Fort Lewis College needs to fill its two dean positions before the 2017-18 school year starts, and three finalists for each position will be visiting campus over the next week to meet with administrators, faculty, staff, students and the public.

“A dean provides the academic leadership for that school,” Provost Barbara Morris said. “They oversee the hiring process for faculty and staff, curriculum development and assessments, programming and accreditation review and grants and fundraising.”

The new dean for the School of Arts & Sciences will take over for Dean Maureen Brandon, who is retiring this summer.

The FLC School of Arts & Sciences enrolls more than 2,500 students, including some of the college’s fastest growing programs, college spokesman Mitch Davis said. The school includes 24 academic areas.

The finalists:

Larry Hufford is a professor of biology, director of the School of Biological Sciences and interim director of the School of the Environment at Washington State University in Pullman. Hufford is also the director of the Conner Museum of Natural History and the Marion Ownbey Herbarium. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.Richard L. Ogle is associate dean for Faculty Policy and Enrollment Management at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is a professor of psychology. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene University, a master’s degree from San Diego State University and a doctorate in psychology from the University of New Mexico.Jesse Peters is a professor of English and American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He has served as dean of the Esther G. Maynor Honors College and the director of the Pembroke Undergraduate Research and Creativity Center. Peters earned a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of New Mexico.

Larry Hufford is a professor of biology, director of the School of Biological Sciences and interim director of the School of the Environment at Washington State University in Pullman. Hufford is also the director of the Conner Museum of Natural History and the Marion Ownbey Herbarium. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.Richard L. Ogle is associate dean for Faculty Policy and Enrollment Management at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and is a professor of psychology. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Point Loma Nazarene University, a master’s degree from San Diego State University and a doctorate in psychology from the University of New Mexico.Jesse Peters is a professor of English and American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He has served as dean of the Esther G. Maynor Honors College and the director of the Pembroke Undergraduate Research and Creativity Center. Peters earned a bachelor’s degree from Emory University and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of New Mexico.The new dean will take over for Interim Dean of the FLC School of Business Administration Paul McGurr.

The school has more than 600 students enrolled in its four academic areas.

The finalists:

Daniel J. Connelly is a professor and former dean of the School of Business Administration at Portland State University in Oregon. Before moving to Portland State, Connelly was senior associate dean at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Cornell University, a master’s from American University and a doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.Steven M. Elias is the Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Professor in the College of Business at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces and co-director of the School Turnaround Development Program, an interdisciplinary initiative between the NMSU Colleges of Business and Education. He has also served as the NMSU director of the Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership program, interim associate dean for Research and head of the Management Department. Elias earned his doctorate from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.Catherine Whelan is the chairwoman of the Georgia College Department of Accounting and has served as the interim associate dean of Georgia College’s J. Whitney Bunting College of Business. Whelan earned her bachelor’s from Macquarie University in Sydney, a postgraduate diploma from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, and a Master of Business Administration, Master of Accounting and doctorate in accounting from Bond University in Robina, Queensland, Australia.

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Daniel J. Connelly is a professor and former dean of the School of Business Administration at Portland State University in Oregon. Before moving to Portland State, Connelly was senior associate dean at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Cornell University, a master’s from American University and a doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.Steven M. Elias is the Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Professor in the College of Business at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces and co-director of the School Turnaround Development Program, an interdisciplinary initiative between the NMSU Colleges of Business and Education. He has also served as the NMSU director of the Woodrow Wilson MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership program, interim associate dean for Research and head of the Management Department. Elias earned his doctorate from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.Catherine Whelan is the chairwoman of the Georgia College Department of Accounting and has served as the interim associate dean of Georgia College’s J. Whitney Bunting College of Business. Whelan earned her bachelor’s from Macquarie University in Sydney, a postgraduate diploma from Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, and a Master of Business Administration, Master of Accounting and doctorate in accounting from Bond University in Robina, Queensland, Australia.

If you go

Fort Lewis College will be holding open forums for each of the finalists for the two dean positions, and the public is invited. For more information about each candidate, visit

http://bit.ly/2kRPR8E

.

Business Administration

Forums will be held in Noble Hall, Room 130.

Daniel J. Connolly: 4:30 p.m. Monday.

Steven M. Elias: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Catherine Whelan: 4:30 p.m. Feb. 20.

Arts & Sciences

Forums will be held in Chemistry Hall, Room 130.

Richard L. Ogle: 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Jesse Peters: 12:45 p.m. Thursday.

Larry Hufford: 12:45 p.m. Feb. 21.