Vice Provost Roper takes over position

By Mary Ann Albright

Gazette-Times reporter

The decision to delay hiring a new dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Oregon State University generated concern among faculty members about the future of the college, and whether liberal arts are still a priority on a campus increasingly reliant upon research dollars brought in by the Colleges of Engineering, Forestry and Science.

So many in the College of Liberal Arts breathed a sigh of relief Friday when OSU announced that Larry Roper, vice provost for student affairs, will serve as interim dean beginning July 1. He is stepping in for Kay Shaffer, who is retiring June 30 after 13 years as dean.

His appointment is expected to last through the 2007-08 school year, according to Provost Sabah Randhawa. He will continue to lead the Division of Student Affairs during that time.

"I can't imagine anyone would be disappointed by the selection. He's well esteemed," said Joseph Krause, French professor and chairman of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

"He is a proven leader and facilitator who emphasizes broad participation in planning and problem-solving," added Jeff Hale, assistant dean for external relations in the College of Liberal Arts and director of the college's liberal studies program. "He knows the culture of the college and understands both process and results. I hope he is able to improve opportunities for faculty and students and build upon the strengths of the college."

When Randhawa asked him to apply for the position, Roper said, his appreciation for liberal arts spurred him on. He has an appointment in the Department of Ethnic Studies.

"I just have tremendous respect and appreciation for the value of liberal arts and believe the effectiveness of that college will say a lot about the effectiveness of our core educational enterprise," he said.

Roper has been at OSU since 1995. He's a 1975 graduate of Heidelberg College in Ohio. He has a master's degree from Bowling Green State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland - both in college student personnel administration. Prior to joining the OSU faculty and administration, Roper was vice president for student affairs and dean of students at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y.

"He is widely recognized for his integrity, commitment, hard work, respect for others and strong, collaborative leadership style," Randhawa said in a news release. "He will be a great asset to the people and programs within liberal arts."

As interim dean, Roper's responsibilities will include working with the College of Liberal Arts community to continue creating a collective vision for long-term strengths in liberal arts at OSU, and developing distinct areas of focus to promote in the university-wide capital campaign.

Balancing his duties in Student Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts will be a challenge, but Roper said he's committed to making sure everyone gets his attention and presence.

Lani Roberts, assistant professor of philosophy, has no doubt he's the person for the job.

"It is the best of all possible choices," she said. "Larry is a person who is highly respected because of his integrity, because he fosters community at every turn, because he refuses to do top-down decision making, because he affirms everyone with whom he works, because he nurtures the best angels in everyone around him. Absolutely everyone in the College of Liberal Arts I talked with today is thrilled. Although the process was very painful for us all, the outcome is fabulous."

Mary Ann Albright covers higher education. She can be reached at maryann.albright@lee.net or 758-9518.