Provost Search Advisory Committee Appointed

Baylor Faculty and Staff:

I am pleased to announce the members of the Baylor Provost Search Advisory Committee, which is charged with identifying candidates to serve as the University’s next chief academic officer.

Shanna Hagan-Burke, Ph.D., Dean of the Moody School of Education, and Charles A. Weaver III, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Master Teacher, will serve as committee co-chairs. The 22-member search committee includes faculty representatives from each College/School, a member of the Faculty Senate, four staff representatives, one undergraduate and one graduate student. Executive search firm DSG (Diversified Search Group Global) has been selected to assist the committee with its search.

The committee includes:

• Jared E. Alcántara, Ph.D., George W. Truett Theological Seminary – Professor of Preaching, The Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching and Director of the Kyle Lake Center for Effective Preaching;
• Candi Cann, Ph.D., Honors College – Professor of Religion in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core;
• Erik W. Carter, Ph.D., Moody School of Education – The Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities and Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing;
• David Cortes, Associate Vice President of Development;
• Ashlyn Graves, Student Body President;
• Shanna Hagan-Burke, Ph.D., Moody School of Education – Dean (Co-chair);
• Stacia Hays, D.N.P., Louise Herrington School of Nursing – Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Clinical Professor;
• Emily M. Hunter, Ph.D., Hankamer School of Business – Professor and Chair of the Department of Management, incoming Faculty Senate Chair;
• Ronald Angelo Johnson, Ph.D., College of Arts & Sciences – The Ralph and Bessie Mae Lynn Chair of History and Associate Professor;
• J. Brian Jordon, Ph.D., School of Engineering and Computer Science – The Kenneth and Celia Carlile Chair in Materials Science;
• Forest S. Kim, Ph.D., Hankamer School of Business – Clinical Associate Professor, Executive Director of the Robbins Institute for Health Policy & Leadership and Co-Director of the Robbins Healthcare MBA;
• Horace J. Maxile Jr., Ph.D., School of Music – Associate Professor of Music Theory;
• Elizabeth Ortiz, Graduate Student Association President;
• Charley Ramsey, Ph.D., University Chaplain and Dean of Spiritual Life;
• Curtis Reynolds, Vice President of Business and Finance and Chief Financial Officer;
• Michaela Ritter, Ed.D., Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences – The Martin Family Endowed Chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders;
• Callie Schrank, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director for Administration;
• Michael VanNieuwenhze, Ph.D., College of Arts & Sciences – Chair of the Department of Biology, University Distinguished Professor and The Floyd Davidson Endowed Memorial Chair;
• Charles A. Weaver III, Ph.D., College of Arts & Sciences – Associate Dean for Sciences, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and Master Teacher (Co-chair);
• Dennis R. Wiles, Ph.D., Former Vice Chair of the Board of Regents;
• Patricia A. Wilson, J.D., Baylor Law School – Associate Dean and The William Boswell Chair of Law; and
• Melody York Zuniga, Ed.D., Diana R. Garland School of Social Work – Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Clinical Professor.

Cheryl Gochis, Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer, will serve as liaison to the Division of Human Resources, while Bri Hacker, Manager of Talent Advising, will serve the committee in an HR support role.

The search committee will hold its first meeting later this month, and potential candidates will be assessed based on their academic credentials, demonstrated leadership and commitment to Baylor’s unwavering Christian mission. Additionally, candidates must be able to continue the work and momentum of Baylor in Deeds as we strive to be the premier Christian research university.

The search committee will solicit candidate names from both internal and external sources and review a broad and diverse pool of candidates. The committee will be asked to present potential provost candidates during the fall semester.

In the upcoming weeks, the University will provide an online mechanism through which you may submit potential candidates for consideration. The committee will provide periodic updates on their progress, but to maintain the integrity of the search, members of the committee have been asked to maintain confidentiality of the process until finalists have been identified by the University. We ask that our faculty, staff and students respect this request for confidentiality.

Please keep the committee in your prayers as they begin the search for this significant position as we fulfill Baylor’s mission as a Christian research university. I extend my deepest appreciation for these individuals who have agreed to participate on the search committee and for their work and dedication over the next several months.

Sincerely,

Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D.
President