It’s Official: Gibson is Provost and VPAA

By Kristen Griffith, The Whetstone

Senior Amber Roddy said she’s glad Dr. Jeffrey Gibson was selected as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost.

Gibson was chosen over two other candidates who made it to the final round of the hiring process – Dr. Amy Jessen-Marshall from Sweet Briar College and Dr. Samantha Earley from Indiana University Southeast.

Gibson has served as interim for the past year.

“I feel like he’s gotten a little bit of practice at it and it gives him the opportunity to keep doing what he’s learned,” she said. “It shows that he didn’t just use that interim positon because it was offered to him, he actually wanted to do it.”

Gibson said serving as interim did not help his confidence during the hiring process.

“I wasn’t confident that I had any kind of leg up on the other candidates because there were so many qualified candidates,” he said. “I certainly wasn’t taking it for granted.”

Sophomore Ray Lewis said he figured Gibson would get the position.

“Since he was already working the job, I feel like they were going to give it to him anyway,” he said.

Gibson admits that his time as interim and a professor contributed to the final decision.

“I’m sure it helped me in some ways that people know who I am,” he said. “Those kind of things probably did work a bit in my favor.”

During the final round of the hiring process, Jessen-Marshall, Gibson and Earley sat with students and faculty to give a background of who they were and answer any questions they may have.

Lewis attended Earley’s session March 31.

“I thought she was very energetic and charismatic,” he said. “I feel she could have brought new things to the school.”

He said she might have trouble adjusting to Wesley’s academic system.

“I think her system was easier or nonchalant,” he said. “She would have to adjust to a more structured system.”

Lewis said Gibson would not only do a good job, but also improve.

Junior Kaylynn Hall also said Gibson would do a good job. But she was impressed with Jessen-Marshall when she spoke with students March 29.

“I thought she was persistent and very eager to take on the position,” Hall said. “She was really concerned with the students as well.”

Hall said the people at Wesley are not focused on the students enough.

Several Wesley students were unaware who Gibson was, nor did they know what the job of a VPAA and Provost entailed.

Gibson said the Provost is second to the President of the College.

“But I serve as Vice President alongside other colleagues on the cabinet who oversee their particular areas,” he said.

Gibson said part of the VPAA job is to coordinate with faculty and other academic areas of the college.

“The folks in our registrar office, student support services and I would say to collaborate beyond academics with the other areas of the college – athletics, student affairs, institutional advancement, and admissions all to help drive the mission of the college – the education of our students.”

Dr. James Wilson, member of the search committee, did not know who would be the next VPAA when the hiring process first started.

“I went into the process being open to any candidate,” he said.

But after going through 89 candidates, Wilson said Gibson stood out.

“Quite honestly, on paper, Jeff Gibson was a top candidate,” Wilson said.

He said hiring Gibson was a “no-brainer.”

Professor Paul Olsen, chair of the search committee, said Gibson’s familiarity with the school and ability to get everyone working together will make him a good VPAA.

He said his qualifications were impressive.

“His campus interview, his Skype interview and his experience all played a part in the committee being impressed with Dr. Gibson,” he said.

Olsen said the decision to choose him for the job was unanimous among the search committee and other members of the college.

“Staff, faculty, Board of Trustees, the President’s cabinet – all college constituents viewed him favorably,” he said.

He said this job will give Gibson the opportunity to prove himself.

“What happens over the next two years or three years, only time will tell,” he said. “I have full faith in him.”