Hall accepts position at SUNY: Albrecht receives faculty endorsement
Faculty leaders at Utah State University want USU Provost Stan Albrecht to replace outgoing President Kermit L. Hall when he leaves next month.
While a national search is the most common practice when looking for a university president, USU’s deans have asked the Utah State Board of Regents to bypass that process and replace Hall with Albrecht. The deans sent their letter to the board last week.
“I think the deans were aligned that there are so many important initiatives moving forward under President Hall,” Gary Kiger, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences said. “Coming to a dead stop, in terms of leadership, would not be a good thing for the university.”
USU just opened an office in Salt Lake City to be used mainly for fundraising, is in the middle of a housing project and is working closely with the University of Utah on major research projects.
Albrecht has been provost and executive vice president under Hall for four years, after Hall was picked over Albrecht for the position.
Instead of instigating another national search, Hall appointed Albrecht immediately.
H. Scott Hinton, dean of the College of Engineering, confirmed the deans had sent a letter to the regents.
“In my opinion, Provost Albrecht would make an excellent president,” he said. “He has shown that he can provide the leadership necessary to improve our national reputation, as well as make USU a better place to both work and learn.”
Hall has endorsed Albrecht as the “logical” choice for his replacement.
Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education Rich Kendell announced Friday the plan for replacing Hall would be released no later than Feb. 1.
“A committee … will be contacting constituent groups, both at the university and throughout the state, to assist in its development,” Kendell said.
Kiger said he thinks the board will “seriously consider” the deans’ letter.
Currently, the board is looking for presidents for four Utah college or universities: Salt Lake Community College, Utah College of Applied Technology, Dixie State College and USU.
David Buhler, Utah System of Higher Education associate commissioner of public affairs, said the regents have been receiving “a lot of comments and suggestions” about the new president for USU, “which they welcome.”
Hinton said it’s now up to the board, though.
“We have given our opinion to the Board of Regents,” he said. “We now need to let them do their job.”
-emilieholmes@cc.usu.edu