The Griffon News

Finding a successor for Western’s president, Dr. James Scanlon is one step closer with three candidates being chosen to replace him. Members of the screening committee spent last week visiting the home campuses of the three final candidates and checking references.

Potential candidates include Dr. Robert A. Vartabedian, current vice president for academic affairs and professor of communications at Eastern New Mexico University, Dr. David W. Atkinson, who has served as president and vice-chancellor of Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario and Carleton University in Ottawa and Dr. Bruce W. Speck, provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at Austin Peay State University.

“The candidates seemed to fit best with Missouri Western,” Natalie Bailey, Student on the search committee said. “The three fit well and will do a good job representing Western.”

Over the next two weeks candidates will come to Western for a final round of interviews and will speak on why he is the right leader for Western.  Vartabedian will give a presentation and answer questions from 4 to 5 p.m. today in the Kemper Recital Hall in Spratt Hall. Atkinson will meet with the community 5 to 5:45 p.m. Dec. 5 at a reception at the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce. He will give a presentation and answer questions from 4 to 5 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Mead Room of the Fulkerson Center and Speck, will give a presentation and answer questions from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Dec. 10 in the Kemper Recital Hall. Following the presentation, he will meet the same day with community members at a reception from 5 to 5:45 p.m. at the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce.

 “The Search Committee found candidates that had experience and qualifications that made them the best fit for Missouri Western,” Beth Wheeler, Vice-Chair of the committee said.

The Board of Governors will have the final decision on who will take Scanlon’s place and when they will be brought in to Western. The decision should be made during the December Board of Governors meeting.

The candidate that is chosen will follow in the footsteps of  Dr. M.O. Looney, Dr. Janet Gorman Murphy McCarthy and Scanlon.