “He will have an office on campus, will be working with the transition of the new provost, working with international education, as well as student learning and preparing to return to the classroom.”

The office of the provost is highly regarded as second-in-command at CMU and involves the supervision and oversight of curricular, instructional and research affairs.

This position is charged with leading the university’s academic division, including the seven academic colleges, the College of Graduate Studies, Global Campus, research and sponsored programs, libraries, institutional diversity, international education, academic administration, academic affairs, information technology and student publications.