YOUNGSTOWN STATE Dean from Texas gets university's No. 2 post

More than 60 people applied for the provost's job.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University President David C. Sweet has named the dean of liberal arts at a Texas university as YSU's provost and vice president of academic affairs.
Robert K. Herbert, a dean since 2001 at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, will start his new job July 25. The job is the second highest ranking position at YSU, behind only the president.
More than 60 people applied for the job, and Herbert was the unanimous choice of a 22-member search committee created to find a new provost.
"Dr. Herbert has an exceptional record of scholarship, a strong focus on educational access in an urban area, a proven leadership record and an advocacy for academics," said Cynthia Anderson, chairwoman of the search committee and YSU's vice president for student affairs.
Sweet's selection of Herbert has to be approved by the YSU Board of Trustees. The board is expected to give that approval as early as its next meeting June 24.
Herbert, who was also a professor of sociology and anthropology at Stephen F. Austin, was among three finalists brought on campus earlier this month to speak to YSU officials, faculty and students.
"YSU has an outstanding faculty and staff, and I am genuinely excited about working with them as the university moves to the next level of excellence," Herbert said.
Herbert replaces Tony Atwater, who resigned the post in January to become president of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Bege Bowers has held the post on an interim basis since then.
Herbert will receive a salary of $150,000 annually. Atwater earned $152,982 during his last year on the job.
Qualifications
"Dr. Herbert has extensive professional experience, both as a faculty member and administrator, at public universities that are similar to YSU in many ways," Sweet said.
At the Texas university, Herbert leads a college of 100 full-time faculty, six academic departments and five interdisciplinary programs offering bachelor's and master's degrees. He is also responsible for the university's School of Honors, the Office of International Studies and Programs, American English Language Institute, Stone Fort Museum, Center for East Texas Studies and other organizations.
Herbert helped establish Stephen F. Austin's Center for Academic Advising of Undecided Majors, the Office of International Studies and Programs, and the Pathways to Discovery summer program for provisionally admitted students.
Herbert is a former anthropology department chairman at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he worked from 1979 to 2001. He is the author of 10 books.
Herbert was a visiting professor at universities in Poland, South Africa and Denmark. He was also an assistant professor at the University of Calgary in Canada and at Michigan State University.
He earned a bachelor's degree in linguistics from the City University of New York at Queens College in 1973, a master's degree in 1974 and a Ph.D. in 1977 in linguistics from The Ohio State University, and a master's degree in higher education administration from the University of Michigan in 1982.
Dean search
With a new provost coming on board July 25, YSU will resume its search for a dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Robert Bolla recently resigned the job to become dean of graduate studies at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill.
Jane Kestner,associate dean, was recently named its acting dean by Bolla. Herbert or Bowers and other top university officials will appoint an interim dean and create a search committee to recommend finalists for the job on a permanent basis.
Even though a committee recommended three finalists earlier this month, the search was suspended, with university officials saying they wanted the incoming provost heavily involved in the selection process.