The first of the forums showcasing the candidates for the No. 2 spot in the university began Tuesday with the introduction of Purdue University’s distinguished dean of the College of Science.

Jeffrey S. Vitter spoke in the Gallery of the Memorial Union to a crowd primarily comprised of faculty and staff in both a general forum and forum designed specifically to address issues in diversity.

Vitter’s degrees include a bachelor’s in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame, a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University and a master’s in business administration from Duke University.

Vitter said his background in computer science and information technology contributed to his interest in the position at Iowa State.

“Information technology is a critical loop that I think really brings together all aspects of academia today,” Vitter said. “It has become second nature to everything that we do.”

But more than his advancements in the technological field, Vitter wanted to speak about how he accomplished those goals.

“The key message is how we [at Purdue] did things, not necessarily what was done,” Vitter said.

He continued his speech by addressing the importance of open communication. He said in his previous experience in university leadership roles, he has hosted separate forums and lunches with junior faculty members and women faculty members to make sure he heard all sides of an issue.

Vitter said he thinks the open communication he makes a habit of practicing would be particularly valuable to Iowa State when addressing insufficient state appropriations and the new budget model.

“I think I understand a lot of the issues, and I look forward to working with you all in the future,” he said.

Marc Harding, director of admissions, agreed that Vitter did seem to have a “good grasp of the issues.”

“Purdue is also attempting to increase non-resident students to their university,” Harding said. “He understands what kind of problems we are facing.”

At the diversity forum an hour later, Vitter again empathized with the problems affecting Iowa State. He said his own college at Purdue had main gains in diversity, but was still not at the level he envisioned.

“We’re making some progress, but we’ve got a long way to go,” he said of the diversity percentages in Purdue’s College of Science.

Vitter said he thinks one of the first steps to increasing diversity occurs in the hiring process.

“The goal is always to hire the best person, but also to find a candidate that increases diversity,” he said. “These goals are not exclusive, but synergistic.”

Vitter concluded both lectures by stressing the importance of the provost position.

“The new provost will play a key role in setting the tone for Iowa State’s future,” he said.

Tahira Hira, chairwoman of the search committee and assistant to the president for external relations, said she thought the forums went well and gave the campus community a chance to see Vitter as a more complete person.

“He’s very much a well-rounded human being,” Hira said.

“I hadn’t had the opportunity before to see his sense of humor; he was funny.”

However, not all in attendance agreed. Virginia Allen, a retired ISU professor of English, disapproved of Vitter’s “bureaucratic language.”

“The kind of talking that he does is at a very high abstraction and he gives examples, but you don’t get the sense that he has a commitment,” Allen said of Vitter’s comments on diversity.

“He hasn’t done anything to help us want to believe that women, or blacks, or anyone who’s nontraditional in any way, is really going to get a fair shake from his administration.”