By Laura Acuff, Opinion Editor

The provost search committee met for the first time Wednesday, with the university President Dr. Royce Money in attendance, to begin the search to replace current Provost Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen.

Earlier this semester, VanRheenen announced his intent to retire at the end of the fiscal year and move to the West Coast to be closer to family.

Dr. Rick Lytle, Dean of the College of Business Administration and a search committee member, said the committee’s breakfast meeting served mainly to set basic guidelines for how to proceed with the search for candidates to fill VanRheenen’s position. The committee reviewed the provost’s job description, discussed a plausible timeline and examined certain human resource issues, Lytle said.

One human resource issue includes the possibility a search committee member might desire to apply for the position, Lytle said. In such a case, the committee member could submit his or her own nomination but would then need to recuse himself or herself from the committee.

Tentative plans set the search committee at submitting a candidate for consideration by April, Lytle said. Ideally, the new provost would be selected before summer 2009, allowing the summer months to accommodate a move and transition into the Abilene community.

Committee member Dr. Kim Pamplin, associate professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said in replacing VanRheenen, who has worked for ACU for 13 years, the committee faces a significant challenge.

“I think the faculty widely regard him as someone who’s been really good for the university,” Pamplin said. “We have a tough job ahead of us. The fact that he’s been here that long means that he’s been able to make good decisions and keep lots of different groups happy with him, not that that’s his goal.”

Despite whatever challenges, Pamplin said he has faith in the committee.

“There’s a wide representation,” Pamplin “There are lots of different colleges, people who are deans, people who are department chairs, people who are full-time faculty members.

There’s even a vice president on that committee. There’s male and female. It’s multiracial, a broad range of experience and a lot of commitment to the university. I think it’ll be a good group to work with.”

Lytle also said he appreciates members of the committee who plan to proceed prayerfully.

“It’s a great team,” Lytle said. “I think it’s a very strong team. It’s a diverse team and it’s a team that understands the importance of this position for the ACU campus to move forward.”