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Smith's sees philosophy roots as road to provost

SBS dean one of 5 candidates for position

With roots in philosophy, Holly Smith hopes to take her knowledge of ethics and university politics to the position of University of Arizona provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.

"I've spent a lot of time thinking about right conduct," said Smith, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Smith is one of five candidates remaining for the position and will have the opportunity to present herself in two forums open to all students, faculty and staff on Monday, May 8, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

"I've seen a lot of the university and how it runs," Smith said.

After receiving her bachelor's in philosophy from Wellesley College, a liberal arts college for women in Wellesley, Mass., and then moving on to do her graduate work at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Smith entered education to try to help her students get excited about philosophy.

Now that she has moved on to an administrative position, Smith said she thinks the next provost and the university are facing many challenges.

"We need to do a better job at what we're trying to do," she said. "I think we really need to focus on strengthening the undergraduate program."

One of the reasons that departments in the UA are suffering may be the "brain drain," or loss of faculty.

"What we're seeing are faculty salaries that are moving up very rapidly," Smith said. "We (the university) have fallen significantly behind."

This has been a concern shared by both UA President Peter Likins and the Arizona Board of Regents.

"It's very scary," she said. "Over the long run (quality of instruction) can't be sustained. The university needs an infusion of funds from the outside."

While a lack of funding is hurting the UA, Smith said the university has qualities that don't show up in the numbers.

"We have an unusual culture that encourages creativity," she explained.

At the last ABOR meeting, Hank Amos, regents president, proposed that the board work with the students in lobbying the legislature to increase funding.

As the supervisor of undergraduate education, Smith said she would work to increase funding as well.

"The provost needs to be active in that sphere too," she said.

Above all, the challenges that will face the next provost, Smith said the university must better its education and "find new knowledge that we can find and bring to our students."

Rachael.Myer@wildcat.arizona.edu can be reached at catalyst@wildcat.arizona.edu.