Top four candidates to visit campus in final phase of selection process

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Four finalists have been chosen in the search for the provost and vice president for academic affairs position at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. They will visit the campus over the next three weeks.
           
After an exhaustive screening of more than 60 applicants led by the national consulting firm Academic Search, the list of candidates was narrowed to seven recommendations. Following a visit to each of the candidate’s universities, the A&M-Corpus Christi search committee has invited the following four finalists to campus to meet with University faculty and staff. The schedule is as follows:

• June 26-27 – Dr. Jay Grimes, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, University of Southern Mississippi.
• July 2-3 – Dr. Vish Prasad, executive dean and distinguished professor, College of Engineering and Computing, Florida International University.
• July 5-6 – Dr. Tom Hanley, professor of chemical engineering, Auburn University.
• July 9-10 – Dr. Joe King, dean of the College of Sciences, University of New Orleans.
  

“This has been a very thorough national search that attracted many outstanding candidates with extensive backgrounds in research, teaching and service,” said Dr. Moustafa Abdelsamad, dean of the College of Business and head of the search committee. “It was a fair and lengthy process and each candidate exceeded the criteria and expectations for the position. Many people don’t understand the importance of this position. The provost is the second in command in academics and their actions affect every aspect of the University.”

The duties of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who serves on the president’s cabinet, include: coordinating the University’s instructional, research, and service programs; implementing policies and procedures that affect the Division of Academic Affairs; upholding academic and accreditation standards; and advising the University president on academic matters.

Details on each candidate including cover letters, vitae and itineraries are available on the University’s Web site www.tamucc.edu/provost/search. Or go to the University’s Homepage and click on the “faculty & staff” tab and go to “provost search.”