Provost Robert Frank said the university hired Sue Averill, who currently works at Cleveland State, to be the new associate provost for faculty affairs.

Averill has a background at Kent State. She served for 17 years as executive director of the university’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

She will begin her new position as associate provost on Dec. 1.

A search committee, led by Tim Moerland, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, narrowed the search down to four candidates, who were interviewed during the past several weeks.

Frank said the pool of candidates the university had to choose from was excellent.

“We could have chosen any of them without making a bad choice,” Frank said. “Her knowledge of the area was so extensive that it guaranteed a smooth transition. It will help the office run more efficiently.”

Tom Janson, chairman of the Faculty Senate, said the position is crucial for the university.

“(It) is the vital link between the Senate and AAUP-KSU,” he said.

The office was left vacant in August, when Gayle Ormiston, who had been at Kent State since 1989, took a position as provost at Marshall University.

– Maria Nann