Robert Morris was named dean of the graduate school after being the interim, or acting, dean for eight months.
After perusing the university's Web site and searching through each college, you come to realize interim deans are somewhat commonplace throughout the university.
Rodney Davis serves as the interim dean for the Miller College of Business, Jack Wescot serves as the interim dean for the College of Applied Sciences and Technology and Roy Weaver is stepping down as dean of Teachers College.
Almost half of the colleges at Ball State are without deans. A college without a dean is like a senior who has senioritis. The senior goes through the motions of everyday life just waiting for it to be over.
With only an interim dean, a college goes through the motions.
Progress can't be made because the person in charge could change at any moment.
By keeping interim deans in place the university is selling itself short and holding itself back.
Ball State is supposed to be redefining education. But how much can be redefined if the lead figures for three colleges are absent?
In the case of the graduate school, the search for a dean ended where it began; the university promoted from within. Morris was a professor for 11 years and chair of the chemistry department for about five years before he was named interim dean in July.
In the end the best person for the job was already at Ball State. Perhaps the university should acknowledge the possibility of promoting from within in order to fill vacant positions.
However, we still want the most qualified person in each position, so it's understandable that it may take a while.
In the meantime, we hope you continue to search thoroughly but quickly to ensure colleges have the direction they need to succeed.
We wouldn't want to have to change the motto from "Education Redefined" to "Most things you need."
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