The Search Committee and Provost Bud Fischer began their search for a new dean on Feb. 5 to lead the Gordon Ford College of Business to assume responsibility from Interim Dean Dr. Evelyn Thrasher.

Thrasher, who has served as interim dean of the GFCB since June 2023, is one of four candidates who participated in an open forum at Grise Hall Auditorium. 

Topics candidates covered at the open forum include budget, the new GFCB building and development of new revenues, recruitment, and retention.

“I think we cannot ignore the fact that our college has gone through a whole lot of change in the last five years,” Thrasher said. “We have asked faculty and staff to put a whole a lot of blood sweat and tears into changing, growing, and putting us where we are today. I don’t want to see us lose that momentum. As part of that vision moving forward, we must focus on execution and grounding the work we’ve done. That way we can continue to build on it and not risk undoing the progress that we’ve made.”

The remaining candidates will have open forums on Feb. 9 and 13 in Grise Hall Auditorium.

News Reporter David Campos-Contreras can be reached at [email protected].