By Colleen Good

The job posting for the open provost position will ideally be released today, Jan Serie, co-chair of the provost search committee, said. The private search firm Witt/Kieffer is responsible for releasing the ad, and will oversee many other aspects of the search process. The job posting will be available to those both inside and out of the Macalester faculty and staff. Search firms are not always used in job searches, Serie said, but was necessary in this case because President Brian Rosenberg, who is co-chairing the search, is very involved in the capital campaign. Normally, the president of a college would help with off-campus recruiting, but Rosenberg’s time commitments to the capital campaign prevent him from having the same level of direct involvement in the initial stages of the process.

In addition to putting together the job advertisement, Witt/Kieffer will provide “logistical support,” Serie said. This will include arranging interview times, providing transportation to and from campus and buying the necessary flights and hotel rooms for candidates.

The committee said it expects many applications, as the provost position is very compelling, due in part to Macalester’s institutional reputation. Serie said that Macalester currently has a visionary president and is “on the brink of being able to do some things other institutions are financially unable to do.”

Macalester is ideally hoping to attract some candidates who are not officially on the job market, so the selection process is likely to be confidential.

The committee will be looking for a candidate who will “be a visionary leader,” and can translate some of the goals of the president into his or her own academic vision, Serie said.

Rosenberg called for nominations for the search committee in early January. The committee membership is composed of six faculty and two staff in addition to the two chairs.