The search for a permanent Syracuse University Public Safety Chief enters its final phase with a deadline of Jan. 1 looming.

A committee consisting of faculty and students will begin deliberating Friday to decide whom they will endorse for the position, said Riguad Noel, a student member of the committee. The committee’s choice will be relayed to the Senior Vice President of Human Services and Government Relations Eleanor Ware.

‘The committee will make a recommendation to Eleanor Ware and she will make a decision as to who will be the new director,’ said Kevin Morrow, SU spokesman.

Dean of Students Anastasia Urtz, who could not be reached for comment, leads the board.

The four candidates are former head of crime prevention at Vanderbilt University Marlene Hall, former Public Safety Chief at Villanova University Jeffery Horton, former Public Safety Director at Truman State University Lisa Sprauge and current acting Chief William Ferguson.

The position was left vacant when former chief Robert T. Robertson left in January. Ferguson was appointed as acting chief that same month.

Since Nov. 12, each of the candidates participated in an open forum to discuss their plans for public safety if they got the job as well as take questions from the audience. After each forum, audience members were encouraged to fill out feedback sheets for use by the committee, Ware said.

In the time they were in town, both the committee and Ware interviewed each of the candidates.

Ware said that even after the committee has made its recommendation she might schedule additional interviews with the candidate to discuss the realities of taking the job.

‘When you make a job offer, the person has some decisions to make,’ Ware said.

Noel, one of two students on the board, was asked to participate in the selection process by Urtz, who he was on the Chancellor’s Advisory Board on Campus Security with last summer.

‘We are looking for someone that is ready to talk to students and do some collaborative stuff with the students,’ Noel, a sophomore political science major said.

Despite the careful deliberation the committee has to put into an endorsement, Ware is confident she will be able to announce her choice by New Year’s Day.

‘We are on track to have a new chief by January 1,’ Ware said.

Published on November 28, 2001 at 12:00 pm