By: LaMarcus Wilkerson

VSU is nearly finished with its search for a new provost/vice president of academic affairs.

The nationwide search has been ongoing since summer 2012, and the VSU Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Search Committee now has three finalists for the second highest position at VSU.

The finalists are Dr. Hudson Rogers, a dean at Florida Gulf Coast University, Dr. Alberto Ruiz, a dean at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Dr. Stephen Kolison, Jr., an associate vice president for the University of Wisconsin System.

Ruiz was the first to visit our university. He holds a doctorate in physical education from the University of Houston and currently occupies the dean position for the College of Education and Human Performance at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Second, VSU welcomed Rogers, who received his Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Memphis and has held the dean position at FGCU for three years.

Kolison was the last finalist to come to our campus, visiting March 3-4. He received a Doctor of Philosophy from Iowa State University, and he has held his position for over six years.

Each contestant’s visit consisted of an on-campus interview, a campus tour, breakfast with the search committee and a close meeting with VSU President William McKinney.

VSU officials are unable to go into specifics about finalists, but Dr. McKinney believes candidates should possess several qualities.

“A successful provost is entrepreneurial and visionary and understands the rapidly changing landscape of higher education here in Georgia and across the country,” Dr. McKinney said.