Contact: Jay Blanton

“The provost should be a person who has an outstanding record of scholarly activity and administrative experience. The search committee should ensure that all efforts are made to obtain a diverse group of well-qualified candidates.”

-- Lee T. Todd Jr.,
president,
University of Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 29, 2005) -- University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. today named a 16-person committee to conduct a national search for a new provost.

The committee will be co-chaired by Jeannine Blackwell, dean of the Graduate School, and Fred deBeer, professor and chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine. Todd said he expects the committee to forward three to four finalists to him for his consideration. They will not be ranked.

“The provost position is a very important one to the university and the Commonwealth and is one of my closest advisors,” Todd said. “I expect to attract a pool of outstanding candidates and I am confident that we can appoint an excellent provost to carry on the outstanding work that has been rendered by Mike Nietzel.”

Last week, Todd appointed Scott Smith, dean of the College of Agriculture, to serve as interim provost, effective May 15. Smith is not a candidate for the permanent position. Current Provost Mike Nietzel is leaving the university to become president of Southwest Missouri State University, effective July 1.

The provost is the university’s chief academic officer.

Todd said he expects the search committee to meet soon to begin the process. The committee will initially concentrate on a developing a Request for Proposals to identify a consulting firm to assist with the search. Todd did not lay out a timetable for the committee to complete its work.

“The provost should be a person who has an outstanding record of scholarly activity and administrative experience,” Todd said. “The search committee should ensure that all efforts are made to obtain a diverse group of well-qualified candidates.”

Members of the search committee include:

• Jeannine Blackwell, Graduate School
• Fred deBeer, Department of Internal Medicine
• Karen Combs, Provost Budget Office
• Louise Graham, College of Law
• Victor Hazard, Student Affairs
• David Mohney, College of Design
• Johne Parker, Department of Mechanical Engineering
• Robert L. Quick, Commerce Lexington
• Karl Raitz, Department of Geography
• Mike Reid, Department of Physiology
• Ellen Rosenman, Department of English
• Chuck Staben, Research
• Sharon Turner, College of Dentistry
• Bob Wiseman, Facilities Management
• President, Student Government Association (elected position)
• University Senate Representative, Ernest F. Bailey, Department of Veterinary Science.