By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
For Charles Cullum, the most important trait of a good leader is integrity.
Cullum, a professor of English, and former associate provost and dean of graduate students at Kutztown (Pa.) University, is one of three finalists for the post of vice president of academic affairs at Missouri Southern State University.
“I believe in completely open processes,” he said. “I believe a strength of mine is being able to work with people. Integrity is the single most important thing for any leader. Without it, you have nothing.”
A search committee headed by MSSU President Bruce Speck selected Cullum as one of three finalists from a pool of 21 applicants.
Cullum made his pitch to about 20 faculty members during a 90-minute question-and-answer session Thursday afternoon at the university. The faculty members in attendance questioned him on issues related to shared governance, academic policy, distance learning and MSSU’s international mission.
At one point, the conversation turned to issues surrounding tensions that have resulted in the scheduling of a Monday vote on the faculty’s confidence in Speck’s leadership abilities.
Cullum declined to comment on the specifics of the situation, but he said he believes a no-confidence vote, in general, is “a horrible, horrible situation.”
“A no-confidence vote is the most drastic step faculty can take,” he said. “It poisons the atmosphere. It’s hard to imagine a worse situation for an administrator to go through.”
Asked in a follow-up question whether the outcome of the vote might affect his decision on taking the job at Southern, Cullum said, “Sure.”
Cullum said the university faces “significant challenges” but that he is optimistic that they can be overcome.
“There’s a lot of passion and dedication here from the faculty and staff,” he said. “They all understand there are these potential problems, particularly financially. But for the most part, they all believe the institution will get through it.”
John Knapp, a professor of physical science who attended the session, said he thought Cullum “seemed pretty knowledgeable.”
“He had a good idea of what an academic vice president has to do,” he said.
The academic affairs post is vacant as a result of the abrupt resignation this summer of Jack Oakes after only three weeks on the job. He cited differences with Speck, and later those differences were cited as being among those at the center of the rift between the faculty and Speck.
Early this month, Oakes said in a interview, “My primary reason for walking away from that position is I did not feel I could adopt a management style I was expected to.” In an e-mail obtained by the Globe, Oakes in July criticized Speck’s leadership approach, and accused him of ignoring the advice and judgment of the university’s top administrators.
Other candidates
A search committee at MSSU has identified two other finalists for the position of vice president for academic affairs. One candidate already has been interviewed, and the final candidate is set to visit the campus next week.
They are:
n Brian R. Chapman, professor of biology and marine biology, and former provost at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. Chapman is scheduled to visit Wednesday.
n Peter Johnstone, professor of criminal law and deputy vice chancellor at the University of North Texas at Dallas. Johnstone interviewed on Oct. 23.
