The search for a new provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Houston-Victoria has resulted in scheduled interviews for three candidates. The first of these will be held Tuesday, May 30, with Dr. Jeryl Mumpower. An open forum will be held in the UHV Multi-Purpose Room at 3 p.m., with a reception to follow.

Mumpower is a professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University at Albany of the State University of New York. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the College of William and Mary and a doctorate in social psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he has held several administrative positions in the SUNY system, including director of the Center for Policy Research and executive director of the Institute for Government and Policy Studies, as well as dean of graduate studies, interim vice president for research, and interim provost at the University at Albany.

Dr. Suzanne LaBrecque currently serves as vice provost and associate vice president for academic affairs at the University of North Texas. She received a bachelor’s in child development and home economics education from South Dakota State University; a master’s in family and child development from Kansas State University; and a doctorate in family and child development from Florida State University. After teaching at UNT for almost 10 years, LaBrecque served as dean of UNT’s School of Home Economics, School of Human Resource Management, and School of Merchandising and Hospitality Management.

Dr. William T. Cummings is dean of the School of Business at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He holds bachelor’s in business from Indiana University; an MBA from Western Illinois University; and a doctorate in business administration from Arizona State University. Prior to his tenure at UHCL, he held various positions at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, including professor of marketing and, most recently, dean of the School of Business.

The finalist will replace Dr. Don Smith, who will retire at the end of May after having served as provost and vice president of academic affairs since 1995. Additionally, Smith served as interim president from February 2004 until Dr. Tim Hudson assumed the presidency in August 2004.

The provost serves as chief academic officer of the university, and in that capacity, is the president’s primary adviser in matters relating to the planning and development of academic programs.

These three candidates were selected by a search committee composed of UHV administrators, faculty, staff and students. The committee was co-chaired by Dr. Sandy Venneman, chair of the Faculty Council and associate professor of psychology and biology, and Dr. John Stansell, dean of the UHV School of Education and Human Development.

The interview schedules for the second and third candidates will be announced by the UHV President’s Office. For more information, contact Andrea Blumberg at (361) 570-4332, or to view the candidates’ curriculum vitae, visit www.uhv.edu/president/candidate.asp.