A 22-person search committee has been created to find a new dean of the College Liberal Arts and Sciences following Peter Rabideau’s decision in July to leave Iowa State.

College of Design Dean and Committee Chair Mark Engelbrecht said the committee will meet the first week of October to take the initial steps toward finding Rabideau’s successor.

Engelbrecht said the committee will begin to “scout out candidates” over the next two and a half months and hopes to get all applications in by December 15.

“We’re looking to get someone in the saddle by the start of the next academic year,” Engelbrecht said. He said July 2004 is the target date for having a new dean in place.

The committee expects to have the search narrowed down to three to five finalists by April 2004, he added.

The search committee’s main function will be to act as a scout for Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ben Allen.

“We are going to present a set of qualified people, but the decision is made by the provost,” Engelbrecht said.

Denise Williams, senior in psychology and the only undergraduate student on the search committee, said the committee will make a recommendation as to which candidate should be hired.

Despite having only one undergraduate and one graduate student on the search committee, Engelbrecht said he is confident students will be well-represented in the search and selection process.

“There are all sorts of chances for students to observe and make contributions to the process,” he said.

Williams said she was optimistic about students being adequately represented in the search process.

“I hope faculty and staff have the students’ best interests in heart and mind,” she said.

Dean of Students Pete Englin said regardless of membership on the search committee, it is important for students to participate in finding a new dean.

“I encourage students to be involved,” Englin said.

While the committee will establish the criteria for dean candidates at its first meeting, committee members already have a general idea of what they will be looking for.

Williams said the new dean will have to be able to work well with the students, faculty and staff of the college.

“He or she needs to be someone with relevant college experience and a diverse background,” she said.

Engelbrecht and Englin echoed the need for diversity in the new dean.

“Being the largest college with all its complexity, it’s important to have a successful search,” Englin said.

Engelbrecht agreed. “We’re looking for someone with great respect for all disciplines; someone who is unafraid of large and complex organizations.”

The new Liberal Arts and Sciences dean must “deal with everything from dance to the hardest of hard sciences with sensitivity to diversity,” Engelbrecht said.

Rabideau took a job as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. Michael Whiteford is currently serving as the interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Engelbrecht said he was not sure whether Whiteford was interested in the permanent dean position and “nothing precludes him from applying.”