UPA dean finalists named

The search committee to select a new dean for the College of Urban and Public Affairs has narrowed the field to four candidates.

The successful candidate will fill the position now held by Nohad Toulan, long-time dean, who has announced he will retire at the end of this academic year. It is anticipated Toulan will remain on campus to facilitate the transition to the new dean.

Marvin Kaiser, chair of the search committee and dean of the College of Liberal and Fine Arts, said the four candidates have been approved by the provost, Mary Kay Tetreault, and the president of PSU, Daniel Bernstine.

Two of the candidates have already visited the campus. Bryan Johnston, former dean and professor of conflict management at Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University, visited March 3 and 4.

Michael Hibbard, currently the head of the Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management at the University of Oregon, visited campus March 6 and 7.

David Fleming, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga., was here Monday and will be here today, March 10 and 11.

John C. Pierce, research professor at Washington State University in Vancouver, Wash., will appear Thursday and Friday, March 13 and 14.

Johnston was interim president of Willamette in 1997-98 and associate dean of the Willamette College of Law, 1984-91.

Hibbard has been at the University of Oregon since 1980. He has been the director of the Graduate Program in Community and Regional Planning.

Fleming was acting director of the CDC for five months in 2002. Prior to that, he was State Epidemiologist for the Oregon Health Division from 1992-2000.

Pierce was formerly vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, professor of political science at the same institution from 1997-2001, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Washington State University 1986-97, and chair of political science at WSU from 1976-84.

Full resumes for the candidates are on file at the office of Victoria Gilbert, executive assistant to Dean Toulan.