Friday, August 24, 2001

Dean search enters year 3
Provost, committee hope to fill post for spring semester
By Melissa Christensen
managing editor

At least one candidate for the College of Communications deanship was presented for review to the search committee Tuesday by Provost William Koehler.

The college, which comprises journalism, radio-television-film and speech communication, is entering its third year of existence without a permanent fixture in its highest administrative post.

Search committee chairman Bill Ryan said the committee’s philosophy is to continue the search until the best candidate arises.

“We want an individual who is going to create a bridge across the three disciplines in the schools,” Ryan said. “It is to our advantage to get someone appointed soon.”

The college is also without its interim dean for at least one month. Interim Dean David Whillock is currently on medical leave.

Speech communication department chairman Will Powers, who served as an interim associate dean last year, is filling the post until Whillock returns.

In addition to his department chairman duties, Powers said he is limiting his role as dean to situations that require immediate attention.

“It’s not a comfortable position to be in,” Powers said. “I’m very hopeful they can manage to attract someone by the spring term.”

The search for a permanent dean was nearly brought to a close in spring 2001 when Dan O’Hair of the University of Oklahoma visited TCU for a two-day interview with administrators, faculty and students. Koehler did not give a reason for the decision to not hire O’Hair.

“Sometimes a candidate and the university can’t come together on certain understandings, be they monetary or university philosophy,” Koehler said. “We were interested enough to bring him to campus, but decided it was simply best not to force a fit.”

While he said no students have been directly affected by the vacancy, Powers said a dean needs to be appointed to get the college working on more than just a day-to-day basis.

“The special challenge is that we get into a holding pattern,” he said. “(An interim dean) has difficulty implementing long-term strategic planning. Solidified leadership allows us to gather more (financial) resources.”

Powers said graduate programs in all three departments are growing rapidly and will need administrative attention.

Both Koehler and Ryan said deadline pressure is not going to affect the standards the university is looking for in a candidate.

“I’m looking for an individual with a vision who is highly articulate, highly intelligent and (has) high energy,” Koehler said.

Melissa Christensen
m.s.christensen@student.tcu.edu