The search for a new provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs at UMR is under way, as Chancellor John F. Carney III announced on Thursday (Jan. 12, 20006) the formation of a committee to direct the search for a successor to Dr. Y.T. Shah, who will step down from the provost’s position in August 2006.

The provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs is UMR’s chief academic officer and is responsible for overseeing all academic programs and a variety of academic support programs, including enrollment management, library, pre-college programs, information technology, research and sponsored programs, technology transfer, undergraduate and graduate studies programs, distance and continuing education programs, and international programs.

Carney appointed Dr. Craig D. Adams, the John and Susan Mathes Chair of Environmental Engineering, as chair of the 15-member committee. Other committee members are:

• Meg Brady, project manager, UMR’s information technology department.
• Dr. Delbert Day, Curators’ Professor emeritus of materials science and engineering.
• Dr. William G. Fahrenholtz, associate professor of materials science and engineering.
• Lauren Huchingson, UMR Student Council vice president of internal affairs and a senior information sciences and technology major.
• Dr. Richard Hall, professor of information science and technology and associate dean of the School of Management and Information Systems.
• Jeanie Hofer, director of international affairs.
• Dr. Ming Leu, the Keith and Pat Bailey Professor of Integrated Product Development and Manufacturing.
• John Mathes of St. Louis, a UMR graduate, member of the UMR Board of Trustees and former President of the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
• Dr. Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, professor of geological sciences and engineering.
• Prasenjit Shil, a Ph.D. student in engineering management and president of the UMR Council of Graduate Students.
• Laura Stoll, registrar.
• Dr. Kristine Swenson, associate professor of English and technical communication

The committee will also include two faculty members to be elected by the UMR Academic Council.

The committee will begin meeting soon to discuss details of the nationwide search, Carney said.