The dean of Ohio University's largest college could leave Athens for Fargo, N.D., after being named a finalist in North Dakota State University's search for a new president.
Ben Ogles, who has spent the last four years as dean of OU's College of Arts and Sciences, is one of six finalists who could lead North Dakota State, a 14,000-student public university that specializes in agriculture and applied science.
Ogles and other finalists will participate in airport interviews on April 10 and 11, after which the search committee will further narrow the list of candidates and invite those remaining to campus.
The university already has ruled out two internal candidates - Interim President Richard Hanson and Vice President for Agriculture and University Extension D.C. Coston - but is reviewing an additional five applications, leaving as many as 11 candidates still in the running.
Given that it is early in the process and there are many excellent candidates
it would not be wise for me to speculate on the potential outcome Ogles said in a statement. In the mean time I remain committed to my current position and enjoy working in the College of Arts and Sciences at Ohio University.
Ogles came to OU in 1990 as an assistant professor of psychology and was made an associate professor in 1996. He was the Department of Psychology's director of clinical training from 1999 until 2002, when he became department chairman, according to an OU release.
In 2005, Ogles was named interim dean, and the following year he was given the position permanently, beating 64 other applicants in a national search.
As dean, Ogles oversees the College of Arts and Sciences' 20 departments, 319 faculty members, 5,066 students and $52 million budget, according to OU's Office of Institutional Research. He earns $190,000 a year.
Ogles has earned high marks in formal evaluations each of the last two years. Last year, he received an 89 percent approval rating from faculty and a 100 percent approval rating from staff.
In her evaluation last spring, then-Provost Kathy Krendl praised Ogles for exceeding the college's fundraising goal.
North Dakota State's search began in October when then-President Joseph Chapman announced his resignation amid criticism of spending.
In his final year as president, Chapman was criticized after the university covered about half the cost of his $2 million house and the entire bill for his $22,000 trip to President Obama's inauguration.
Chapman, who became president in 1999, earned $413,000 a year.
1
News
Wesley Lowery
31057a.jpg
