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September 1, 1994

Search for Press director begins; Public Safety search down to one candidate

Search for Press director begins; Public Safety search down to one candidate

Applications currently are being accepted for the position of director of the University of Pittsburgh Press.

Search committee chair Elizabeth Baranger said the committee hopes to fill the position by Jan. 1.

Ads seeking applications have been placed by the search committee in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Publishers Weekly, Affirmative Action Register, Women in Scholarly Publishing Newsletter, Association of American University Presses Exchange and Associated Writing Program Chronicle.

In addition, the job opening has been posted on the computer bulletin board of the Association of American University Presses and in the University Times.

According to the ad, applications received by Oct. 1 will receive full consideration for the position.

The search for a new director was launched after Frederick Hetzel, who had served as director of the Press for 30 years, announced in late May his plans to retire on Sept. 1.

Hetzel joined the University Press in March 1961 as an assistant editor. In June 1964, he succeeded Agnes Lynch Starrett as director, becoming only the third person to hold that post since the Press was founded in 1936.

Along with Baranger, search committee members include William Brown, law; Seymour Drescher, history; Jonathan Harris, political science; Kathy McLaughlin; University Press; Edison Montgomery, former assistant to the provost; and Judith Vollmer, Greensburg campus English. Public Safety Director The long search for a new Public Safety director may be coming to an end soon, possibly within the next few days, according to Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business John DeVitto.

"We're really close," DeVitto said. "We've settled on an individual. He is taking his physical and psychological tests right now." According to DeVitto, who charged the search committee and has the final say in hiring a Public Safety director, the individual involved could be offered the job as early as Friday (Sept. 2) or Tuesday (Sept. 6) if he meets the physical and psychological requirements for the position.

"Once he gets those done, then we can make the offer," DeVitto said.

The name of the candidate will not be released until an offer is made and accepted since, should he refuse the offer, that could hinder the search for another candidate, DeVitto said.

The Department of Public Safety has been without a permanent director since March 1993, when William Brennan ended his four-year stint at the post. Walter Waters, assistant director of Public Safety, has been serving as interim director since that time.

For a time in early January, it appeared as if the position would be filled, but the candidate to whom the position was offered declined the job when the school where he is now employed made him a counter offer. So the search was reopened last March.

–Mike Sajna

Filed under: Feature,Volume 27 Issue 1

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