Townhall: Provost Needs to Risk More

By Connect Mason Asst. News Director Rashad Mulla

The Provost Review Committee held their fourth town hall meeting on April 21. Over 20 George Mason faculty members attended the session to voice their support or disapproval of Provost Peter Stearns. Stearns is seeking a 5-year extension after 2009, according to committee chair Susan Tolchin.

Many in the audience commended Stearns for his communication with students, faculty and staff, his work in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and his commitment to increasing George Mason’s reach internationally.

However, some of faculty members voiced pointed criticisms of the job done by the provost.

One professor said Stearns rarely takes any risks in starting new academic programs, adding that he’d “like to see” 10-30 percent of new ideas fail, as proof that Stearns is being innovative. Another said there was a lack of cooperation and communication between the provost and faculty in the School of Public Policy.

Moderators Tolchin, Helen Frederick and Robert Dudley were not at liberty to discuss these and other concerns.

The Review Committee will present a report to President Alan Merten at the end of the semester detailing the feedback heard at these meetings.