DePaulia
The
2016 Pacemaker award Finalist/ Best Weekly College Newspaper-SPJ
Volume #101 | Issue #3 | Sept. 26, 2016 | depauliaonline.com
Presidential search commitee continues By Jackson Danbeck News Editor
In the search for DePaul’s next president, the Board of Trustees has decided it will not reveal the names of the vetted candidates to protect them from scrutiny if they don’t get the job, according to an email to the DePaul community by Board of Trustees Chair William Bennett and Vice Chair James Ryan. They also said they do not want to conduct a closed search, an approach that would impair transparency. Instead, the Board has concluded the best method is the “hybrid search model,” a mixture of both opened and closed searches. In this new process, the presidential search committee will select three finalists and invite them to a closed interview with the Board, the email outlined. Next, the presidential finalists will be interviewed by a 20-member faculty committee, a 20-member staff committee, a 10-member senior leadership committee and a 10-member student government committee. Seven of the 10 student members in the student government committee will be chosen by application, Student Government Association president Ric Popp told the DePaul community by email. The other three student members will be Student Government representatives. After the interviews with the presidential candidates, each committee will submit a report to the presidential search committee, according to the email. They in turn will report to the Board for its members to choose DePaul’s 12th president. So far, this new process has been approved by the Board, but still requires consent by all of the presidential candidates. “Witt/Kieffer has assured us that they believe this hybrid model will deliver a strong and diverse pool of candidates,” the email wrote, referring to the firm that is assisting in the search. The presidential search committee’s duty is to recommend names of the finalists, “along with an analysis of each finalist’s perceived strengths and potential vulnerabilities,” the email wrote. On Sept. 23, Ryan, who has also been named chair of the search committee, emailed the DePaul community the
See PRESIDENT, page 6
A NEW BEGINNING Lawrence Hamer appointed to run diversity initiatives
JEFF CARRION | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
By Kyle Woosley
also giving us the motivation to address them.” Provost Marten denBoer said Hamer’s As part of DePaul’s Speech and Race experience in leadership roles at DePaul Action Plan, Lawrence Hamer was asked was a factor in choosing him for the to lead diversity initiatives in the Office of position. Academic Affairs. Fresh out of his business adminisThe release of the plan could be seen tration and marketing Ph.D. program at as a result of the Milo the University of Illinois Yiannopoulos controChampaign, Hamer Most situations, in versy in the spring. The started as an assistant conservative speaker was even if marketing professor and invited to the university by worked his way through they’re bad, the College Republicans, the ranks — eventually present some which resulted in a numserving as associate dean ber of protests and petiof the Driehaus College of opportunity. tions. Business. Since the controversy, He eventually moved DePaul has been the subinto the Office of Academic Lawrence Hamer ject of many topics regardAffairs, where he serves as Associate Provost of Governance and ing free speech on college associate provost of goverAcademic Integrity campuses and is now ananance and academic integlyzing how it represents rity. In this position, he minority students. Hamer said this is the has worked closely with Faculty Council silver lining of the situation from last and the President’s Diversity Council. spring. “I think my past experience on a vari“Most situations, even if they’re bad, ety of topics, and my effectiveness on a lot present some opportunity,” he said. “I of those topics, is why I was appointed to think the opportunity that was presented this poisition,” Hamer said. “All of these by the situation last spring has made it things have given me exposure to a numreally clear that we have issues on campus ber of people across the university, so it’s that we need to address, and I hope it’s allowed me to interact with people and News Editor
build relationships with people that will be helpful in this position.” But denBoer said it was more than just Hamer’s experience that made him the best candidate for the position. “He has a thoughtful approach to issues,” denBoer said. “He’s handled a lot of difficult programs and he has a creative approach to them. But he’s also a good listener. He listens to people and I respect that.” Part of Hamer’s new role will be to work closely with the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity to increase faculty diversity, amongst other initiatives. “Lawrence Hamer’s new role to lead faculty diversity efforts is an essential development in achieving diverse faculty representation and success at DePaul,” Elizabeth Ortiz, vice president for Institutional Diversity and Equity said. “His work in partnership with the diversity advocates, will look to the recruitment, retention, and engagement of diverse faculty while also exploring diversifying the curriculum.” The announcement of Hamer’s position comes following a major reorganization in Academic Affairs that occurred over the summer. “We went through some structural
See INITIATIVE, page 6
TOP: Associate provost of governance and academic integrity Lawrence Hammer is now leading diversity initiatives within the Office of Academic Affairs.
WAIT FOR IT
I’M ON A BOAT
A list of shows that will fill the Hamilton void — page 16
DePaul students find adventure on the Chicago River — pages 14-15