Fred Travis, candidate for provost and vice-president of academic affairs, focused on the rich Jesuit education tradition during his campus visit.

“I think we (Jesuits) have the strongest academic tradition in the Catholic universities,” he said.

Travis participated in informal question-and-answer sessions with students and faculty on Feb. 6 and 7.

He has served as the provost and academic vice-president at John Carroll Universiy. He was also a professor.

While in this position, Travis, a self-described “people person” held an active role in the hiring process of every full-time professor, he said.

Brandon Thibodeaux, economics and business administration junior, asked Travis about how Jesuit ideas can be pushed further.

Travis stressed the importance of hiring faculty and staff who not only possess high credentials but are people who want to be committed to the goals and values of a Jesuit university.

However, he said that being Catholic was not a requirement of the position.

“There may be some Catholics you don’t want,” he said.

Travis encouraged practices such as a yearlong orientation program for new faculty, as well as the benefits of hiring young faculty who can then be developed over the years.

Laurie Joyner, associate professor of sociology, asked Travis about his strengths and weaknesses.

Travis said that it is his experience gained over the last 23 years at Jesuit universities that he will bring to Loyola.

“You find out what people do well and you let them do that,” he said. “I let people do their job, and I don’t micromanage.”

When talking about weaknesses, Travis said that he can sometimes “push pretty hard to get things done … and that can be a little intimidating.”

Craig Hood, professor of biology, asked Travis about his thoughts on increasing the number of graduate programs.

“Number one, you can’t hurt the undergraduate programs,” he said. “John Carroll University’s goal is to provide a high quality undergraduate education, while some of the graduate programs such as the MBA or education program, have grown out of community needs.”