Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg on Wednesday announced his decision to accept the position of provost and senior vice president at Oklahoma State University (OSU).
The OSU/A&M Board of Regents today will vote to grant its official approval for Sternberg's appointment at its regular meeting.
Sternberg in December announced his intention not to continue as dean at Tufts at the end of his five-year term in June. He will on Aug. 1 assume his new position at OSU.
This decision to pursue a new position elsewhere represents a natural step for Sternberg.
"It's not a decision to leave Tufts; it's a decision to go to OSU," Sternberg said. "I have been a dean for five years, and when I came, I signed up to work for five years and that period has ended, and I feel it is time for the next challenge," he said.
Sternberg was one of the OSU search committee's four final candidates for the position and the only finalist not from a land-grant institution, according to OSU Director of Communications Gary Shutt.
Shutt explained that Sternberg emerged as the final candidate in part due to his academic credentials and his vision and suggestions for the university.
"We were very impressed with Dr. Sternberg's academic record and all that he has achieved," Shutt told the Daily. "We were impressed with his ideas of recruiting and attracting today's students."
Shutt said that as provost, Sternberg will serve as the chief academic advisor, working with all the deans of OSU's different colleges.
"We are looking forward to having him join our team and working with our deans and faculty and students," Shutt said.
Sternberg expressed his excitement about the opportunity to serve as provost, a position that will give him the ability to influence a larger group of people than he was able to as dean of Arts and Sciences.
"I have some new ideas about education, and OSU seemed like an opportunity to implement those ideas on a broader canvas and opportunity to work with a whole university," Sternberg said.
University President Lawrence Bacow echoed this sentiment, noting that the move to OSU will open up many exciting opportunities for Sternberg.
"Bob Sternberg has done an excellent job as dean. This is a great opportunity for him to apply his leadership skills on a much larger stage. Oklahoma State is fortunate to be getting the benefit of his leadership," Bacow said in an e-mail to the Daily.
Sternberg stressed that his decision to leave Tufts was not a negative reflection on the university and that he has greatly enjoyed serving as dean here.
"It's been a very positive experience," he said. "I couldn't have been happier here, but I just turned 60, and it's time for the next adventure in life."
The process of finding a replacement for Sternberg has been underway since Provost and Senior Vice President Jamshed Bharucha in February announced the composition of the search committee for the new dean of Arts and Sciences.
According to Bharucha, the search process has progressed, and the committee will produce a selection by May. "The search has already begun, and it's well under way. I hope to announce a new dean roughly by the end of the semester," he said. Bharucha noted Sternberg's accomplishments at Tufts, including developing the leadership minor and raising expectations for scholarships.
"I think that the OSU chancellor was looking for somebody who had high academic standards, and I think that Bob Sternberg will certainly be able to make that contribution to OSU," he said.
Sternberg was also the solo finalist for the position of provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder). He on Monday announced his withdrawal from consideration to pursue the offer at OSU. CU-Boulder has suspended its search for the time being.
