Student leaders this week presented members of the law school dean search committee with a petition requesting that a student be included in the group.
About 450 students signed the petition that was drawn up Sept. 21, said Marc Berman, Student Bar Association vice president. The petition was delivered to the search committee Sept. 27, before the committee held an open meeting with USC Law students to discuss the dean search process.
“Having a student’s perspective on this committee would be invaluable,” Berman said. “It’s important for a dean to take into account a student’s concerns. It seems the administration feels the same way because otherwise, they wouldn’t encourage us to meet with the finalist dean candidates or encourage us to e-mail the provost with our thoughts about the finalists.”
With a representative on the search committee, students would be able to express concerns or questions that they might feel uncomfortable expressing otherwise, Berman said. By including a student’s voice, the university also would signal to the USC Law student community that their input matters, he said.
Jack Knott, dean of the School of Policy, Planning and Development and chair of the dean search committee, told students during Wednesday’s meeting that the committee does not make decisions but rather acts as an advisor to USC Provost C.L. Max Nikias.
University policy does not allow a student to sit on the committee, said Elizabeth Garrett, university vice president for academic planning and budget, USC Law professor and search committee vice-chair. Garrett added that committee members are all available to read and answer e-mails from students.
Berman said he appreciated that Knott, Garrett and other members of the search committee met with students, but felt they deserved further explanation from the university.
“Regardless of whether it is university policy, we think university policy is wrong,” he said.
Knott said the committee has identified an initial pool of candidates after placing a new advertisement and position description in national publications. The committee likely will produce a list of semifinalists in December, and short interviews will begin in January. The following month, finalists will return for two-day interviews, during which they will also meet with students, faculty and staff.
Of the finalists, the search committee will recommend one to the provost, who will make his recommendation to President Steven B. Sample.
The committee is seeking a candidate with a strong scholarly record who displays administrative leadership, Knott said.
Previous Article
