Over a month and a half after its members were chosen, the University committee charged with finding a new dean for the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine has yet to make much progress.
"We are just starting to recruit applicants," said search committee member Joyce Knoll, the director of the clinical pathology laboratory at the Cummings School. The details of the committee's work are confidential, though, Knoll said.
The search committee - made up of nine administrators, professors and students - was formed Sept. 12 by University Provost Jamshed Bharucha to replace former dean Philip Kosch, who stepped down in June. Pharmacology Professor Sawkat Anwer has been serving as the school's interim dean since July 1.
Another committee member, Associate Chair of the Clinical Sciences Department John Rush, also declined to comment on the internal discussions of the committee.
"In any kind of search like this, candidates have other terrific jobs already at other institutions," Executive Assistant to the Provost Molly Stutzman said. "They don't want their current position to be compromised in any way."
Many potential candidates would not enter into the consideration process unless they knew it was fully confidential, Stutzman said.
The position is advertised on the provost's Web site. "The University seeks a dynamic and visionary academic leader who can position the school for continued eminence and excellence by capitalizing on the school's many academic, clinical and research strengths," the advertisement reads.
The search committee is looking for someone who can help the Cummings School raise money, Bharucha said. He stressed, though, that the quality of the school's students and faculty put it in "excellent" shape already. "The new dean will have a strong platform to build on," he said.
According to the provost's Web site, the University has hired the Spencer Stuart firm's Jennifer Bol and Paula Carabelli to help with the search. Bol said she would not comment on the search's progress.
Kosch is now on sabbatical. When he returns next fall he will serve as special assistant to the provost. He will help the provost research issues that may affect any or all schools within the University.
"He strengthened research enormously," Bharucha said of Kosch's tenure as dean.
Kosch became the dean of the Cummings School July 1, 1996. He had previously been the associate dean for research and graduate studies at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida.
Anwer previously served as the interim dean after Franklin Loew left to become the dean of the Cornell University Veterinary School and before Kosch was hired.
Some of Kosch's contributions to the Cummings School, Kosch said, were helping to secure a $15 million grant from The National Institutes of Health for a bio-safety laboratory complex and the school's $50 million naming donation from former trustee William Cummings (LA '58).
-- Kristen Sawicki and Bryan Prior contributed to this article.
