Provost finalists announced

UCCS on Tuesday announced four finalists for the position of provost.

Listed in order of their campus visits, the candidates are: David Moon, interim provost, UCCS; Sheying Chen, associate provost for academic affairs, Pace University, New York; Keith Pickus, interim provost, Wichita State University, Kansas; and Mary Coussons-Read, associate vice chancellor for research, CU Denver. Brief biographies of the candidates, and the dates of their visits, follow.

David Moon

David Moon, interim provost, and professor, Department of Political Science, UCCS. Moon will participate in campus interviews Nov. 26 and 27.

Since July 2012, Moon has served as interim provost. From 2006 to 2012, he served as senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and enrollment management and professor of political science. His previous roles include associate vice chancellor for academic affairs (2000-2006), assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs (1997-2000), interim director of the Graduate School of Public Affairs (1996-1997) and as an assistant and associate professor (1992-1996). He also served as an assistant professor of political science at the University of Miami (1986-1992). He earned a bachelor’s degree from Austin College, Sherman, Texas, and master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Texas, Austin.

Sheying Chen

Sheying Chen, associate provost for academic affairs, and professor of public policy and administration, Pace University, New York. Chen will participate in campus interviews Nov. 29-30.

Since June 2010, Chen has served as associate provost at Pace University. His previous positions include associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of sociology and liberal studies at Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Ind., (2006-2010), chair and professor of the City University of New York Department of Social Work and Sociology (1996-2006), research associate, University of California Los Angeles School of Public Policy and Social Research (1995-96) various research positions (1991-1994) and coordinator of graduate studies and assistant professor of sociology and social work, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou, China, (1986-1992). He earned a diploma in engineering technology from Changsha Metallurgical College, China, master’s degrees from Zhongshan University, China, and the University of California, Los Angeles, and Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Keith Pickus

Keith Pickus, interim provost, and professor of modern German and Jewish history, Wichita State University. Pickus will participate in campus interviews Dec. 3-4.

Since 2011, Pickus has served as interim provost for Wichita State University. His previous positions at WSU include associate provost for strategic planning and operations (2007-2011), acting director, community center for support and research (2008-2009), associate dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2002-2007), interim associate dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (2001-2002), history graduate program coordinator (2000-2001) and as an assistant and associate professor (1995-2009). He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Washington.

Mary Coussons-Read

Mary Coussons-Read, associate vice chancellor for research, and professor of psychology and professor of community and behavioral health, CU Denver. Coussons-Read will participate in campus interviews Dec. 6-7.

Since 2011, Coussons-Read has served as associate vice chancellor for CU Denver. Her previous positions at CU Denver include director, Master of Integrated Sciences Program (2008-2012), acting chair of the department of physics (2009-2010), associate dean of the college of liberal arts and sciences (2007-2010), interim chair, department of psychology (2006-2007), chair of the faculty assembly (2004-2006), program coordinator for the Bachelor of Science in Psychology (1998-2007), and as an assistant and associate professor (1996-2002). She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and Ph.D from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Complete vitas and interview schedules for the candidates will be posted at www.uccs.edu/provost.

“The search committee has been working diligently to find the best candidates to lead the academic mission of our university into the future,” Terry Schwartz, associate dean, School of Public Affairs, and search committee co-chair, said.

“The search committee believes that the campus will be presented with outstanding candidates, each with distinctive academic backgrounds, experiences and skills,” Charles Sweet, executive director of strategic planning and initiatives, Office of the Chancellor, and search committee co-chair, said.

At the conclusion of the campus visits, UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak will seek input from members of the campus community and, after considering that feedback, will make a final decision.