"7 USM constituents to help complete presidential search Staff reports
The state College Board announced today the names of seven University of Southern Mississippi constituents who will participate in the final stages of the hiring process for the university's next president.
They are:
– Peter J. Fos, professor and dean of the College of Health – Denise von Herrmann, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters – Alvin Williams, professor of management and marketing – Myron Henry, professor of mathematics and Faculty Senate chair – Wynde Fitts, director of Freshman Year Experience and Staff Council chair – Gene Gouaux, president of the Student Government Association – Lou Ann Poynter, president of the Southern Miss Alumni Association
The next president is expected to be named in early April. Current president Shelby Thames' contract expires in May."
IHL PRESS RELEASE SOUTHERN MISS SEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ELECTS REPRESENTATIVES TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERVIEW PROCESS
Media Contact: Annie Mitchell Phone Number: (601) 432-6493
2/16/2007 (Jackson, Miss. )
The Search Advisory Committee for the next president of the University of Southern Mississippi has elected its representatives to join the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Thomas C. Meredith, and the search consultant throughout the entire candidate interview process. In addition to Dr. Peter J. Fos, professor and dean of the College of Health, who will serve by virtue of his role as chairman of the Search Advisory Committee, six other members of the Search Advisory Committee have been selected, including: Dr. Denise von Herrmann, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters, representing the University’s administrators; Dr. Alvin Williams, professor of management and marketing, and Dr. Myron Henry, professor of mathematics and chair of the Faculty Senate, both representing the University’s faculty; Ms. Wynde Fitts, director of the Freshman Year Experience and chair of the Staff Council, representing the University’s staff; Mr. Gene Gouaux, president of the Student Government Association, representing the University’s student body; and Ms. Lou Ann Poynter, president elect of the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association representing the University’s external constituencies....
The panel working with the state College Board to help interview candidates is led by Peter J. Fos, professor and dean of the College of Health at Southern Miss.
New members are Denise von Herrmann, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters; Myron Henry, a math professor and Faculty Senate chairman; Wynde Fitts, director of the Freshman Year Experience and Staff Council chair; Gene Gouaux, president of the Student Government Association; Lou Ann Poynter, president elect of the USM Alumni Association; and Alvin Williams, professor of management and marketing.
This is a good thing yes? I recognize some of the names of those individuals who are going to be helping the search process as it nears its completion, I also recognize the fact that many of those individuals are well respected among their peers.
I truly pray that the next president of USM isn't from USM or the state of Mississippi for that fact. I've read the other threads where this name or that name is bantered about, and those names would be a baaaaaad thing for USM. Yall need a fresh face leading you, one who has a vision for the university to bring it forward in a positive manner and one who will have personal accountability as well as asking for that from his/her staff.
Yes -- this is a good thing. These are all good people.
Of course, the Board has the final decision -- but I have every confidence that this group will work well together to represent the best interests of the university as a whole.
Some of you may remember that the Senate worked with the Deans to put together a slate of faculty that Deans and Senate jointly supported. Peter Fos was quite helpful on this score and I expect that this spirit of cooperative interests will continue on the part of both Deans on the committee (now including Denise Von Hermann as a replacement for Elliott Pood).
By the way -- I'm sitting in a technical rehearsal for the Theatre and Dance Department's upcoming production of Moss Hart's comedy Light Up the Sky. It opens next Friday -- hope some of you will see it over the next couple of weeks.