University officials are in the process of filling two upper-level administrative positions that will soon be vacated by retiring administrators, Dr. Clayton Pheasant, vice president for university advancement, and Dr. Mary Anne Fedrick, dean of the Reap College of Education and Human Development.
Dr. Patricia Dunleavy, assistant vice president for human resources, provides consultation to every major faculty or administration search committee at the start of their duties.
“What I generally do is go and talk to each search committee as they begin the process and talk about procedures that I suggest to them as best practices so that all search committees are consistent, and [ask] job-related [questions and are] well-documented.”
Once an open position is made known to the public and applications are received, the standard process includes reviewing resumes, followed by phone interviews, and on-campus interviews. The search committee then submits a comprehensive report of the final applicants to the appropriate university official to make the final decision – the president of the university for the new vice president; the vice president for academic affairs for the new dean.
Dunleavy advises search committee members on matters such as choices that could be perceived as biased or unfair to candidates, such as the same individual checking all of a person’s references. Rather, she recommends that all of the committee members share the responsibility. She also informs them of the type of questions that can and cannot be asked according to law, and the appropriate way to gain the information needed to make a fair judgment of a candidate.
The search for the new vice president for university advancement began at the end of last year. In February, four finalists met with various members of the university community. Dunleavy stated that the committee is looking for an individual who has both the quantitative and qualitative skills needed to fill the position and one who will “move [the university] forward, especially considering that we’re in the middle of a campaign.”
Mr. Collier Parker, dean of the Insalaco College of Creative and Performing Arts, is the chair of the search committee for the new dean. After sending out the advertisement to national professional publications in late October and whittling down the pool of applicants, three finalists were brought to campus for interviews last week.
“[We are looking for qualities in] each candidate [such as] problem solving, effective decision [making], whether they can build trust and resolve conflict, their vision, and how they can relate that to the Marywood mission and vision. We also give them a chance to expound on their experience and how [that] relates to the university,” said Parker.
The new vice president for university advancement and dean of the Reap College of Education and Human Development will be announced before the end of the semester.
“We want a process that’s as efficient as [can be],” Dunleavy stated.