Candidate Close-up: University Provost and VP of Academic Affairs Bring Their Experience to the Positions

By Laura Fitzgerald, For The Miami Student

Miami begins open forums to fill the position of provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs. The three finalists will visit campus in the coming weeks to better acquaint themselves with the Miami community. See university website for specific times and locations of open forums.

Neville Pinto Open forums: Nov. 20-21

Pinto is the Dean of the J.B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville. Previously, he served at the University of Cincinnati as the head of Chemical Engineering, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies in the College of Engineering and as Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School.

"As an administrator, I have experienced virtually every aspect of university leadership," he said in his resume.

Pinto said one of his strengths is his ability to create a vision and the necessary plan to accomplish that vision with clear benchmarks for success.

Pinto said he is able to promote collaboration and cooperation among various facets of the university, such as teaching, learning, admissions, student life, international experiences and research.

He said he has the ability to retain and grow academic excellence with limited funds. Pinto served as Dean of UC's graduate school during the 2008 recession. Despite severe budget cuts, he expanded the university's education to the recently unemployed, netting an additional $17 million in tuition payments.

Lastly, Pinto said he has experience in programs that encourage diversity among the staff and student body.

Pinto received his Ph.D. and master's degree in chemical engineering from Penn State. He received his bachelor degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology inNew Delhi, India.

Photo by Brett Milam | The Miami Student

Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter

James Coleman Open forums: Nov. 17-18

Coleman is the Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences and professor of Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Previously, Coleman served in various administrative positions in research programs for Desert Research Institute, University and Community College System of Nevada, University of Missouri, Columbia and Rice University. He was also a professor at Syracuse University and a program officer for the National Science Foundation.

Coleman said his main strength is his ability to grow interdisciplinary research programs. This includes growing research funding and opportunities, promoting the merits of research in the broader community and encouraging collaboration across a wide range of disciplines.

Coleman grew VCU's Humanities and Science program from a "peripheral role" to an integral part of the university. Since Coleman started at VCU, the university has allocated a main building and $4 million in faculty recruitment funds for Humanities and Science.

He also said he believes universities should promote socio-economic as well as cultural diversity in their student and staff body.

Coleman received his master's and Ph.D. in the school of Forestry and Environmental Sciences from Yale University. He received his B.S. in Forestry from the University of Maine. He was also a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University.

Phyllis Callahan Open forums: Nov. 13-14

Phyllis Callahan serves as the Dean of the College of Arts and Science and as professor in the Biology department at Miami University. Previously, she served as Interim Dean, Senior Associate Dean and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science at Miami.

Callahan said in her resume that one of her strengths as a leader is her ability to cooperate openly with diverse groups of people. As Dean of CAS, she collaborates with a broad range of disciplines and departments.

"I believe my experience and accomplishments in administrative positions, as well as my contributions as an effective teacher, strong mentor and researcher make me highly qualified for my position," Callahan said.

Callahan served as co-chair of the coordinating team for the Miami 2020 plan - a plan that focuses on creating student achievement through an innovative learning environment in a changing society. As co-chair, Callahan said she values the implementation and commitment to the plan.

She said she plans to initiate and grow programs to encourage diversity at Miami, such as the Bridges Program, which has experienced moderate success.

Callahan received her bachelors and masters degrees in biological sciences from Fairleigh Dickinson University and her Ph.D. in Physiology and Neurobiology from Rutgers University. She conducted Post-Doctoral research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering CC Neurology/Oncology Department in New York and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.