Published: March 12, 2005

James Williams, dean of libraries at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has been appointed chair of a 15-member search committee announced this week to select a new provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Candidates for the position, currently held by Interim Provost Susan Avery, will be identified through a national search assisted by a search firm. The provost's salary currently is about $220,000.

Selection of the provost, the lead academic officer for the Boulder campus, is expected in early fall 2006. The search for a new chancellor also is in progress and that committee is scheduled to recommend candidates by early summer. Once in place, the new chancellor will be able to select the provost in the fall from the final list of candidates, according to Williams.

Prior to selection of the provost, the top four or five candidates will visit the campus and meet with faculty and staff to answer questions and discuss academic issues affecting CU-Boulder. Those meetings are expected to take place in September, said Williams, and will be announced in advance.

The provost search committee will begin meeting in mid-March, Williams said.

The provost, as supervisor of CU-Boulder's 10 deans, is responsible for all academic activities of the Boulder campus including faculty affairs, curriculum development, student affairs and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School, among other responsibilities.

Members of the Provost Search Committee include: Barbara Buttenfield, geography professor; Ann Carlos, economics professor; Mario Flores, student; Theresa Hernandez, psychology associate professor; David Kassoy, mechanical engineering professor; Carl Lineberger, chemistry and biochemistry Distinguished Professor and JILA fellow; Dayna Matthew, law associate professor; Allan McMurray, music Distinguished Professor; Frank Moyes, business Scholar-in-Residence; Tayna Patzer, athletics staff; Laurie Vargas Short, Alumni Association representative; Galina Siarheichyk, student; John Stevenson, English associate professor and associate vice chancellor for the graduate school; and Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs.