Coughlin Appointed Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs during Transition

Richard Coughlin, dean of the library, has agreed to serve as Acting Vice President for Academic Affairs beginning May 10 until the Provost position is filled.

Coughlin will be assisting current provost Troy Paino during the transition to his new position as University President.

“Dean Coughlin is a trusted and respected administrator who knows the University well,” Paino said. “I am deeply indebted to him for his willingness to serve in this capacity in the interim. I know he will do a wonderful job assisting me during the transition.”

Paino has already formed a search committee for the next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Truman. The Search Committee includes Janet Gooch, professor and chair of communication disorders, committee co-chair; Priscilla Riggle, dean of the School of Arts & Letters, committee co-chair; Clifton Kreps, professor and chair of classic and modern languages; Teresa Heckert, professor of psychology; Sally West, professor of history; Stephen Allen, professor of business administration; James Guffey, professor of mathematics and statistics and president of Faculty Senate; Janet Romine, librarian; Rebecca Charles, assistant registrar; Kathy Powell, assistant to the provost; and Isaac Robinson, vice president of Student Senate.

The committee met Feb. 19 and was asked by Paino to work fast in hopes of finding someone willing to begin by the start of next academic year.

The position announcement went out the final week of February.

The committee will begin reviewing application materials in April, conduct off-campus interviews with semi-finalists by mid-April and invite the finalists to campus during the last week in April and first week in May.

If for any reason the committee decides to delay interviews until the fall, campus will be notified.

The committee will submit a list of “acceptable” candidates with a summary of their strengths and weaknesses to Paino.

At the end of the process, after receiving input from the search committee and the entire campus community, he will decide who can effectively work with him, faculty, staff, students, the President’s Executive Staff and academic administrators in helping set the course for Truman.
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