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NEWS
| October 22, 2003
Administration
Finalist Bob Smith’s interviews
continue
Some SC senators say his answers
in Tuesday’s interviews were indirect while others say he
was well-prepared.
By Brad
Rollins
The Shorthorn managing editor
Some student senators who questioned presidential finalist Bob Smith
say he unveiled ambitious ideas for the university’s future
but “danced around” some issues.
“He seemed very knowledgeable, and he seemed to have great
ideas,” said Tabitha Padilla, Student Congress vice president.
“The question for me is: How does he compare? I’m looking
for the ultimate candidate who can balance the needs of all the
colleges and schools.”
Padilla said she was pleased with Dr. Smith said he promise to put
Liberal Arts “on the map.”
Smith’s visit continues with a series of meetings today and
an open forum at 3:15 p.m. in 254 Business Building. He will also
have lunch with interim President Charles Sorber and meet city bigwigs
at a Chamber of Commerce reception.
The first candidate on campus since UT System regents named finalists
on Thursday, Smith met with Student Congress as well as the Faculty
Senate, Staff Advisory Council, deans and members of the Arlington
Development Board.
Some student senators, like Padilla, had taken part in interviews
during the summer with the finalists as part of the “incognito”
visits before names were released.
She said Smith was not as dynamic a speaker as finalists James Spaniolo
or Arthur Vailas but didn’t think that was necessarily an
indication of their leadership capacity. Dr. Spaniolo is the Communication
Art and Sciences dean at Michigan State University, and Dr. Vailas
is vice chancellor for research and intellectual property for the
University of Houston System. Padilla said she would withhold judgment
until she had heard the others.
Liberal Arts Senator James Urban seconded the sentiment that it
was premature to make assessments. He said Smith was well-prepared
and seemed at ease taking questions.
“To already have ideas for this university before he knows
whether he’s going to get the job — that was pretty
impressive,” Urban said.
SC President Josh Warren declined to discuss Smith — or other
applicants — on the record.
“I’m trying not to say anything about any of them,”
he said. “I’ve got to work with whoever ends up getting
it.”
Others who previously heard from some of the finalists said Smith
did not seem as direct in addressing senators’ questions.
“He didn’t seem like a bad guy, but he beat around the
bush a lot,” said SC program director Josh Sawyer, who previously
interviewed Smith with three others. “He didn’t really
seem to answer anyone’s questions head-on. And he did that
in the first interview, too.”
Sawyer said Roderick McDavis and Peter Hoff had surfaced as preliminary
favorites among the handful of students selected for the interviews.
Dr. McDavis, provost at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Dr.
Hoff, president of the University of Maine, are also finalists.
“Everyone seems to like those,” Sawyer said, adding
that he, too, would not name a preference until the last of the
visits. “It’s kind of hard to judge yet.”
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What's
Next
• Bob Smith, the first of five finalists to visit,
will hold an open forum at 3:15 p.m. today in 254 Business
Building.
• Finalist Peter Hoff will visit Thursday and
Friday. His schedule had not been released at press
time.
Presidential Search Data Bank
For more information about the presidential search,
visit the Data
Bank.
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| Bob
Smith is one of five finalists for the university’s
presidency and concludes his campus visit today.
An interview
with Smith.
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