Kent State provost decides against KSU job

The surrounding controversy sparked debate within the community on both sides of the issue and on KSU’s campus.

“I have decided it is in the best interest of Kennesaw State University for me to withdraw at this time,” Chandler said in a statement released by KSU. “... I have now come to believe that the recent distractions caused by external forces would interfere with my effectiveness as provost."

Chandler, a British-born senior associate provost at Kent State University in Ohio, was slated to begin his job, second in command to President Dan Papp, at KSU in July. He will keep his job at Kent State.

Given the circumstances, Chandler made the right decision, said Earl Holliday, an assistant professor in KSU’s Department of Educational Leadership and member of the faculty senate.

Earlier this week, after prompting by Holliday, the senate ended a meeting without voting on a resolution of support for Chandler. The senate president did not return calls for comment Thursday.

“For the candidates we bring to campus -- and I’m sure [Chandler] is a very talented person -- but I think matching their skill set with the university community is very important," Holliday said.

News of Chandler’s decision was spreading quickly around campus on Thursday, and some students were disappointed at the outcome, said Ali Kamran, student government president.

“Students are disappointed at the personal attacks on [Chandler] and with the narrow-mindedness of people who wrote negative comments about the situation,” Kamran said. “They’re talking about academic freedom and having to start the search all over again.”

Otis Brumby, publisher of the Marietta Daily Journal, which first criticized Chandler’s work, said he was not surprised by Chandler’s announcement.

“A college like KSU is dependent on public funding through the Legislature and private sources, and when asked if [Chandler] could be effective, Papp said I’m not sure,” Brumby said. “It seems Papp, even though he didn’t say it, must have made up his mind that this was the best decision for the university.”

Papp and Chandler had no additional comment Thursday.

Kent State released its own statement Thursday, noting that Kennesaw State’s loss was the Ohio school’s gain.

“This unfortunate circumstance illustrates the importance of academic freedom and freedom of speech ...," said Kent State’s provost, Robert Frank, calling the attacks on Chandler baseless and unfounded. “As an institution of higher learning, we challenge our students and others to examine different aspects of our world, to think critically and to expand our intellectual horizons.”

Last week, Papp released a statement saying he was convinced Chandler was neither Marxist nor anti-American. At the time, Chandler said he was not inclined to withdraw from the position “under the cloud of a red scare.”

KSU used an executive search firm to help with the provost position, and a 23-member university committee to screen more than 100 applicants for the position. Committee members said the 1998 paper caused no debate during the vetting process, and Papp did not read the paper before the controversy began although the paper was listed on Chandler’s resume.

Interim provost Ken Harmon will continue in the position he has held since Lendley Black stepped down in July to be the chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth. KSU did not provide additional information on the future of the job. In past interviews, Papp has said a new search would have to be conducted to fill the position.