Aug. 8, 2007 -- Three veteran administrators in higher education are finalists in the search for a new vice chancellor for academic affairs and research at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

The announcement was made by Dr. Glen Jones, who is chairing the search committee. Dr. Robert L. Potts, chancellor, has accepted the search committee’s recommendation to identify these individuals as finalists and to invite them for on-campus interviews.

While screening the applications, the search committee considered each candidate’s qualifications and experience. According to Jones, the committee is looking for the individual who can give the most effective leadership for the academic and research activities and initiatives at ASU.

"Members of the Search Committee are pleased with the quality of the pool of finalists," Jones added.

The three finalists and their current positions are (in alphabetical order):

Dr. Dee Hopkins, Dean of the College of Education at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Hopkins has served in her current position at the Corpus Christi campus since 2000. Also a professor of curriculum and instruction, she completed her doctoral degree in education/library science at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Dr. G. Daniel Howard, Vice President for Administration and International Relations at the University of North Alabama in Florence. Howard has held a variety of positions since joining the University of North Alabama administrative staff in 1992, and he also holds academic rank as professor. He completed his doctoral degree in higher education administration at Indiana University in Bloomington.

Dr. Chrisann Schiro-Geist, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at the University of Memphis. Schiro-Geist, who has served in her present position since September 2004, also is a professor of counseling. She completed her doctoral degree in counseling psychology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

Jones also announced that the three finalists have been invited to visit the ASU campus after the fall semester gets underway. During the visits, each person will meet with faculty, student and staff groups. Additionally, each candidate will participate in a forum that is open to everyone on campus and in the community.

Hopkins will be on campus Monday, Sept. 10; Schiro-Geist will be on campus Tuesday, Sept. 11; and Howard will be on campus Wednesday, Sept. 12.

Dr. Robert L. Potts, chancellor, will appoint the new vice chancellor after further consultation with the search committee.

More details about each candidate, along with the schedule for each visit, will be posted on the vice chancellor search Web page, http://www.astate.edu/vcaarsearch/.

"I also want to thank members of the search committee for their diligence through this search process, and for their willingness to give their time to this process during the summer months," Jones also said. "They worked hard during the recruiting, screening and recommendation phases in order to bring these candidates to campus."