Since Provost Darryl Tippens announced his retirement, administrators have been searching for a qualified individual to fill his position.
Pepperdine University President Andrew K. Benton has assembled a 15-person Provost Search Committee to aid him in the search for a new provost to succeed Darryl Tippens.
Pepperdine has partnered with “the national leader in executive searches,” Korn/Ferry International, according to an Oct. 29 press release sent by Benton. While the search is in the preliminary stages, the firm is currently receiving nominations and applications. The search is scheduled to come to a close in April 2014.
The provost, who reports directly to the president, serves as the university’s chief academic officer and as a senior member of administrative leadership. Tippens announced his retirement via email on Sept. 16, effective at the conclusion of the 2013-14 academic year.
“Doctors [Steven] Lemley and Tippens have been so good for me and my administration. I know that there’s a person out there ready, willing and able to open a new chapter and help lead Pepperdine to an even better place,” Benton said.
The search committee is comprised of both faculty and administrative representatives from each of Pepperdine’s five schools and colleges. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Gary Hanson and Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology Margaret Weber have been named the committee co-chairs.
The search committee is expected to begin reviewing applicant files in December. Applicants who show promise will be invited to meet with the search committee in person or via Skype in January. In-person meetings will be conducted at an off-campus location to ensure confidentiality.
Once the application pool has been narrowed down to three or four finalists in February or March, Benton desires the university community’s input in addition to the search committee’s recommendations. In the press release, he wrote: a vehicle will be established “for all to communicate views, hopes and aspirations for the next provost. I hope many voices will be heard.”
If all goes as planned, he desires engagement through “Brown Bag Luncheons.” Members of the community would be invited to bring their lunch while the finalists make a presentation about who they are. Following the presentation, the audience would have a chance for Q&A with each candidate. This will help Benton and the committee gauge how the finalists handle faculty and administrative interaction. Ultimately, Benton will make the final decision on who will fill the position. This is a decision he does not take lightly.
“In my view, it is a non-delegable decision,” he said. “It’s not one that I can turn over to a committee or to a group of individuals. It’s one that I have to own in my relationship with the Board of Regents.”
A full description of the provost position is available online. Pepperdine is seeking “a provost with a bold vision and high energy, committed to excellence and innovation in academia,” according to the provost website. Preference will be given to candidates who are active members of the Churches of Christ. Benton said he strongly prefers someone with a Church of Christ background.
“I need someone who really understands the faith heritage of Pepperdine University to be my closest ally in selecting deans and approving faculty and maintaining faith with where we’ve been in our prior 77 years. But I have not closed the door; I’ve just expressed a strong preference … but I might be surprised by something wonderful,” Benton said.
Applicants from both within the university and from other institutions of higher learning are being considered. While Seaver College recently achieved 50 percent ethnic diversity in their student body, Pepperdine’s faculty and administration have not.
“I’m concerned about a mostly male, mostly white administration,” Benton said. Benton said he will be “very disappointed” if minorities or women do not apply for the provost position.
Benton also foresees a tension between the confidentiality aspect of the process and the desire for community involvement. He believes that there may be some candidates who want to be considered for the position but do not want their names ever disclosed to the public. These individuals may maintain a powerful position either at Pepperdine or another institution and may not want to be viewed as leaving their current position. “It ties our hands in our ability to invest the community in this process … but we’ll have to work through this,” Benton said.
Overall, Benton said he is excited and encouraged to lead the search for the new provost.
Complete application packets should include a formal letter of interest and a CV. Email applications and nominations to: pepperdine-provost@kornferry.com. For full consideration, applications should be submitted by Dec. 1.
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Follow Whitney Irick on Twitter: @GraphicWhit
As published in the Nov. 14 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
