David Wrobel, dean of the OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, is a finalist for Iowa State University’s open provost position, according to reporting by the Iowa State Daily.
Iowa State’s current Provost Jonathan Wickert is stepping down this summer, prompting a national search that tapped Wrobel as one of four finalists.
Wrobel, who is also the David L. Boren professor and Merrick chair of Western American history, joined faculty as a professor at OU in 2011. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees in American intellectual history from Ohio University and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kent in Canterbury, England.
According to the Iowa State Daily, the senior vice president and provost oversees colleges and academic affairs, including the university library and university branches on its main campus.
Wrobel, along with other candidates, visited Iowa State’s Ames campus for two days to meet with Iowa State President Wendy Winterstein, members of the provost search committee, enrollment management, members of student government and forums with faculty and staff, according to the Iowa State Daily.
The Iowa State Daily reported that Wrobel focused on access, availability, assessment, advocacy and the apex — research, extension, scholarship and creative activity — during his presentations and visits to campus. Wrobel said he believes in access to higher education and sees the value in obtaining a college degree and financial issues should not hinder a student from attending a university. For fundraising, Wrobel said his goals at OU have been to get every department in the College of Arts and Sciences named along with a large endowment.
If Wrobel received the provost position at Iowa State, OU would be poised to have another academic college without a leader. Out of the 16 deans on OU’s Norman campus, six are currently interim or acting leaders of their colleges.
OU currently has two active dean searches ongoing for the College of Law and Honors College.
OU announced on April 23 that Andrea Miller, current dean of the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas, will be the next dean of the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Dean Emeritus Ed Kelley stepped down last summer, citing a need for younger leadership to run the college. David Craig has served as interim dean over the past year.
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. said following the March OU Board of Regents meeting that he hopes to have the Gaylord College, College of Law and Honors College dean positions filled by the fall.
OU’s Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, the David L. Boren College of International Studies and the College of Professional and Continuing Studies also have interim deans. OU’s University College currently has an acting dean, however, OU announced in March that the university would dissolve the college at the end of the academic year and reorganize it under individual colleges and the provost’s office.
OU College of Arts and Sciences Dean Emeritus Paul Bell previously told OU Daily that it is shocking how many open dean positions OU currently has, citing that it appears leaders and longtime university employees are “abandoning ship.”
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This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure, Ismael Lele and Peggy Dodd.
