Ball State's Board of Trustees has selected Provost BeverleyPitts to take on the responsibilities, but not the title, of BallState's president once Blaine Brownell leaves in January.
Pitts wants to help keep the search process as simple aspossible.
"My most important job will be to keep things just the way theyare," Pitts said.
Pitts said one her duties as provost is to fill in for thepresident when he cannot perform his duties. She also said takingon those responsibilities will enable the search committee to focusentirely on finding a new president, rather than having to find apresident and an interim.
Pitts, having two roles to perform after Feb. 1, said she willhave good people around her to help her out with her increasedresponsibilities.
"I have two very strong assistant provosts and anotherassistant," Pitts said. "All three of them will step up and help meout."
The Board of Trustees on Friday also released the names of thesearch committee members who will choose Ball State's nextpresident.
Tom L. DeWeese, president of the board, said people fromdifferent areas of the community and university were chosen torepresent a diverse number of people.
"We tried to get a cross section of people," DeWeese said.Members were chosen based on their position in the university or onrecommendations, he said.
Search committee members will represent three groups: the Boardof Trustees, faculty and others in the university.
Frank Bracken, Hollis Hughes and Greg Schenkel will representthe executive committee of the board.
Faculty representatives are Marilyn Buck, chair of UniversitySenate; Clare Chatot, University Senate; and Michael Holmes,professor of communications and acting dean of the College ofCommunication, Information and Media.
Other university representatives are Sara Atkinson, student;David Bahlmann, executive director of the Ball State UniversityFoundation; Wayne Estopinal, incoming president of the AlumniCouncil; Kim Hiatt, president of Staff Council; Mary McWhorter, acook representing service staff; B. Thomas Lowe, associate provostand dean of University College; and Thomas Kinghorn, vice presidentof business affairs and treasurer.
DeWeese said the search committee will call a meeting within thenext two weeks to organize and begin the search for a newpresident. The committee hopes to have the new president takeoffice by July 1.
Search criteria the committee will use are unknown right now,DeWeese said.
"It's a little early to tell," DeWeese said.
DeWeese said the committee will get a better idea of what typeof president it wants as it reviews candidates.
Baker Parker and Associates, a search firm based in Atlanta,will assist the committee in gathering resumes for the position andbringing candidates in for interviews, DeWeese said.
"I think it (the search) will go very well," DeWeese said. "Witheverybody working together, it will run along smoothly."
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