National search
Search committee named to find new director of admissions
4:43 p.m., Feb. 17, 2015--The search process to identify the next director of admissions at the University of Delaware is underway with a committee of representatives from across the campus, Chris Lucier, vice president for enrollment management, announced today.
In recent years, the University of Delaware effectively broadened the scope of its recruiting while landing prospective students who were solidly prepared for the rigors of academic life at UD. The challenge will be to find the best candidate to capitalize on the success of the current director, José Aviles, who has taken a new post at the University at Buffalo.
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Co-chairing the search committee are David C. Wilson, associate professor of political science and international relations and associate dean of the social sciences in the College of Art and Sciences, and Melissa Stone, director of Student Financial Services. They said the next admissions director should possess the right blend of skills to build diverse and highly talented incoming classes and reinforce the foundation that has been set.
“We expect the first round of interviews with the candidates to begin by Mid-April,” said Stone.
The University has also retained the services of a top-tier search firm, William Spelman Executive Search, which specializes in identifying and recruiting highly qualified and diverse candidates for executive roles in higher education.
Strategic representation
“We have assembled an outstanding search committee that includes representation from critical areas that affect the overall student experience,” Lucier said.
“More important, our team consists of leaders who are deeply invested in the success of our students, and who are passionate about our University and our tradition of excellence,” said Lucier.
In addition to Wilson and Stone, the search committee includes:
- Michael Vaughn, associate dean, College of Engineering;
- Lyn Okagaki, dean, College of Education and human Development;
- Carol Henderson, vice provost for diversity;
- Dawn Thompson, vice president for student life;
- Jack Baroudi, associate dean of graduate and executive programs, Lerner College of Business and Economics;
- Kristin Beninghoff, senior associate director, Honors Program; and
- J.P. Laurenceau, professor of psychology.
“The director of admissions is one of the few leadership offices that directly touches every single unit at the university. Dr. Aviles answered the challenges of diversifying UD and growing the student body during a challenging economic period,” noted Wilson in explaining why this decision is critical to UD’s future.
“It is clear that the future of the university is tied to the next visionary who is selected for the role.”
Momentum for the future
According to Stone, the committee has spent time soliciting input from stakeholders around UD’s campus to help shape the guiding principles of the selection process and set a firm timetable that she expects will yield the final candidates just prior to summer.
“The selection process will be transparent, especially as we advance through the final stages. Once we have winnowed the list of candidates down to the finalists, we will create an open forum to introduce them to the University,” explained Stone. “At that time, the University community will have the opportunity to provide feedback.”
Lucier emphasized UD’s responsibility to choose the right person while simultaneously making sure the current admissions process is successful.
“Even as we enter this period of transition, our momentum will continue,” he said. “I’m very thankful our deputy director of admissions, Doug Zander, has agreed to serve as interim director. Doug is an experienced enrollment leader who will ensure continuity in the management and operations of the Admissions Office.”
Aviles will assume a new post at the University at Buffalo on May 1. During his tenure, UD successfully welcomed one of its largest, most diverse and best-qualified first-year classes ever in 2014.
Article by Jawanza Ali Keita