Provost candidate Michael Gealt stresses communication, retention, recruitment
The selection process for replacing Provost Gary Shapiro is nearing a conclusion after the final open forum for the third finalist for the position, Michael Gealt.
Gealt is the dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock and offers nearly 40 years of academic experience at both the faculty and administrative level.
“I think I’ve had a significant impact at the universities I’ve been involved with,” Gealt said during Wednesday’s open forum in the Ausable room of the Bovee University Center.
The forum opened with Gealt discussing his background and his interest in Central Michigan University, but the latter portion was left largely to a question and answer session.
During the Q&A session, Gealt focused specifically on the importance of collaboration between departments on campus and working toward a unified university.
“We really are a team,” he said. “It’s important to connect faculty throughout campus so they can work together. We need to make sure we learn the intersections, because it can be difficult to get a collaboration.”
Gealt cited his experiences at ULAR, where he worked to connect the communications with the College of Science and Mathematics to assist with technical writing instruction.
Like Karen Schmaling, another finalist for the position, Gealt doesn’t have any hands-on experience working with faculty unions.
“I’ve never been at a university where the faculty was unionized,” Gealt said. “I have had a lot to do with faculty governance, particularly at Purdue-Calumet.”
When asked about his administrative style, Gealt focused largely on communication.
“I talk to a lot of people,” Gealt said. “It’s a democratic way to deal with problems and issues. I try not to form an opinion until I’ve talked to at least three people about any one particular issue. Sometimes, different versions of the truth tend to arise.”
Gealt also emphasized the importance of speaking with students.
“Sometimes, the discussions are formal, and sometimes, they’re less formal,” Gealth said. “I routinely talk to students in elevators.”
A question came up discussing the importance of shared governance on campus. Gealt said that it’s more about communication than governing.
“It’s not a shared governance,” Gealt said. “It’s a shared community. That’s how to go forward; as a shared group. I do know how to make hard decisions, and I also know how to move them forward.”
When addressing the issues that CMU will face in the future, Gealt stressed the importance of recruitment and retention among both undergraduate and graduate students.
“We’ve had problems bringing students in,” Gealt said. “It needs to be on a university level. Growing the university is everyone’s concern. But once students are on board, we need to be able to retain them.”
Gealt joins both Schmaling and Alan White as the final three finalists to be completed with their open forums. It is unclear when the final decision will be made.
