A new year is a time to bring on fresh changes and new methods to improve, and Capital administration has been feeling the wind of change in a big way this year; university leaders are in a mass search to fill four different university positions in 2017, most notably that of provost.
The university provost serves as faculty leader and is in charge of all academic activities as well as athletics. The candidate search began nationwide, and the candidate pool has been narrowed to about twelve people.
According to President Beth Paul, the committee is looking for someone who is innovative, visionary and fiscally responsible, as this new provost will partner with her to challenge the status quo and bring renewed ideals to campus life.
Another important position being filled is the vice president of marketing and communication. This official will help to create the vision for how prospective students see Capital.
The search committee for vice president of marketing and communication is currently reviewing candidates, most of whom are coming from high-level positions at other institutions.
Candidates will be brought in for an interview process soon, but university leaders are excited about the prospects of who may fill the position.
In finding someone who is a good fit for vice president of marketing and communication, the committee is looking for someone who is creative. They hope the work of the new officer will make people think of Capital in a fresh new way.
“I’m looking for someone who is out of the box and who would bring new perspectives and new experiences to us,” said President Paul.
The position of athletic director is also in the process of being filled, and it may have an effect on a bigger group than just athletes.
The athletic director is head of all athletic proceedings, game day operations, team resources, assuring compliance with the NCAA rules, as well as doing a bit with public relations and fundraising.
This role also helps to ensure the success of student athletes; they help to gain satisfaction and retention of students.
After receiving over 100 applications, the committee is moving to in-person interviews. The announcement of the new athletic director is planned to be in March.
In the new description, the position is written to be bolder with student engagement and collaboration.
“We hope to find someone who will help break down the silos and barriers at the university that exist between different groups, someone who will really reach out to the community,” said Associate Provost Jody Fournier.
Administration is also looking for a new director of information technology. The director of IT serves as chief tech officer and manages all IT employees, student workers, and systems, a crucial role at any modern organization.
The committee has just finished acquiring applications and will go into review of individual candidates and phone interviews soon.
Three words have been used to describe the position of IT Director. “Integrate” defines the ideal candidate as someone who understands integrating systems on and off campus, coordinating options for services,
“Planning” is the second quality — the committee hopes that this official will plan strategically rather than operationally in terms of technology for the institution.
Finally, “implementation” refers to someone who can deal with tactical matters, who can decide on a direction and make progress with greater boldness.
The university has high hopes for all of the new positions and hope that it will bring positive changes to the community that will be embraced as great parts of student life in the coming year.
Continue to follow The Chimes for future updates on these searches.
