VPAA search fails, University officials unsure what's next
Brennan Stebbins
Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: News
The search for Southern's next vice president for academic affairs is in limbo.
The search was declared a failure Monday after a second (of three) finalists withdrew from consideration for the position.
Dr. Peter Johnstone, the deputy vice chancellor for the University of North Texas in Dallas, reportedly informed University President Bruce Speck of his decision last week.
"He had talked to me about it sometime last week," Speck said this week, and added that Johnstone did not provide a reason for his withdrawal.
When asked about his decision Wednesday, Johnstone declined to offer a reason for his decision.
"Honestly, I really have no comment," Johnstone said. "I really feel the best comment I should be making at this point is no comment."
Johnstone' s withdrawal followed the decision of Dr. Brian Chapman to pull out of the race. Chapman, a professor of biology and marine biology at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington, announced his withdrawal last week, citing a "poisoned" atmosphere at Southern.
The search committee met last Friday to discuss how and if to proceed with the search. Committee members declined to comment after that meeting, and Speck, who chairs the committee, hurriedly left Hearnes Hall afterwards and only said he would be making an announcement on Monday. In that announcement, via email, Speck said he had not determined what the next step would be and later called the failed search "very discouraging" during a meeting of the academic council.
When asked afterwards what the next step would be, Speck said he didn't know. He also declined to offer a timetable for any decision.
"I don't know," he said. "I've got to think about it. I don't really have a time."
In his "Notes from the Prez" for today's Board of Governor's meeting, Speck said he was contemplating the next step.
"There's been a huge amount of effort put in by the search committee," Speck told The Chart. "They spent many hours and were very dedicated to it. We spent institutional money to bring these people on, so it's a costly process and I think when you invest those types of resources, especially the resources of those people on the committee, it's discouraging when you have a failed search."
The search was declared a failure Monday after a second (of three) finalists withdrew from consideration for the position.
Dr. Peter Johnstone, the deputy vice chancellor for the University of North Texas in Dallas, reportedly informed University President Bruce Speck of his decision last week.
"He had talked to me about it sometime last week," Speck said this week, and added that Johnstone did not provide a reason for his withdrawal.
When asked about his decision Wednesday, Johnstone declined to offer a reason for his decision.
"Honestly, I really have no comment," Johnstone said. "I really feel the best comment I should be making at this point is no comment."
Johnstone' s withdrawal followed the decision of Dr. Brian Chapman to pull out of the race. Chapman, a professor of biology and marine biology at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington, announced his withdrawal last week, citing a "poisoned" atmosphere at Southern.
The search committee met last Friday to discuss how and if to proceed with the search. Committee members declined to comment after that meeting, and Speck, who chairs the committee, hurriedly left Hearnes Hall afterwards and only said he would be making an announcement on Monday. In that announcement, via email, Speck said he had not determined what the next step would be and later called the failed search "very discouraging" during a meeting of the academic council.
When asked afterwards what the next step would be, Speck said he didn't know. He also declined to offer a timetable for any decision.
"I don't know," he said. "I've got to think about it. I don't really have a time."
In his "Notes from the Prez" for today's Board of Governor's meeting, Speck said he was contemplating the next step.
"There's been a huge amount of effort put in by the search committee," Speck told The Chart. "They spent many hours and were very dedicated to it. We spent institutional money to bring these people on, so it's a costly process and I think when you invest those types of resources, especially the resources of those people on the committee, it's discouraging when you have a failed search."
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