Kent State soon may be an administrator short.

Gayle Ormiston, associate provost for faculty affairs at Kent State, is one of two final candidates for the provost position at Marshall University.

Marshall began reviewing applications for a provost in February. The university is looking to replace Sarah Denman, who announced her retirement in January.

Ormiston, who has been with Kent State since August 1989, visited Marshall University on June 30 as part of the interview process.

While at Marshall, Ormiston said he talked with various groups associated with the university, including faculty members and members of the student senate.

Ormiston called the visit “pretty standard.”

“It allows the people there to get to know about the candidate, and the candidate about the institution and … the kind of opportunities it has,” he said.

Ormiston could not recall whether Marshall had initiated contact regarding the position.

“It was a joint process,” he said.

Bill Bissett, chief of staff for Marshall University, said the university used a consulting firm to search nationally for candidates that would fit well at their institution, but that candidates could have seen the position advertised in higher education publications.

Ormiston is the chief negotiator for Kent State in faculty contract bargaining. He declined to comment on whether his absence would affect negotiations, saying it was irrelevant.

Bissett said Marshall is also considering Barbara Schirmer for the position. Schirmer is the vice president for academic affairs at the University of Detroit Mercy, a private institution in Michigan.

Bissett said the university hopes to have the position filled by the fall.

“The question now is which candidate is a better fit for Marshall,” he said. “It’s less about time frames and more about finding the right person.”

Contact principal reporter Maria Nann at [email protected].