Final Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the
Selection of a Vice Provost for Research

The search committee was established in February 2003 under the chairmanship of Steven J. Fluharty, professor of pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine. The committee's membership included Linda H. Aiken, Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor of Nursing; Nancy M. Bonini, associate professor of biology, SAS; Peter Conn, deputy provost; P. Leslie Dutton, Eldridge Reeves Johnson Professor of Biochemistry & Biophysics, School of Medicine; Leif H. Finkel, professor of bioengineering, SEAS; Richard J. Gelles, dean, School of Social Work; Carl H. June, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, School of Medicine; Mitchell A. Lazar, Sylvan H. Eisman Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine;  Douglas S. Massey, Dorothy S. Thomas Professor of Sociology, SAS; Rebecca Maynard, Trustee Professor of Education, GSE; Douglas Metcalf, Ph.D. candidate in biochemistry and molecular biophysics, School of Medicine; Ophelia Roman, sophomore, CAS, John M. Vohs, Carl V. S. Patterson Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, SEAS. Margaret M. Lizotte, executive assistant for faculty affairs, Office of the Associate Provost, staffed the committee.

The search was national in scope. The search firm, Isaacson-Miller was retained to aid in the search. A notice was placed in the Almanac and an ad was placed in The Chronicle of Higher Education. The committee interviewed a number of faculty and administrators about the role of the Vice Provost. Both internal and external candidates were considered for the position. Candidates were sought who had a strong personal record of funded research; thorough knowledge of the operations and practices of a comprehensive research-oriented university; and proven administrative competence. 

The committee received 29 nominations and applications. The committee interviewed nine candidates. Two of the candidates interviewed were women and seven were men. Two of the candidates were internal candidates. The committee forwarded the names of two external candidates to Provost Robert Barchi. One of the two external candidates, Dr. Perry Molinoff, was appointed Vice Provost for Research, effective November 1, 2003. 

--Steven J. Fluharty, Chair