By Daniel Johnson-Kim, Editor in Chief

The list of people who may become ACU’s next Chief Academic Officer is down to two: Dr. Jeanine Varner and Dr. Rob Stewart.

The Provost Search Committee narrowed the search from five applicants to two after several weeks of interviews and deliberations, and each candidate will visit with the committee, administrators, faculty and other groups on campus before the committee issues its final recommendation. The final decision of who the university will hire as its next provost will be made by Dr. Royce Money, president of the university.

Varner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was surprised to hear she was one the two finalists to become the Provost who would replace Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen.

ACU hired Varner in 2007 to head the College of Arts and Sciences, and it was only after encouragement from other ACU faculty and Varner’s family and friends that she decided to apply for the open position.

“I had an interest in it, but what really made me want to move forward was the encouragement from several of my colleagues here on campus,” Varner said.

Stewart, interim senior vice provost for Texas Tech University, returned a call from Dr. MeLesa Breeding, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, and Breeding revealed he was one of the final two people up for the Provost position.

Stewart said he prayed with his wife and called Breeding back to let her know he was interested in pursuing the next phase of the application for the position. He applied for the position after ACU alumni in the Lubbock area alerted him to the open position.

Varner has more than 35 years of experience working in higher education and worked as the vice president of Academic Affairs at Oklahoma Christian University from 1996-2007. Varner said she was excited to have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of VanRheenen, but would bring a different leadership style to the table.

“I think there will be adjustments for all of us to make when a new Provost arrives,” Varner said. “I have enormous respect for Dr. VanRheenen and for his relentless pursuit of academic excellence while he has been here.”

Varner and Stewart said they were committed to finding a way to carry on the university’s 21st Century Vision.

“The role of the Provost has several important ways of interacting with that vision, not the least of which is to assure high quality and growing academic programs that meet student interests and student needs,” Stewart said.

Stewart has 12 years of experience as an administrator in higher education. He was an associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas Tech University, and has served as a department chair.

“He’s a good listener, he’s an extremely hard worker, he’s very perceptive and intuitive, and I’ve never seen a problem he could not solve.,” said Dr. Carol Heintz, associate dean at Texas Tech.

Stewart will be on campus the week after spring break and said he is open to answering any questions from faculty and administrators.

“I have a lot of questions that I hope to have answered,” Stewart said.