James Anderson, the first of the interviewees for the position of Loyola’s provost and vice pressident for Academic Affairs, was on campus Tuesday to field questions from students and faculty members. the position.Anderson is vice president and provost for Undergraduate Affairs at North Carolina State University.Anderson’s meeting with the faculty focused on questions regarding education in Louisiana and the possibility of increasing research options for faculty members. “(We) are going to have to step up research activity,” Anderson said. Mary Flynn, Student Government Association president and finance senior, set up a meeting for the students to talk to Anderson. “It was requested that I set up the student interview. It was to see how students interacted with the candidate,” Flynn said. About fifteen to twenty students attended the session with Anderson.”(The Provost) is one of the most important people in a student’s life. They have the power to say whether I need to have 120 or 140 hours to graduate,” said Martina Mills, communications freshman.During the meeting, Anderson discussed such ideas as diversity in the classroom and the possibility of a student being provost for a day.Anderson said that that having a student be provost for the day would show students how hard the job is.”A lot of students don’t know what a provost does,” Anderson said. “They really learn that most of their day is spent working for them.” Anderson said he wants students to know that if he is chosen as provost, students can talk to him about anything.”Faculty and staff have to make appointments. Students and parents can walk into my office anytime. I will have time periods every month so that students can come in and talk,” he said. A question asked at both meetings was how Anderson would adjust to Loyola’s much smaller campus. The provost is “one of the most critical positions in any institution, the person who has the most contact with administrative faculty and students,” Anderson said. According to the Loyola University Web page, provost of Loyola is “both the second ranking officer and chief academic officer of the university, with specific responsibility for all education planning and administration and for the development of sound academic programs, faculty scholarship and educational policies.” To be considered for this position, a candidate must have a doctorate, tenure, and a “proven record of academic leadership and scholarly accomplishments,” the Web site says.Gerald Ratliff, another candidate, is expected to come to campus March 22. Ratliff is associate vice president for Academic Affairs at State University of New York, College of Postdam. He received his doctorate at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and has published numerous written works.After both candidates are interviewed, the Provost and Academic Vice President Search Committee will submit a recommendation to the Rev. Bernard Knoth, S.J., university president, who will make the final decision.

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