Sent on behalf of President Jill Tiefenthaler and Professor Carol Neel, Provost Search Committee:

Greetings, Campus Community!

This announcement regarding the provost search follows discussion at the Monday, Sept. 19, faculty meeting in which it was suggested that further listening sessions be added to four already proposed by the Faculty Executive Committee and the Provost Search Committee. Here, we invite those constituencies most interested in the provost hiring process to three additional conversations. Faculty and staff wish to share their respective professional perspectives, so we have added two group-specific sessions. For those who might have missed prior sessions or prefer an all-college context, we have included a final session open to anyone. Reminders about all sessions will be posted to CC electronic digests, but a summary of options here will enable all those interested to plan for a convenient time.

Faculty sessions:

Tuesday, Sept. 26, at noon

Thursday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 3 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 5, at noon

Staff sessions:

Wednesday, Sept. 27, at noon

Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 3 p.m.

Open session:

Monday, Oct. 9, at 3 p.m.

These discussions will take place in Cossitt Lounge. Among documents for consideration will be the current CC organization chart and proposed revision, as well as a listing of central elements in the provost job description under development by the search committee. Noon sessions will be accompanied by light lunch and afternoon sessions by snacks. No reservations are requested because schedules may change and faculty/staff should feel free to come as they are able. Each session will be facilitated by search group or FEC members, who will take notes and relay observations to the full committees.

These Cossitt Lounge conversations are an important step in the search process, which the CC trustees have have directed be concluded by Spring 2018. Additionally, the search committee has instructed Storbeck-Pimentel, the consultants in our national search, to post an advertisement for the provost position in the appropriate professional journals and internet sites. We look forward to regularly sharing developments in the search process with the CC community, especially the faculty and staff most invested in this enhancement of academic leadership. As we do, we welcome your counsel about how this change may best be instituted.

Sincerely,

Jill Tiefenthaler and Carol Neel

for the Provost Search Committee