Members of the Chancellor Search Committee at
Arkansas State University today voted to name six applicants as
finalists for the new position of chancellor on the Jonesboro
campus.During September, each of the
six finalists will visit the campus for interviews and meetings with
various campus groups. An open forum for members of the community
also will be part of each candidate’s visit to Jonesboro.
Following the visits and further evaluation,
Dr. Les Wyatt, president, will recommend one of the individuals to
the ASU Board of Trustees for appointment as chancellor.
Dr. Glen Jones, chair of the committee,
commented that he was particularly pleased with the slate of
finalists that the committee is recommending for visits and further
consideration.
"The committee’s charge was to develop a list
of four to six candidates who we could recommend to Dr. Wyatt," Dr.
Jones said. "The committee members have worked hard to identify
prospective candidates and to closely evaluate each individual’s
credentials, experience and potential. The committee has excelled,
given the outstanding quality of the pool of finalists selected.
Committee members believe that every one of these individuals
demonstrates a record that suggests each would be a very fine leader
for Arkansas State University."
Jones also expressed his appreciation to the
search committee members for "working diligently to identify,
recruit, and review the many prospects for this position." In
addition to their many hours of work, he thanked them for their
wisdom and guidance.
The Board of Trustees voted in December of
last year to create the position of chancellor to serve as chief
executive of the Jonesboro campus. They asked Dr. Wyatt to give his
full-time attention to serving as president of the entire system of
ASU campuses, located in Jonesboro, Beebe, Mountain Home, Newport,
Searcy, Heber Springs and Marked Tree. Chancellors of the various
campuses report to Dr. Wyatt.
The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for
Tuesday, Sept. 26, in Jonesboro.
# # #
Those selected by the search committee as
finalists for the position of chancellor of the ASU-Jonesboro
campus, are (in alphabetical order):
Dr. Robert
Leslie Potts, immediate past chancellor of the North Dakota
University System, with offices in Bismarck.
Additional highlights and background about each candidate:
Dr. John M. Dunn
Current Position:
Provost and Vice Chancellor
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, Ill.
Dr. Dunn has served in this position since
2002. He serves as the university’s chief academic officer with
oversight for the university’s nine academic colleges, Morris
Library, SIU Press, Clinical Center, Public Policy Institute,
Enrollment Management, and continuing education. He also serves as
senior officer to the chancellor.
His previous position was dean of the College
of Health and professor of exercise and sport science at the
University of Utah from 1995 until 2002.
Dunn earned his doctorate in education from
Brigham Young University, with a major in physical education. His
master’s and bachelor’s degrees are from Northern Illinois
University in physical education.
Dr. John William Folkins
Current Position:
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, Ohio
Dr. Folkins has served in his current position
since May 2000. He is responsible for administrative leadership in
all academic programs and services. As provost, his responsibility
includes translating the University's core values into action within
a framework of priorities set by the University community. Under his
leadership as chief academic officer, the university developed The
Academic Plan in 2003.
His previous position was associate provost
for undergraduate education at the University of Iowa, from 1997 to
2000.
Folkins earned his doctoral degree through the
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of
Washington, and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees through the
Department of Speech at University of Redlands in California.
Dr. Kaylene A. Gebert
Current Position:
Executive Vice President and Provost
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Dr. Gebert has served in her current position
since March 2003. She serves as chief academic officer of the
university and provides campus-wide leadership. Her primary duties
involve integrated strategic planning, academic budget management,
academic policy development, implementation and evaluation, program
assessment, and faculty affairs. She is also responsible for
administrative oversight of the research activities, the library,
enrollment management initiatives, and chairs of excellence program.
Her previous position was provost and vice
president for academic affairs at the University of North Alabama
from 1999 until 2003.
Gebert earned a Ph.D. in historical and
contemporary communication at Indiana University, a master of arts
in theatre production from Cornell University, and bachelor of arts
with majors in English and speech-drama from Hanover College.
Dr. Thomas K. Harden
Current Position:
President
Clayton State University
Morrow, Ga. (Atlanta metro)
Dr. Harden serves as chief executive officer,
chair of the faculty, professor, and administrative head of the
university. He has been president since June 2000. He oversees and
directs the institution’s strategic planning, including budget
planning, and completion of the annual financial plan. As chair of
the faculty, he maintains an active leadership role in the
development of academic programs, polices and faculty development.
His previous position was dean of the College
of Technology and professor at Eastern Michigan University from
1993-2000.
Harden earned his doctoral degree in
adult/technical education, curriculum and instruction, and
educational administration from the University of Cincinnati. His
master’s degree is in educational administration from the University
of Dayton, and his bachelor’s degree in industrial education is from
Miami University of Ohio.
Dr. Norval F. Pohl
Most Recent Position:
President
University of North Texas
Denton, Texas
Dr. Pohl was president from 2000 until this
month. While at UNT he led in the development of themes for the
university’s strategic planning process, an 18-month effort that
involved more than 200 faculty and staff. The plan embraces broad
goals based on Vision 2015, a blueprint for the future. He also
initiated a four-year project to decentralize the budgeting process,
led in the effort to acquire a former manufacturing facility for
development as a research park, and directed development of a
proposal to establish a College of Engineering.
His previous position was provost and
executive vice president of the University of North Texas from
1999-2000.
Pohl earned a Ph.D. in quantitative systems
from Arizona State University, and a master of business
administration and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from California
State University in Fresno.
Dr. Robert Leslie Potts
Most Recent Position:
Chancellor
North Dakota University System
Office in Bismarck, N.D.
Dr. Potts was chancellor of the North Dakota
University System from 2004 until earlier this month. He was chief
executive officer for the 11-campus university system, which serves
approximately 42,000 students and a biennial operating budget of
approximately $1.5 billion. The chancellor’s office supports the
State Board of Higher Education in developing public policy for the
system’s governance.
Previously he served as president of the
University of North Alabama from January 1990 to June 2004.
Potts earned a master of laws degree from
Harvard, a juris doctor degree from the University of Alabama, and a
bachelor’s degree from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale,
Tenn.
