Public meetings with finalists Dec. 5; presidential appointment expected Dec. 6
After an extensive national search, the Weber State University Presidential Search Committee has recommended four finalists to the State Board of Regents for the position of Weber State President: Katherine P. Frank, Frank R. Lamas, Brad L. Mortensen, and Melody Rose.
“The Weber State University Presidential Search Committee is honored to recommend these four impressive candidates to the Board of Regents,” said Jesselie Anderson, Regent and search committee co-chair. “We look forward to the Regents having the opportunity to fully consider these candidates in choosing a new leader for Weber State.”
Nolan Karras, search committee co-chair and chair of the Weber State Board of Trustees, added, “We thank the university’s trustees, faculty, students, and staff, along with the community as a whole, for their meaningful participation in this process. It truly has been a collective effort.”
The 21-member search committee has spent several months soliciting input through public meetings and in-person interviews. The Board of Regents will interview the following finalists (listed here in alphabetical order):
Katherine P. Frank is the Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Life at Central Washington University and Professor of English. At CWU, she focuses on institutional sustainability and student success, which include the transition to a new university budget model, complete General Education redesign, and opening of an eighth off-campus instructional site. Prior to her current position, she served as Dean of Arts and Sciences at Northern Kentucky University where she led the university’s largest college. She has also served as Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Indiana University East and as Chairperson of English and Foreign Languages at Colorado State University-Pueblo. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Bates College and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington.
Frank R. Lamas is the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at California State University, Fresno, where he leads 53 departments and programs. He has more than 30 years of administrative experience in higher education. He was also an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington and Canisius College in the Department of Higher Education. His research interests include social and academic determinants of retention/student success among college students and leadership. He has previously served as board chairman of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Potsdam and his master’s and doctoral degrees at the State University of New York at Albany.
Brad L. Mortensen joined Weber State in 2004 and has served as Vice President of University Advancement for 11 years. He develops partnerships and philanthropic resources that promote educational access, student success, inclusiveness, and faculty and staff vitality. He leads communication and strategic efforts to strengthen alumni and community connections, and recently began guiding Weber State’s efforts to support regional economic development. Active with several Northern Utah organizations, he has chaired the Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Northern Utah. Utah Business recognized him as 2018 CXO of the Year. His prior professional endeavors include the Utah System of Higher Education, Utah governor’s office, Arizona legislature, and two policy fellowships. Mortensen earned a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University, a master’s degree from Syracuse University, and a doctoral degree from the University of Utah.
Melody Rose has 25 years of experience in public and private higher education. Currently the President at Marylhurst University, Rose previously spent 20 years with public institutions. As Chancellor of the Oregon University System, she oversaw all seven public universities, after having spent 17 years at Portland State University. At Portland State, Rose founded the Center for Women’s Leadership, served in faculty governance, and provided leadership as Department Chair, Vice Provost, and Dean. Across sectors, she has focused on keeping student success and access at the forefront of data-based decisions. She earned a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz, and two master’s degrees and a doctoral degree from Cornell University.
Next steps
The finalists will be on the Weber State University Ogden campus on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, to meet with groups representing faculty, staff, students, trustees, and administration. Each finalist will participate in a public meeting the afternoon of December 5, where attendees from the Weber State community and the general public will have the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates.
Public meeting schedule
Weber State University – Shepherd Union Ballroom C
3910 West Campus Drive, Ogden, UT 84408
1:00 – 1:50 p.m. Brad L. Mortensen
2:00 – 2:50 p.m. Katherine P. Frank
3:00 – 3:50 p.m. Frank R. Lamas
4:00 – 4:50 p.m. Melody Rose
More information on the public meetings is available at weber.edu/presidentialsearch.
On Thursday, December 6, 2018, the Board of Regents will interview the finalists in a closed session. The board may convene a public meeting at Weber State—Shepherd Union Ballroom C—at 5:45 p.m. that day to select the president. However, it may convene at another time, which will be announced at a later date.
About Weber State University
Visit weber.edu to learn more about Weber State University.
About the Utah System of Higher Education
The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) is governed by the Board of Regents and is comprised of Utah’s eight public colleges and universities. The CEO of USHE is the Commissioner of Higher Education. For more information, visit higheredutah.org.
