By Erin Shanahan
The new dean of Rose Hill will be announced this April, according to Dean Hennessy, chairman of the committee assigned to find a new dean of FCRH, as well as Dean Harrington, the current interim dean of FCRH. At a town hall meeting this past Wednesday, Nov. 12, faculty discussed the desired qualities of the future dean, stressing in particular a desire for diversity. Specifically, someone suggested a female dean would be a good addition to the staff.
Dean Michael Latham left the position of dean of FCRH as the result of an opportunity at Grinnell College. Currently, John Harrington is serving as the dean of Rose Hill. However, this position is only temporary due to his prior engagement as dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences.
“I am continuing as the dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences, and that is a great challenge and a great responsibility in the current situation across all colleges,” said Harrington. “Dean of FCRH is a crucial position and needs a per- son fully devoted to it.”
As a result, the university has created a committee to search for a permanent replacement.
The committee, which con- sists of nine members, held a formal meeting three weeks ago with Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, and the provost, Stephen Freedman. The committee discussed the type of candidate desired for the job and other aspects of the search. A formal announcement of the position opening was approved this Wednesday and then put into its final draft. The new position notice will be listed in the “Chronicle of Higher Education,” though Dean Hennessy intends to expand the audience.
“I think we want to cast a much wider net,” Hennessy said. “We want to place the announcement with as many academic associations as we can.” The committee will be meeting for a second time this Tuesday, Nov. 18, to discuss how they will move forward.
“The richer the pool [of applicants], the better the final outcome will be,” Hennessy said.
Faculty present at the town hall meeting reaffirmed the qualities Hennessy and Harrington desire in the new dean of Fordham College at Rose Hill. In addition, faculty members hope the next dean will continue the positive relationships Dean Latham and Dean Harrington have created with the students. History professor David Myers commented on the faculty’s talk of a more diverse dean.
“There is a great openness for diversity among the faculty,” he commented. “I think it’s probably time for a woman dean.”
The faculty, as a whole, also expressed that they felt apprehensive regarding an outside candidate for the position of Dean of Rose Hill. However, nominations by the faculty and alumni throughout the process are strongly encouraged.
The committee states its ideal candidate is one who will have a degree in Arts and Sciences, be an associate or full professor and have some understanding of, or interest in, Jesuit tradition. The candidate should have a history of leadership, an ability to work with others and the will to continue and to develop and emphasize student-faculty collaborative research.
“You want a scholar as a dean,” Hennessy concluded.
Harrington asserts that the new dean must modernize communication, improve facilities and continue building up the university.
“Keeping the positive momentum building is crucial,” said Harrington. He also asserts the importance of collaboration between the deans. “Students and faculty may not realize how close together the Arts and Sciences deans work: the Deans of GSAS, FCRH, FCLC. For five years we have been meeting every Tuesday morning in my office and to share issues and ideas.”
When asked about student input during these interviews, Dean Hennessy commented, “We would consider having students sit in on interviews and provide perspective, but some applicants may not prefer to have their names public until they know they are in. Currently, the law school search brings a panel of candidates to campus and they are organizing meetings that are not public but by attended are by students via invite.”
The committee intends to present three to five candidates to present to the provost and president. The final candidates will be brought to the university this coming March or April and a final announcement should be made sometime this April.
