UPDATE: Alan Shoho was announced as the third finalist for provost. Shoho is the former dean of the School of Education and Professor of Administrative Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Before the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Shoho was a professor and associate vice provost at the University of Texas. 

“I am interested in being Wichita State University’s next Provost because of the opportunity to elevate WSU to R1 status as well as its commitment to student success and serving 1st generation students,” Shoho said in his cover letter. “Student success is paramount to everything we do in higher education. If students are not successful, then WSU cannot be successful.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

Shirley Lefever, current interim provost, and Glen Krutz, dean of arts and sciences at Oklahoma State University, are two finalists for Wichita State’s next provost. The third will be announced on Wednesday. Both will be speaking at open forums over the course of the next two days.

Lefever will speak in open forum today at 3:30 in 208 Hubbard Hall.

Lefever received her bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D from Kansas State University. She spent 14 years at the University of Arkansas before moving to WSU in 2005. The university named her interim provost in 2020 after former provost Rick Muma became interim president after the resignation of Jay Golden.

“I have had the privilege of working alongside numerous students, faculty, and staff,” Lefever said in her cover letter. “To a person, they have demonstrated a commitment to each other and to making WSU a place where people thrive and are proud to be a part of.”

Krutz will speak in open forum 3:30 tomorrow at the same location.

Krutz currently serves as the dean of arts and sciences at Oklahoma State University. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Nevada, Reno and his P.hD. from Texas A&M. Krutz was previously the senior vice provost at the University of Oklahoma.

“As a person who likes to move the needle and build institutions in order to make a difference to others, such collective ambition appeals to me,” Krutz said in his cover letter. “I believe that my background and abilities provide a good “fit” to be an impactful Executive Vice President and Provost for you at WSU.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was edited to add information about the third finalist.