A few months ago, Scott Bass sat through a prospective student information session and took a walking tour of campus with students interested in AU.
"I wanted to know what it's like," he said.
Bass was not a prospective student, however. He was a prospective provost, and AU "accepted" him May 7. He starts July 1.
AU President Neil Kerwin said when he heard the story, he was impressed.
"I think it's exceptional," he said. "It's exactly what I'd expect from him. It speaks volumes about the character of the individual."
Kerwin acted on information from the Provost Search Committee when he decided to hire Bass. He announced his decision May 7. Kerwin was confident in his choice, he said.
"Throughout his career he's demonstrated his ability to balance all the elements that are required to be successful in academic administration," he said. "I think he's very well prepared for a leadership position in academic affairs at the university."
When Bass moves to AU, it will be his first experience in private collegiate education. He is currently vice president for research and graduate school dean at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He has been at UMBC for 12 years and also worked at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He has three degrees from the University of Michigan, according to an AU press release.
He is excited to begin work at his first private institution and feels prepared for the job, Bass said.
"The role of the administrator is so much more difficult in the public environment," he said. "Private institutions have been able to attract the very best faculty. They've been able to provide better financial compensation to faculty. They've been able to avoid the politics with the board."
Bass will be AU's first permanent provost since Kerwin left the post in 2005 to become acting president during and after the board of trustees' investigation into former President Ben Ladner's use of university funds, The Eagle previously reported.
Ivy Broder, a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and former dean of academic affairs, has served as interim provost since then, according to information on AU's Web site.
Broder will take a "well-deserved" one-year sabbatical and return as a professor next fall, Kerwin said.
Many members of the AU community voiced their views during the provost search, Kerwin said.
"There were strong opinions expressed across a wide range of candidates," he said.
One of the first tasks Bass will take on will be the university's strategic plan. He met with Kerwin about the plan Friday.
"The strategic plan will guide what I am going to be doing," Bass said. "There is going to be a series of analyses. I need to go through that process."
Bass also plans to meet with the deans of AU's six schools, he said.
"I am going to listen to what the deans say the key issues are," Bass said.
He will care about AU's students, Bass said.
"Treating students with dignity and respect is important," he said. "Members of the community need to feel empowered."
Bass put himself in the shoes of a prospective AU student in order to better understand the AU experience, he said. He also said he hopes to receive lots of feedback from students.
"I want to know through someone else's shoes what the AU experience is like," Bass said. "You can easily lose touch with what it's like, so feedback is critical"
