Provost search finalists named

Nov. 20, 2012

A committee conducting the search for a new provost/vice president of academic affairs at Henderson State University has identified five finalists for the position. The candidates will visit the Henderson campus later this month and in December for interviews and to meet the faculty, staff, students and the community.

The finalists are:
• Dr. Risa E. Dickson, associate provost for academic personnel and professor of communication studies at California State University, San Bernardino
• Dr. Martin J. Eisenberg, interim dean, School of Arts and Letters, and associate provost at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.
• Dr. Georgia M. Hale, dean, College of Applied Science and Technology at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
• Dr. Brenda S. Nichols, dean, College of Arts & Sciences at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas
• Dr. Robert F. Scott Jr., dean and professor, College of Education and Technology at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.
“The search committee has worked diligently to identify some excellent individuals as finalists for the position and I am grateful for their efforts” said Dr. Glen Jones, president of Henderson. “We have a great opportunity to recruit an outstanding individual to Henderson and I am looking forward to having each of our finalists on campus over the next few weeks.”

Dickson earned her Ph.D. in interpersonal/organizational communication in 1991from the University of Southern California. She joined California State in 1991 as an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies. She became chair of the department in 2000, and was named dean of the College of Arts and Letters in 2004. She served as executive associate to the president from 2006-2010.

Eisenberg received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988. From 1988 to 2001, he served as registrar and coordinator of academic research, and assistant to the dean for academic records at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. At the same time, he was an associate and assistant professor of economics. Eisenberg joined Truman State in 2001 as associate provost and associate professor of economics. He began serving as interim dean earlier this year. Eisenberg is an American Council on Education Leadership Fellow, 2009-2010.

Hale earned her Ph.D. in business and organizational communication from Arizona State University. She was one of 12 selected nationally to study Japanese social and economic affairs as a fellow at the Keizai Koho Center. Hale has served as associate dean, College of Business, at Arkansas State University; assistant dean for student and minority affairs, College of Education, Iowa State University; associate dean, College of Business, University of Arkansas – Fort Smith; and interim dean, College of Business, University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.

Nichols received her D.N.Sc. from Indiana University School of Nursing in 1983. She was director of nursing research at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg from 1984-1987, and was dean, College of Health Sciences, at Southern Cross University in Australia from 1987-1990. Nichols joined Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., where she served as chair of the School of Nursing from 1990-2001. Nichols moved on to Lamar University in 2001.

Scott earned his Doctor of Philosophy in 1993 from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. While serving as an assistant professor of sociology at Fort Hays State University, Scott was named the director of the Justice Studies program in 1996. In 2000, he became assistant provost at the university before leaving to become vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of faculty at the University of Maine at Fort Kent in 2002. Scott served as vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the college at Keystone College in La Plume, Pa., from 2005-2007 before returning to Fort Hays State as chair of the Department of Justice Studies. He was appointed to his current position in 2010.

Tentative dates for the candidates to visit Henderson have been set. Hale is scheduled to be on campus Nov. 27-28, with a campus-wide forum scheduled on the 28th; Nichols, Nov. 28-29, with a forum on the 29th; Eisenberg, Dec. 2-3, forum on the 3rd; Dickson, Dec. 4-5, forum on the 5th; and Scott, Dec. 6-7, forum on the 7th. All forums will begin at 3:30 p.m. and locations will be announced at a later date.

For more information about the candidates, please go to www.hsu.edu/provostsearch.