Jim Wohlpart named as second finalist for the University of Northern Iowa presidency

The second finalist for the University of Northern Iowa presidency won't need to travel far for his campus visit Wednesday. Interim President Jim Wohlpart on Tuesday was named one of three remaining candidates for the job.

Wohlpart came to UNI in May 2015 as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs after serving as dean of undergraduate studies and English professor at Florida Gulf Coast University.

At the time of his hire, former UNI President Bill Ruud - who he's now seeking to replace - praised Wohlpart's 'extensive background in academic leadership.”

'He has engaged and advanced student success and academic excellence through development special skills, knowledge, and ability at Florida Gulf Coast University,” Ruud said in a statement at the time. 'I am excited that he will be bringing those skills and expertise to the University of Northern Iowa.”

When Ruud announced over the summer plans to leave UNI for the presidency at private Marietta College in Ohio, the Board of Regents named Wohlpart his interim replacement. In that role, Wohlpart welcomed the largest freshman class since 2008 - although UNI's overall enrollment in fall 2016 was down slightly from last year.

Wohlpart also has backed a proposed tuition increase in the next school year - including for resident undergraduate students - while continuing to appeal to lawmakers for more state support.

Earlier this month, Wohlpart presented to Gov. Terry Branstad an appeal for a 2 percent increase in state appropriations - along with a one-time bump of $2.5 million for the 2018 budget year.

During his presentation, Wohlpart laid out three pillars that define UNI: an 'outstanding undergraduate education;” an 'engaged learning environment” enabling students to develop skills outside the classroom; and community engagement and development opportunities.

'As a result,” he said, 'our students are from Iowa and they generally stay in Iowa because of the experience that they've had.”

Of UNI's 11,905 students this fall, 89 percent come from Iowa. About 81 percent of UNI alumni continue living in Iowa after graduation, according to Wohlpart. But, in appealing for additional state support, Wohlpart said the new money would go toward changing UNI's business model.

'We need to spend more time thinking about things like recruiting out-of-state students,” he said. 'That will get us the extra tuition that we need.”

Extra funding also will be used for enrollment management, student engagement and success, and faculty staff vitality, Wohlpart told the governor.

Wohlpart earned a bachelor's degree in English and philosophy and a doctorate in English from the University of Tennessee. He earned a master's degree in English from Colorado State University.

During his more than two decades at Florida Gulf Coast University, Wohlpart served as chair of the Division of Humanities and Arts and associate dean for planning and assessment in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Like the two other finalists for the UNI presidency, Wohlpart will participate in a full day of campus interviews and meetings Wednesday - including a 2:30 p.m. public forum.

He told The Gazette on Tuesday because he's an internal candidate he's been spending time out of the office this week, in meetings and working on other projects.

'This will allow the candidates and the campus the opportunity to fully engage in the process,” he said.

About being a finalist, Wohlpart said, 'I am deeply honored.”

'The faculty and staff care deeply for the students here,” he said. 'If I am afforded the opportunity to serve the university in this capacity, one of my primary goals will be to support the faculty and staff in their work.”

‘President's Leadership Academy'

To that end, Wohlpart earlier this fall announced a 2016-2017 'President's Leadership Academy” guided by 'experienced educator and facilitator Chris Johnson utilizing principles and practices of the Circles of Trust developed by Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage and Renewal.”

The invite for the academy - which includes four workshops through June and a closing retreat at Prairie Oaks Institute in Minnesota - went out specifically to 'early- to midcareer members of the UNI faculty, staff, and administration.”

'Participants will reflect on deep questions of the meaning and purpose of their work and leadership, their capacity to make a difference in the lives of others, and the connections between the ‘inner and outer landscapes' of their personal and professional lives,” according to the online application.

In Wohlpart's email to campus, he said, the goal of the academy is to 'strengthen the ability to lead from where you are, no matter the role or position you hold here at UNI.”

'While it may offer assistance in promotion,” he wrote, 'it is not intended for that purpose.”

UNI spokesman Scott Ketelsen said he doesn't know if any other UNI leaders - presidents, provosts, or others - have ever done anything like this. He said 18 people are enlisted in the first cohort, a mixture of faculty and staff.

Ketelsen did not immediately provide a cost of the academy, which employs insights from 'poets, scholars, artists, naturalists, musicians, filmmakers, scientists, and various wisdom traditions.”

'Clearness Committees, peer action-learning circles, and other high-integrity and strictly confidential processes of discernment and mutual accountability will be a key component,” according to the application, which notes participants will not need to use leave time to attend, and some sessions will extend beyond the normal workweek.

Some faculty members in response to the academy took issue with its specific invitation to 'early- to midcareer” employees. They met with administrators to address the issue, and Wohlpart sent out a reworded email inviting 'any and all” faculty, staff, and administrators.

'United Faculty regarded the de-facto denial of applications from faculty in the later part of their career as tantamount to ageism,” according to a response letter from the campus' faculty union that urged anyone denied access to the academy to contact its leadership.

Wohlpart didn't respond to The Gazette's emailed questions on the topic Tuesday.

‘One of my very favorites'

When contacted about Wohlpart's candidacy for the UNI presidency, Florida Gulf Coast University Vice President and Chief of Staff Susan Evans told The Gazette she's not surprised. Having worked with him for years at the Fort Myers-based institution, Evans called Wohlpart 'phenomenal.”

'Jim is one of my very favorites over all my years,” she said. 'He's very passionate about higher education and education in general. It's in his head and in his heart.”

When Wohlpart was recruited to UNI for the provost job, Evans said, 'We hated to lose him.”

'I was not surprised that he would be tapped for the provost - I thought that would be in his future,” she said. 'But he was a significant loss to FGCU, no doubt.”

Like UNI, Florida Gulf Coast is going through a search for a new president, although Evans said she doesn't know whether their search firm reached out to Wohlpart for that position.

But, she said about UNI, 'That university would be really fortunate to have him as a leader in a permanent role.”

The third and final candidate for the job will be announced Wednesday morning and will visit campus Thursday.

The Board of Regents is scheduled to hear from the search committee on the finalists Monday and interview them Tuesday. The board will make a selection after the interviews Tuesday.

l Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com