Updated: News Hub for the Provost Candidates

Provost candidates Diane Chase and David Wu (photos by Amy Rose and Amy Pondraza)

With the impending departure of Dr. Peter Stearns, who will step down to join the history department, the search is underway for a new provost. The Provost Search Committee has narrowed the search down to four candidates, each of whom will give a presentation to Mason faculty, staff, and students before the final decision is made.

Professor Diane Chase's presentation (February 4)

Diane Chase has withdrawn her application to become Interim Provost at University of Central Florida.

“In terms of current projects, I’m working on a project on faculty leadership development, on international sites…” Chase said. “We’re working a pathway program with a competitor to INTO, and a lot of different graduation and retention initiatives, because our concern is not just bringing in students, but making sure that they leave with that credential that they should have.”

Professor David Wu’s presentation (February 7)

“I really think that the role of provost is a bridge… Think about different colleges and departments within a university. They can seem like different countries, but the job of the provost is to find that common ground,” Wu said. “The strategic plan isn’t a plan, it’s a communication tool. We say ‘this is what we want to be when we grow up’ and that helps us say ‘this is where we’re going’. A bridge can help us get there.”

Professor Suzanne Austin’s Presentation (February 11)

A common thread throughout the presentation was the parallel Austin created between the growth paths of Mason and UAB. Austin highlighted both universities’ efforts to create a diverse student body, and added that when University of Alabama-Bermingham was looking to improve graduation and retention rates of students, administrators followed the model that Mason had implemented.

Professor José Bermúdez (February 14)

Bermúdez spoke about his goals for research and stated that Mason’s 908 tenure and tenure-track professors were not enough to build a massive research presence. In order to create a larger research initiative, Bermúdez stressed that he would push to allocate increased funding for these professors to do more research.

The search committee will meet on Feb. 19 to discuss the candidates’ presentations and make their recommendations to President Cabrera, who will ultimately make the decision.