VPAA finalists to visit campus starting next week

Three finalists for the vice president of academic affairs post, including James Powell, CSC’s dean of the school of professional studies and applied sciences, will be on campus for interviews starting Tuesday.

The position left vacant with the impending January retirement of Charles Snare, is expected to be filled before the start of the spring 2020 term.

The remianing two candidates are Daniel P. Donaldson, who earned his Ph.D. in geography from Kent State University, Ohio, in 1999, and Karen A. Meisch, who earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, in 2007.

Powell earned his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University, Tempe, in 1993.

Donaldson is expected to be on campus Tuesday; Powell will interview Thursday, Nov. 7; and Meisch’s visit is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 12, a CSC press release states.

According to his CV, Donaldson’s last appointment was the founding dean of the school of professional studies at National University, San Diego. He held the post from Sept. 2012 to this past June. 

Donaldson’s CV did not say what he’s been doing professionally since June. A message left on a phone number listed on his CV was not answered at press time Wednesday night.  

From October 2006-August 2009 he served as the associate vice president for academic affairs and an associate professor of geography at Park University, Missouri. 

Prior to his stint at Park University, he spent six years at the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, as an associate professor in the department of history and geography, 2003-09. 

While there, and in addition to his teaching duties, he served in a variety of administrative positions. Those positions were: assistant vice president for professional and distance education, October 2006-August 2009; assistant vice president for academic affairs, June 2005-October 2006; associate dean, college of liberal arts, January 2004-June 2005.