The last stretch of the race is in sight as four finalists interview on campus for Ohio University’s assistant dean of students’ position.
Cynthia Fulford, executive director in the Office of Leadership and Student Development at Cedar Crest College, was the first to have an open forum on campus Monday.
“I want to work on a campus that is very student-centered,” Fulford said. “I want to work hard; I want a challenge.”
More than 100 applications were received for the position after the search began in August. The position has been vacant since current Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones vacated the position in June 2012.
Jamie Patton, the director of Inclusion and Multicultural Services at Northern Arizona University; Natalie Pariano, director of Campus Leadership & Involvement at Denison University; and Mattie White, associate athletic director for Student-Athlete Well-Being and Development at Indiana University.
“The screening committee did a great job of narrowing it down,” Hall-Jones said. “They are all very different and have different experience,”
The screening committee was made up of faculty, staff, undergraduate students and graduate students.
“I’ve heard nothing but good things about Ohio University and Athens,” Patton said. “I thought it would be a great place to work and a great place to advocate for students.”
The other two applicants, White and Pariano, could not be reached for comment by press time.
The starting salary for the new assistant dean is expected to be between $54,000 and $72,500, Hall-Jones said.
Hall-Jones made $79,098 in the same position, according to a previous Post article.
Patton’s open forum will be Oct. 17, Pariano’s Oct. 23 and White will tentatively be on campus Oct. 29.
“I’m very impressed with the quality and the caliber of all the candidates for the position,” Lombardi said. “I look forward to meeting all of the candidates as they come to campus.”
The university hopes to make an offer by the first week of November and have the new person start Spring Semester.
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