Spring Break
Provost candidate says she can make a difference
Leonard Lai
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: News
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More than 130 people gathered in the Engineering auditorium to listen to Zulma Toro-Ramos talk about why she would be the right person for the job.
Toro-Ramos, dean of the College of Engineering at Wichita State University, said her passion is students and service to society.
"I think I can bring something to the table," she said. "I can make a difference, and that's what drives me. Transforming lives is my drive, and I think I can do it as a provost."
She said she has more than nine years of experience as a dean at more than three colleges.
Judith Lessow-Hurley, a professor of elementary education, said the provost is one of the most important positions on campus.
"What better way is there than this to meet with a possible provost candidate and ask them questions?" she said.
Toro-Ramos started taking questions from the audience after she introduced herself.
How can we trust you to look out for the interests of students, faculty, and everyone else on campus?
Toro-Ramos said she is part of an institution, and she gives her heart and soul to the goals of an institution and moves forward with it.
"The most important thing to me is the people, student, faculty and staff," she said.
If she comes to SJSU, she said she will give the best of herself, knowledge, experience and abilities to serve.
How do you plan on building the bridges between departments as a whole?
Toro-Ramos said a goal any university should have is a strong institution.
"I want a participative process, in which it will allow the faculty, students and staff to be a part of the deliberations and decision making process," she said.
What is the difference between the job of provost and president?
The provost deals with internal issues, the president mainly deals with external issues, Toro-Ramos said.
"The provost should have the skills and capabilities and be part of a team that will advance the academic mission of the institution and cooperate with the president in also moving forward," she said.
What is her relationship with student affairs on campus?
Toro-Ramos said "relationship" was a colorful word, and there would have to be a collaborative approach to recruiting students.
"We have retention problems in the College of Engineering, but we have a partnership with the office of multicultural affairs," she said. "I believe the most effective way of moving a college of higher institution is to move forward collaboratively."
Interim Provost Gerry Selter said he believes the hearing went well.
Some of the questions were challenging, he said.
"She handled them quite well," Selter said. "She was very candid, open and quite honest."
He said that if there was more time, more questions would have been asked.
"It's very difficult to bring someone in for one day, when they will be busy talking with many different departments," he said.
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