Search for College of Education dean stalled

Budget shortfalls have halted the search for a replacement.

By Evan Spaulding

Published Jan. 23, 2009

As the economic crisis continues to affect MU, Provost Brian Foster announced Jan. 14 the search for a new dean of the College of Education is canceled.

In an e-mail sent to the college's faculty, staff, students and alumni, Foster cited projected budget shortfalls of state appropriations of 15 to 25 percent as cause for cancellation of the search.

These budget shortfalls translate to a loss of $27-44 million for MU.

"Reductions in faculty and staff, eliminations of salary increases, tuition increases are all among the measures being assessed to address this shortfall," Foster wrote in the e-mail. "In the context of these substantial shortfalls and the implications for so many on the campus, I reluctantly decided that it was necessary to cancel the College of Education dean search."

As of now, the post is staffed by Interim Dean Rose Porter, former dean of the School of Nursing, where she worked for 29 years as a professor and administrator. Porter has been the College of Education's interim dean since Aug. 1 and has agreed to stay on for another year until the search committee can resume. The committee is operated under the auspices of the Provost and not the college.

On Wednesday, Gov. Jay Nixon announced he will recommend higher education's state appropriations to remain the same for the fiscal year 2010. If the General Assembly follows Nixon's recommendation, the university will not face projected budget shortfalls.

"We've talked about budget cuts for next year from 15, to 20 percent, to 25 percent, so that was good news for me," Porter said. "I am hopeful that we will be in a better place economically to go forward with the search."

One of the search committee's co-chairmen, Tim Lewis of the Department of Special Education, said he hopes the search will reopen, but he is unsure as to when that would happen.

"Our hope is that as the fiscal picture gets better and as the economy rebounds, that we will be able to resume the search next year," Lewis said. "But it would really be contingent upon the economic picture at this point."

The committee consisted of personnel from the college, community members, local school superintendents and representatives from the Department of Higher Education and School Board Association, among others. Lewis said the selection of a new dean is not only important to MU, but the state of Missouri.

"We get an amazing amount of outreach in the state both in terms of preparing teachers as well as working with in-service teachers and other educators," Lewis said. "It was a big search."

Before the search was scheduled, the committee had a short list of candidates who will be asked if they are still interested, if and when the search reopens, Lewis said. He said the applicant pool comprises current deans, associate deans or department chairs.