October 12, 2010

 

Contacts:
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

Sessions set for Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 25-27

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — A series of local interviews has been set for the final candidates in the running to become the next chancellor at Montana State University Billings.

 

The list of finalists was narrowed from three to two this past week when Dr. Linda Rinker withdrew from consideration.

The two finalists are:

  • Dr. Rolf Groseth, interim chancellor at MSU Billings
  • Dr. Sally Johnstone, current provost and vice president for academic affairs at Winona State University, in Winona, Minn.

Groseth is scheduled to meet with various university and community constituents on Oct. 21 and 22. Sessions of note for faculty, staff, students and the community include:

 

Thursday, Oct. 21

  • 5:15-6:15 p.m.: Meet with Alumni Board members, Alumni Director at the MSU Billings Alumni House.
  • 6:30-7:30 p.m.:  Open forum/Reception with Student Leaders, student government, clubs, organizations and residence hall staff, Fireplace Lounge, SUB

Friday, Oct. 22

  • 11:10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Lunch Meeting with Faculty, Faculty Association, Academic Senate, Lewis and Clark Room, Student Union Building - Catered lunch
  • 12:45-2 p.m.: Open Forum for Community and University Members, including a candidate presentation on “What is your vision for this unique institution as a community- and student-centered university in the 21st century?” Library 148
  • 3:45-5:15 p.m.: Tour of the College of Technology campus and meeting with COT Faculty and Staff, Great Room, Health Sciences Building
  • 6:30-7:45 p.m.: Reception with Community Leaders, Broadway  III - Downtown Campus

Johnstone hasmeetings with various constituencies set for Oct. 25-27. Some of the sessions of note for faculty, staff, students and the community include:

 

Monday, Oct. 25

  • 5:15-6:15 p.m.: Meet with MSU Billings Alumni Board members, Alumni Director at the Alumni House

Tuesday, Oct. 26

  • 11:30-1 p.m.: Lunch Meeting with Faculty, Faculty Association, Academic Senate, Lewis and Clark Room in the SUB.
  • 3:30-5 pm.: Tour College of Technology campus and meet COT Faculty and Staff, Great Room, Health Sciences Building
  • 6-7 p.m.: Reception with Community Leaders, Broadway III, Downtown Campus

Wednesday, Oct. 27

  • 9-10:30 a.m.: Open Forum for Community and University Members with a candidate presentation on “What is your vision for this unique institution as a community- and student-centered university in the 21st century?” Library 231
  • 10:45 a.m.-noon: Open forum with student leaders, student government, clubs and residence hall staff, Fireplace Lounge, SUB

""Groseth has been serving as interim chancellor at MSU Billings since July. Before arriving in Billings, he was serving as vice president for inter-campus affairs at Montana State University in Bozeman and was interim chancellor at MSU Northern in Havre from January 2008 to August 2009.  As the inter-campus affairs vice president, Groseth worked to provide coordination among executive officers on the Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls and Northern campuses of the MSU system, the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Montana Board of Regents. He has worked as executive assistant to the MSU President from 1994 to 2004 and has student affairs experience when he worked at the University of Florida and Georgetown University.

 

 

""Johnstone has been the academic leader at Winona State University since 2006. From 1989 to 2006, she was executive director of the Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications (WCET) at the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) in Boulder, Colo.  She has experience with two-year and four-year institutions and since joining the staff of Winona State University, she has facilitated the creation of a four-university consortium to deliver doctoral programs in the field of nursing practice (DNP) that is delivered on-line. While at WCET, she gained experience working with the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Montana Legislature.

 

 

The next chancellor will be the successor to Dr. Ron Sexton, who retired in August. Sexton served as chancellor since Eastern Montana College transformed into MSU Billings under a statewide reorganization in 1994.  He is now working on a new scholarship campaign for the MSU Billings Foundation.

 

Montana State University President Dr. Waded Cruzado will also meet with each candidate and weigh the recommendations from the search committee prior to making a final decision and extending an offer.

 

Located in the state’s largest city, MSU Billings is a comprehensive regional university with an enrollment of more than 5,300 students. It has more than 160 academic programs in five colleges that provide certificate, two-year, four-year and master’s degree education.