One of three final dean candidates for Butler University’s College of Communication took his name out of the running on Friday, leaving the search committee to decide how to conduct the rest of the search.

Alan Stavitsky, associate dean at the University of Oregon, withdrew his application after receiving an offer from a different university, said LAS Dean Jay Howard, who also chairs the search committee.

“It’s just one of those timing things that sometimes happens in certain processes,” Howard said. “It was no problem with Butler. He was very interested, very excited with coming to Butler.”

Howard said he was not at liberty to disclose the name of the university that offered Stavitsky a position.

This situation puts the committee in a bind, because it now must decide whether to choose from the two remaining candidates or to select an additional third candidate, Howard said.

He said the committee’s concern with selecting an additional candidate is that it might lose one or both of the current remaining candidates because of the additional time the process could take.

CCOM is Butler’s youngest college, and although Interim Dean William Neher is considered the founding dean of the college, Howard said his replacement will play an integral role in the growth and development of the college in the long run.

Neher was unavailable for comment as of press time.

Mark Minner, senior electronic journalism and marketing major, said he thinks it was a mistake for Stavitisky to pass up a chance at leading CCOM.

“I think [Stavitsky’s] missing a tremendous opportunity to develop a brand new program,” Minner said.

Minner said the new dean needs to be personable, a visionary who sets realistic goals and the type of person who can help the college attract students to make it a competitive program on the national level.

Marcie Mangan, a senior electronic journalism and public relations major, said she has high hopes for a new dean.

“I hope the new dean comes in with a lot of ideas about how to make the college more well known, like Ball State, and has specific learning opportunities for students,” she said.

The search committee was formed this past spring. Half of its members were elected by the college, and the other half were chosen by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jamie Comstock.

After publishing advertisements for the position in national publications, Butler narrowed down 30 qualified applicants to six.

Skype interviews were conducted with these six, and they were then winnowed down to the final three.

Now, after no additional interviews, the committee is down to two candidates, Glenda Balas and Gary Edgerton. Balas and Edgerton will soon come to campus for open forums.

Howard said he urges people to attend the forums.

“We want to make sure that everybody who wants to have their voice heard has an opportunity,” he said.

REMAINING CANDIDATES TO HOLD OPEN SESSIONS:

Glenda Balas
Nov. 9, 2:15- 3:15 p.m.
Nov. 10 10:30-11:30 a.m.
AU 302
Gary Edgerton
Nov. 14, 2:15- 3:15 p.m.
Nov. 15 10:30-11:30 a.m.
AU 302