The search for the new dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management is down to three potential candidates.

The initial round of interviews has been completed, which led to the identification of three potential contenders, said Lorraine Branham, chairwoman of the search committee. The first candidate visited campus for interviews last week, she said. The other two are expected to visit in the coming weeks.

The search to replace Dean Melvin Stith, when he leaves his position at the end of the semester, began last spring with the appointment of a search committee. The committee consists of administration, faculty and students, said Branham, who is also the dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

To aid the search, the committee is working with a recruiting firm, which serves as an intermediary between the candidates and committee members, Branham said.

“We try to make the search a collegiate process,” she said. “We really value student and faculty input.”

Two Whitman students, Carly Getz and Willie Reddic, are included in the committee. They assist in reviewing applications and the initial screening process, Tom Lumpkin, vice chair of the search committee, said in an email. The students also host separate meetings with the candidates who visit Whitman, he said.

“In the meetings hosted by the students, they provide valuable written feedback about the candidates,” Lumpkin said. “The search committee definitely considers these evaluations when making decisions and recommendations.”

A student session was held last Thursday to evaluate one of the candidates. The next group of student sessions will take place Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, Getz said. The committee hopes to reach a decision by either March or April, she said.

“As a student, it’s amazing to see the passion and dedication that the Whitman community has toward our college,” Getz said. “I think there is a lot of potential within Whitman, and I am excited to see where this new dean can lead us.”

The process began with the committee deciding where to advertise the position, creating a job description and meeting with the Whitman community to receive feedback on what kind of dean they were interested in having, Branham said.

The committee allows faculty members to nominate one member from the college they believe might fit the job description, she said.

After receiving applications, the committee narrows the pool down to 10 or 15 candidates, then brings them in for interviews, Branham said. From that group, the committee selects its finalists for campus interviews, which involve meeting with Chancellor Nancy Cantor, administrators and students.

“The group that is chosen for campus interviews is typically the group where you hope you will find a new dean,” Branham said. “The candidate should meet some certain qualities that we are looking for in a prospective dean.”

She said the committee is looking for someone who is entrepreneurial, can position the school to utilize change in the business world and can demonstrate strong leadership skills.

Said Branham: “Whitman has been ranked as one of the top 50 business programs, so the new dean will be taking on a leadership position of a really strong school.”

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Published on January 22, 2013 at 11:04 pm

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