UK colleges continue to search for new deans

By Brian Shlonsky

The search for a new dean remains underway for three of UK’s colleges, while the search in another college has yet to begin.

The College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Communications and Information Studies and the College of Education are all currently moving closer to finalizing their negotiations with their prospective dean candidates.

The College of Pharmacy, who saw its dean step down last week, has yet to appoint a search committee for a new dean, and plans to conduct a national search in the fall.College of Arts and Sciences

Chaden Djalali from the University of South Carolina and Mark Kornbluh from Michigan State University are the two finalists for the dean position in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Elizabeth Lorch, co-chair for the Arts and Sciences dean search, said the search committee recommended the two candidates to the Provost for campus interviews, and that the Provost’s office announced Kornbluh was invited to re-visit the campus to negotiate an appointment as dean of the college.

Lorch said it is her understanding that these negotiations between the Provost and Kornbluh are in progress, but there is no final word at this time.

College of Communications and Information Studies

The search committee for the College of Communications and Information Studies has recommended three candidates to the Provost for campus interviews. Beth Barnes, director of UK’s School of Journalism and Telecommunications, Dan O’Hair from the University of Oklahoma and John Oetzel from the University of New Mexico must be evaluated and interviewed by the Provost before any on-campus visits are arranged.

“The Provost is considering what we told him and talking with the individuals,” Donald Case, co-chair for the committee, said. “We have a good pool of candidates, and I’m happy with who we’ve handed to the Provost.”

Negotiations must still be made, Case said, but the Provost has been extremely busy with the candidates for all the dean openings at the other colleges as well.

College of Education

Mary John O’Hair from the University of Oklahoma and Lemuel Watson from Northern Illinois University are the College of Education’s two finalists for the dean position.

Lori Stewart Gonzalez, co-chair for the dean search committee, said the Provost announced he has asked O’Hair back for a second visit, and the search for a new dean has been moving along the timeline given.

“Everything is now in the hands of the Provost,” Gonzalez said. “He will begin negotiating and close the search within the next few weeks. The next we would see is an announcement on campus of who takes over the deanship.”

Co-Chair Debra Harley said the Provost has made an offer to O’Hair, and it is her understanding that the Provost is negotiating with O’Hair. The process is not yet finalized, meaning that she has yet to accept the position.