Nominations solicited for dean of research position

Provost John Etchemendy has announced the appointment of a search committee for the position of vice provost and dean of research and graduate policy to succeed Charles Kruger, who is stepping down.

The committee, chaired by Hans Andersen, professor of chemistry and chair of the Chemistry Department, is soliciting nominations for the dean of research post by April 11. It hopes to recommend several potential candidates to Etchemendy by early May.

Besides Andersen, the committee is made up of Brian Cantwell, aeronautics/astronautics; Jonathan Dorfan, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC); Harry Greenberg, medicine; Andrea Goldsmith, electrical engineering; Keith Hodgson, chemistry, SLAC; David Holloway, history, political science, Institute for International Studies; Milbrey McLaughlin, education; Thomas Wasow, linguistics, philosophy; Kwee-Yan Teh, graduate student in mechanical engineering; and Stephanie Kalfayan, provost's office, staff.

"What are the most important criteria we should consider as we proceed and what are the most important qualifications we should look for in vice provost and dean of research and graduate policy?" Andersen asked in a letter to faculty members soliciting nominations for the position.

The vice provost and dean of research and graduate policy and his/her office support the research enterprise and graduate education at Stanford. The vice provost is responsible for research policy promulgation and oversight; representation of Stanford and its research interests to internal and external constituencies; recommendation and promulgation of policies that apply to graduate and postdoctoral study; oversight of recruitment for a diverse graduate student population; and oversight of the programs of the independent laboratories, centers and institutes. A complete description is available at www.stanford.edu/dept/DoR/DoR.html.

Nominations may be sent to the Dean of Research Search Committee, c/o Provost's Office, mail code 2061, or by e-mail to kalfayan@stanford.edu. Communications to the committee will be kept confidential.

With "a sense of impending loss," Etchemendy announced Kruger's plans at the Jan. 23 meeting of the Faculty Senate. The announcement prompted a round of loud applause for Kruger. Etchemendy particularly thanked Kruger for remaining in his position during the last three years to guide the provost as he assumed his position.

"It's been really great working with the people in Building 10," Kruger said Friday. "I've been dean for 10 years, and I've learned a lot of things myself, especially the parts of the university beyond my previous experience. It's great to be exposed to new things.

"At some point it makes sense to quit while you're ahead."

Kruger came to Stanford in 1962 as an assistant professor in mechanical engineering. He has served as chair of the Faculty Senate, as senior associate dean of engineering and on multiple committees.

A story on Kruger's career will appear in a future issue of Stanford Report.