Toomey Named Acting Dean of Social Work

BEVERLY TOOMEY CONFIRMED AS ACTING DEAN OF SOCIAL WORK

     COLUMBUS -- Professor Beverly G. Toomey today was appointed
acting dean of the College of Social Work at The Ohio State
University, retroactive to July 1.

     The process had been questioned and his own qualifications
presented by Charles Ross, associate professor of social work, at
the full board meeting.  For the past two weeks, Ross has
publicly declared himself to be the "elected acting dean" of the
college.

     The appointment was made on the condition that a sub-
committee of the board would further review Toomey's
qualifications and the appointment process.

     According to Deborah Casto, chair of the trustees and a
member of the sub-committee, "The sub-committee met immediately
after the full board meeting and found no reason to change the
trustees' appointment of Dr. Toomey."

     "We concluded that Dr. Toomey is well qualified to become
acting dean and that the procedure followed by Provost Joan Huber
was in compliance with the applicable university rules and
policies."

     Although the full board already had reviewed her
qualifications, the committee was formed in response to Professor
Ross's challenge, explained Malcolm Baroway, Ohio State's
executive director of communications.

     Deans, Baroway said, are appointed by the Board of Trustees
upon nomination of the president.  The president is authorized,
he explained, to delegate the nomination process, "and for many
years the Ohio State president has given the responsibility to
the provost, who is the university's chief academic officer."

     The Rules of the Faculty require the president or provost,
when nominating a dean, to consult with department chairs within
the college and to consider their recommendations.  The rules do
not require a vote, nor do they require the provost to nominate
any person recommended by the department chairs, Baroway
explained.

     "The normal process, followed repeatedly in the past and in
this case, is for broad consultation with the faculty in the
college so as to make the best informed decision possible.  What
is required is that the provost recommend the person who, in her
view, will best serve the college and the university."

     The exact wording (Faculty Rule 3335-3-29 A) is:

     "There shall be a dean of each college who shall be a member
     of its faculty and the administrative head of the college.
     Each dean shall be appointed by the board of trustees upon  
     nomination of the president.  Before making his nomination,
     the president shall confer with members of the faculty of   
     the college for which the dean is to be appointed and shall
     consider the recommendations of the chairpersons of the     
     departments and the directors of the schools in that        
     college."

     Because of the small size of the college, Huber had invited
all 27 of the regular social work faculty to voice their
opinions.  Faculty input had been received in two forms:  a
faculty meeting vote, which included adjunct faculty and resulted
in the recommendation of Ross; and individual letters and
meetings between regular faculty and the provost, in which the
overwhelming support was for Toomey.

     Baroway noted that in several meeting with social work
faculty, and again in her letters to the faculty, the provost had
explained the faculty role in selecting the dean and pointed out
that deans are not chosen by popular vote.

                                #


[Submitted by: GERSTNER  (gerstner@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
               
Tue, 13 Jul 93 10:55:10 EST]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.