The Towerlight, September 26, 2002

tl20020926-000 "mg TOUIDP Nighb Baltimore's #1 College Paper - Published Twice-Weekly - www.thetowerlight.com Thursday, 9/26/02 Senate discusses campus policies 5 Newell re-opens with 'chic' look 5 Galleries host ancient, new art 9 (Villans' stumbles onto DVD/VHS 12 Departments News 5 Nation briefs 6 Police Blotter 8 Arts 9 High Road 12 Sports 20 Punt, Pass & Pick 18 In this Corner 20 Classifieds 15 Opinion 2 Forums seek campus feedback Lisa Johnson 777e Towerbght Dr. James Clements, chair of Towson's presidential search committee, speaks in Stephens Hall Theatre to seven students who attended one of four campus-wide forums held Wednesday. Senior Shawn Smith asked the panel, 'What's to prevent what happened last year from happening again?' Heated arguments abound on whether search process should remain closed or become open Mike Morris The Towerlight ""The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting to get dif-ferent results,"" said Sharon Buchbinder, associate professor of health science, during Wednesday's faculty forum to discuss how Towson's presidential search com-mittee should find the University's next leader. In addition to the faculty meet-ing, forums were held for communi-ty leaders, staff and students in an attempt to provide a sampling of committee members with vital feed-back regarding qualities they would like the next president to pos-sess. Those in atten-dance were encour-aged to suggest specific questions they would like potential candi-dates to be asked and nominate indi-viduals they feel could assume the post. Currently, about 100 candidates have expressed interesting the vacancy, a figure that has more than doubled within the past month. Maryland State Senator Barbara Hoffman, a Towson alum and mem-ber of the committee, said there's a huge sense to ""get it right"" after last year's situation with former TU President Mark L. Perkins. impression that the campus wants to see some-one who can inter-act well with the outside world, yet can maintain respect from those ""It is in the University's best interest in getting a highly qualified person, and in expanding the pool of choices, to have a closed search."" Jan Greenwood vice president, A.T. Kearney Her was on campus. ""There have been some very strong views shown and that's good. It means people are thinking hard; that they're not taking this lightly,"" FIoffman said as she left the University Union Garage, heading for Annapolis. Buchbinder echoed most of the 45 people in attendance at the fac-ulty forum by being strongly opposed to having a closed search, the method by which Perkins was chosen. A closed search would involve the committee choosing three to five unranked candidates and forwarding them to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents, while an open search would allow the campus community to meet the finalists and give input prior to the selection. See FORUMS, page 8 Today High 67 Low 62 Friday High Low 76 61 Saturday High 76 Low 50 t , ,,,,g Sunday High 68 Low 48 Monday High 70 Low 53 "