Budget constraints and the problems associated with them will face whomever is selected to fill the position of dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

Since the search began last June, the 19-member dean search committee has narrowed the long list of nominations to a short list of candidates.

Norman Cheville, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and chairman of the search committee, said the committee is in the process of narrowing the list so they can proceed with on-campus interviews of two or three final candidates.

“We should be releasing the names of those candidates in early November,” he said.

Former Dean Carol Meeks, who stepped down on June 30 to serve as director of the Center for Family Policy, said she thinks a new dean will bring new ideas and different ways of doing things to the college.

“Different people’s experiences lead them to do things differently,” she said.

One of the problems the new dean will have to address is the enrollment issues facing the textiles and clothing and early childhood education departments.

“There are more students than resources,” Meeks said. “It has been an ongoing problem that has continuously grown worse over the last couple of years.”

Another issue needing to be addressed is the lack of career resources the college offers to students.

“The college had to get rid of its career resource office due to budget cuts two or three years ago,” Meeks said.

Since the office was cut, students have had to rely on their professors.

“In some cases it works out fine, but in others it doesn’t,” she said. “It is very time-consuming for the professors.

Mary Gregoire, professor and department chair of apparel, educational studies and hospitality management, said with all the new things happening in the college, someone to promote these new messages is needed.

“We are looking for someone who can create excitement for the college and has vision to move forward,” Gregoire said. “We have a great faculty that works well together. We need someone who will keep us moving in that direction.”