Western Provost of Academic Affairs Andrew Bodman was in the running for a provost position at Ball State University, in Muncie, Ind., until Oct. 2, when he withdrew his candidacy, he said in an e-mail response.

Bodman did not comment further to explain why.

The American Association of University Professors reviewed Bodman's qualifications for the post. Bodman was among the three finalists.

In addition to Bodman, the other finalists were William Swart, a professor at East Carolina University, and Elliott Pood, the dean of the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Southern Mississippi, said Ralph Baker, the president of Ball State's chapter of the AAUP.

Baker said the AAUP felt that Pood was the only candidate who was acceptable. Pood had better leadership skills and seemed to have a better understanding of Ball State, Baker said.

Ball State did not hire Pood but instead chose to extend its search, said H. O'Neal Smitherman, chairman of the provost search committee at Ball State.

Buff Schoenfeld, executive assistant to Western President Karen Morse, said a provost usually stays at a university for five or six years. Bodman is in his sixth year at Western and promised Morse upon hiring he would stay for five years.

"The honeymoon period will end," Schoenfeld said. "After a point, a person wants new challenges."

Baker said the association looks at the applicants' role at their current universities to see how effective they are on campus and how good their communication skills are.

"It's like when the president of the United States nominates someone for the Supreme Court and then the Bar Association does a background search," Baker said.

Smitherman said in an e-mail response that the university announced the position in spring 2005. They received more than 40 applications but hired none of them.

The association thought the search committee rushed the process, Baker said. Instead of taking the standard time period of a year to find a provost, Ball State began its search last spring to hire a provost this fall.

The AAUP had conflicts with Bodman, Baker said. Minor conflict occurred when Bodman described reorganizing the colleges on Western's campus, Baker said. Ball State faculty asked Bodman what he would do differently, and he said would not change a thing, despite some Western faculty members' unhappiness with his reorganization efforts, Baker said.

Bodman, as provost of academic affairs, is responsible for supervising the deans, summer session and approving new programs such as Freshmen Interest Groups, Schoenfeld said.

Schoenfeld cited Bodman's support for programs unique to Western, such as Freshmen Interest Groups and academic planning between students and professors, as proof of his qualifications for the Ball State position.

The Ball State provost provides overall leadership and direction for the programs of the university, Smitherman said.

Ball State's interim provost is its vice president of academic affairs Deborah Balogh. Beverly Pitts was the provost until she left the position to become president of the University of Indianapolis in March.

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