The four remaining candidates for dean of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction underwent the final phase of evaluation, campus interviews, Jan. 30 through Feb. 2.
The candidates for dean are Craig Barton, Vini Nathan, Scott Poole and Christine Theodoropoulos.
"Their main goal is to provide leadership to the college, the department chairs and program heads," said Richard Brinker, dean emeritus of the school of forestry and wildlife sciences and chair of the search committee. "They're also heavily involved with development work outside of the University to develop future funding for the college."
Brinker said the new dean should start June 2011.
The search, which began early last June, is expected to yield a decision by Feb. 11, said Rod Barnett, associate professor of Landscape Architecture and search committee member.
"The short list of four candidates comprises two women and two men, and it comprises two minorities, so we are very pleased with our diversity," Barnett said.
According to Barnett, by the end of fall semester the school had approximately 50 applicants. The applications were then narrowed down to 12 candidates who qualified for personal interviews in Atlanta.
"The full rounded personality and all their attributes don't become apparent until you do meet them in person," Barnett said. "The CV is one thing, but the person is a completely different thing often."
The new dean will replace Dan Bennett, who left as a well-loved and respected dean, Brinker said.
"We're excited about the group," Barnett said. "We feel that they are all serious contenders, and we're looking forward to the new phase of leadership. The College of Architecture, Design and Construction is an incredibly robust college. The new dean doesn't have to make any new great changes, it's a question of consolidating really what's there and using it as a terrific foundation for exploring new possibilities."
As the search for a new CADC dean comes to an end, the search for a new College of Sciences and Mathematics dean is just beginning.
The new dean will follow Marie Wooten, the beloved, former COSAM dean who died Nov. 5 after being struck by a vehicle while jogging.
Natasha Dunaway, graduate student in organic chemistry and the graduate student representative for the COSAM dean search committee, said the committee is currently in the process of receiving applications and forming the biggest pool of candidates possible.
"Dean Wooten's vision for Auburn University was to get more people involved in sciences," Dunaway said. "She had a huge program for women in sciences, and she also had a lot of outreach to get younger generations to be involved in science. It makes it even that much more critical to find someone that can follow the same ideas and have the same heart for Auburn and for COSAM."
Dunaway said she expects the interview process to begin in the middle of February.
All candidates' CVs, or curriculum vitae, a full resume, are available for review on the respective college's websites.
On-campus interviews of candidates are open to the public.
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