THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 24, 1996 TAG: 9608260298
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PHILIP WALZER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 68 lines
One dean at Norfolk State University said he has applied for the job of university president, and another is considering it.
Moses Newsome Jr., dean of NSU's School of Social Work, said he is a candidate.
``I think I have the experience and the background to take the university to the next level,'' said Newsome, 51, who has been dean of social work since 1984. He came to NSU from Howard University in Washington, where he was associate dean of social work.
Newsome, who is president of the national Council on Social Work Education, said he could use his experience there to help develop the university's national profile.
Last year, NSU started its first doctoral program, in social work. Newsome said the university should consider adding other graduate programs, such as a doctoral program in education and a master's in business administration.
Joseph L. Boyd, dean of the business school, said he might also apply. ``I haven't decided yet,'' said Boyd, who is also a member of the board of trustees of the Virginia Retirement System, which manages investments for current and retired city and state workers.
The university has nine deans. Six said they weren't interested in the presidency. The other dean, Belinda Anderson, in general and continuing education, was out this week and could not be reached for comment.
Thelma B. Thompson, dean of the School of Arts and Letters, cited an admonition by an English writer, John Ruskin, that ``in order for people to be happy in their work, they must be fit for it; they must not do too much of it, and they must have a sense of success in it.''
``I am very happy in my present work,'' she said.
Harrison B. Wilson, the university's president for 21 years, announced last month that he would retire next July.
Dr. L.D. Britt, rector of Norfolk State's Board of Visitors and head of the search committee, declined this week to disclose how many applications he has received. But he said the applications have come from inside the university as well as from across the country.
He said he expected a glut of application near the Sept. 1 deadline.
``People are funny; they're going to keep their cards close to their vest to the dead end,'' Britt said.
``My gut feeling is that in the end, when it's all said and done, we'll probably have 30 good applications,'' he said. Britt said he expects to announce Wilson's replacement by January.
Several other educators or administrators, including Britt himself, say they aren't candidates. Others who say they have no interest in the job include:
Norfolk State's five vice presidents, two assistants to the president and director of the Virginia Beach center.
The presidents of three other historically black colleges in Virginia - Thomas M. Law at St. Paul's College, Eddie N. Moore Jr. at Virginia State University and S. Dallas Simmons at Virginia Union University.
Moore said, ``Norfolk State is an outstanding university, and its presidency is a very prestigious post. However, I am extremely happy at Virginia State University, and as my contract was just renewed for three years, I am not considering any positions that may be available.''
William R. Harvey, the president of the state's other predominantly black university, Hampton, was away last week.
Gordon K. Davies, director of the State Council of Higher Education, and James Dyke, former state secretary of education. Dyke said he is considering running for lieutenant governor next year.
Neither former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, who had once been strongly considered for the presidency of Howard, nor Beverly H. Sgro, the current secretary of education, could be reached for comment.
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY CANDIDIATE by CNB