When Don Burnett accepted the position of interim president of the University of Idaho, he said he would not be returning as dean of the College of Law and left the college in limbo.
In October, a vacancy announcement was posted on the UI website and the search committee advertised nationally for the position.
“We’ve been collecting applications since that time,” said search coordinator Lodi Price. “We started evaluating applications in the early part of November, and we’re going to continue to accept applications until a candidate is identified and announced.”
Burnett was appointed dean of the college in 2002 and Associate Dean Michael Satz was appointed as Interim Dean in 2013.
The search committee was selected by Interim Provost Katherine Aiken to represent the different stakeholders that will interact with the new dean.
Applicants sent the committee a letter demonstrating interest and completed the online application on the UI Human Resources website.
The committee issued the first series of phone interviews in the beginning of January and those interviews have recently been completed.
“The questions ask about experience and perspective and things like, ‘where do you see a college going,’ ‘what is your leadership style.’ Those are the kinds of questions that are asked in a phone interview,” Price said.
As chair of the search committee, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Jack McIver calls meetings for the search committee and
leads discussions.
“We’re in the process of doing the reference calls now,” McIver said. “I’d say it’s been successful in the sense that we’ve succeeded in the steps that
we’ve outlined.”
Price said the committee is currently in the process of checking references for candidates that could be invited to campus.
The committee’s goal is to complete all campus visits by March. Candidate visits will be two-days each, with time on the Moscow and Boise campuses. Price said candidates will start in Moscow. They will do a series of interviews, meetings, open sessions, presentations and will meet with stakeholders. When visiting the Boise campus, candidates will have an open session and tour the Boise campus.
In an open session, candidates will present their background, experiences and goals. All candidates will have an opportunity to address faculty, staff, students and alumni both in Moscow and Boise.
There is no deadline to hire a new dean, but Price said the search committee’s goal is to have the new dean hired and settled in his position to start the new fiscal year, July 1.
“It’s better to have the right person than have a quick person,” Price said. “I think we’re doing well, and I think we’re progressing. We’re right on track.”
Arianna Anchustegui can be reach at