Dean Search for the USC Price School of Public Policy – Next Steps

MEMORANDUM

To: USC Sol Price School of Public Policy Faculty, Staff, and Students

From: Charles F. Zukoski
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Date: May 24, 2021

Subject: Dean Search for the USC Price School of Public Policy – Next Steps

I am pleased to share with you that the search for the next dean of the USC Price School is now entering its final stages. Over the last several months, the Search Advisory Committee has conducted an exhaustive and thorough search.

Our consultants at executive search firm Education Executives reached out to over 175 prospective candidates and more than 50 sources. Advertisements for the position were placed in a variety of online job boards and journals. The search committee reviewed a rich and diverse pool of candidates that included professors, university administrators, and practitioners with academic experience in health and public policy, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, urban planning, and real estate. I am grateful to the members of the Search Advisory Committee for their engagement, energy, and guidance through this process.

The committee has identified three finalists who will virtually visit USC in the coming weeks. During these visits, faculty, staff, and students will have an opportunity to meet the candidates in open forums. The candidates will also meet with the Search Advisory Committee, Price’s administrative leadership, USC senior administrators, deans of other schools, the Price Board of Councilors, and myself.

Please hold the following forum dates and times on your calendar; all times are Pacific Daylight Time:

Candidate #1

Faculty Forum                          Wednesday, June 2, 12:00-1:00pm

Staff Forum                              Thursday, June 3, 12:00-1:00pm

Student Forum                         Friday, June 4, 12:00-1:00pm

Candidate #2

Faculty Forum                          Thursday, June 10, 12:00-1:00pm

Staff Forum                              Friday, June 11, 12:00-1:00pm

Student Forum                         Friday, June 11, 1:30-2:30pm

Candidate #3

Faculty Forum                          Tuesday, June 15, 12:00-1:00pm

Staff Forum                              Wednesday, June 16, 12:00-1:00pm

Student Forum                         Thursday, June 17, 12:00-1:00pm

These visits are important both to us, as a university, and to the individual candidates. We learn about and appraise each of them while they also evaluate and learn more about us. This is an opportunity to fully present to the candidates the strengths and opportunities of our university and to being a dean here.

All who meet the candidates are encouraged to submit comments in confidence directly to me regarding the strengths and potential challenges of each candidate; your individual evaluations are very important to President Folt and to me. I would like to remind you that our process prohibits any group or constituency from taking any vote or lobbying in any organized manner for any candidate during this process. You may email your comments to me at uscprovost@usc.edu. I assure you all information will be kept completely confidential. I will ultimately share the feedback I receive with President Folt, who will make the final selection of the dean.

The dean of the USC Price School plays a vital role in the life of the entire university. Recruiting and hiring an outstanding dean is one of the university’s highest priorities. Therefore, I urge each of you to participate in the forums for these candidates and to share your comments with me.

cc:        Andrew Guzman

            Robin Romans